Instant ocean sea salt

[johnny4491]

How do you dissolve your salt mix?

I mix it with a spoon and then I just put in a old powerhead and let it run for a little

 

[dave171]

I mix it with a spoon and then I just put in a old powerhead and let it run for a little

Good,you should have no problem! And in reference to the salt dispute go with what you feel is right. Maybe do more research don't just listen to one set of people. Ask your lfs and ask what they use. Good luck to you!

 

[johnny4491]

Good,you should have no problem! And in reference to the salt dispute go with what you feel is right. Maybe do more research don't just listen to one set of people. Ask your lfs and ask what they use. Good luck to you!

Thanks! I appreciate it

 

[DFW]

I can't get his last box of reef crystals to completely dissolve. I've not had this problem ever with IO.

 

[jsker]

It what you can afford and your a comfortable with using. saliently is between .024 and .026, I run .25. redfishbluefish is correct with using a refactor to test your salt. buy a good test kit because everyone is going to ask your parameters when you ask a question. It takes some time and patients but you will learn what makes your tank work for you. there is a lot of great information on this blog and ask, then make you best judgement using all of the answers you get back. From what I have read I am trying a mix of salts right now and experimenting.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is it true that this salt is for fish only tanks and bad if you have corals that's what someone told me today? Is this true

No, that is not true. I've used only normal Instant Ocean on my reef tank for 19 years. I don't think Reef Crystals is better and choose to not use it because I do not want added vitamins and metal chelators.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes change to reef crystals for sure. I don't know how new you are but all reef tanks need things like calcium magnesium etc. And you need to be using the salt that has these in it. And if you are making your own water are you using a ro/di system?

And you think that Instant Ocean doesn't contain those?

 

[glb]

I can't get his last box of reef crystals to completely dissolve. I've not had this problem ever with IO.

Same here. I've always had this problem with RC.

 

[mfinn]

Wow! So much mis-information. IO is just fine for a reef tank. It's "ocean water," as they claim. It is one of the most popular salts. I use it, and unless anything has changed, so does Randy Holmes Farley. With any salt, including what I term the "super salts," you'll need to supplement alk and calc. But IO is a great salt....minimal swings in alk and calc when I do water changes.

I agree completely.

 

[dave171]

Not mis information at all. Unless you have used it and tested it and have evidence with it then it's not miss information. I said I have never experimented with instant ocean or reef crystals as I do not like either and prefer red sea. And it's funny you say "with any salt, including what I term the 'super salts', you'll need to supplement alk and calc" why not just buy a salt that has this already in the correct levels instead of dosing? I use Red Sea and my levels have been spot on since day one and never needed to dose any of those essentials.

 

[hart24601]

FWIW I have been using Tropic Marin Pro and ESV and recently switched to Instant Ocean and am perfectly happy with IO. Years ago I used Reef Crystals and wan't thrilled with it. TMP and ESV were fine, but nothing about them made me think they were worth over 3x the cost per gallon. I mix to 35ppt.

 

[mfinn]

I have been using Instant Ocean for 30+ years and I can say that it will work just fine for a reef tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Not mis information at all. Unless you have used it and tested it and have evidence with it then it's not miss information. I said I have never experimented with instant ocean or reef crystals as I do not like either and prefer red sea. And it's funny you say "with any salt, including what I term the 'super salts', you'll need to supplement alk and calc" why not just buy a salt that has this already in the correct levels instead of dosing? I use Red Sea and my levels have been spot on since day one and never needed to dose any of those essentials.

We have done all of those. Don't rely on misinformation from an LFS that may prefer to see particular salts sold to you. We are scientists and experts and know exactly what is in the mixes we use and recommend.

That said, almost any salt mix can yield a wonderful reef tank.

If you've never had to supplement alkalinity, you do not have any rapidly growing hard corals.

 

[787will]

Well this is true If you are using instant ocean salt. But if you are using instant ocean reef crystals salt you are fine. The price isnt much of a difference so if you are using regular and not reef crystals you need to switch.

Couldn't disagree more with this. From my experience, IO is one of the most reliable salts for stable parameters and i have used it in fully stocked reef tanks for a few years now, tired reef crystals for a while and wasn't happy with the inconsistancies so went back to IO.

 

[pciscott]

Opinions will not give you results, expert advice will. This advice and expert status is tricky and I recommend doing a little research or reading up on a member before you take their advice. On top of that the proof is in the pictures. If you have never used IO salt than why even answer this thread? I have ended up using IO myself and the Reef is thriving. I am no expert, but it took me along time to figure out not to take advice from those that have opinions and not results. Tap water in a reef, Really? That is not good advice and while I try to be polite, that will not be good for anything alive in your reef!

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Been using reg ol IO for 3+ years. I have an SPS dominant reef tank and get great results. After reading through numerous threads like these, I finally decided to switch over to IO. I was using Red Sea coral pro salt, and saw absolutely no difference in color or coral growth when I switched to IO.

 

[glb]

I used IO for three years with a fowlr tank, then switched to RC when I started coral. I used RC for about 3 years but always had problems with keeping my numbers stable and the mix not totally dissolving. RC had inconsistent alk readings during most of the time I used it. This resulted in me having to check alk daily and dose as needed, more after water changes. Randy is an expert in every sense of the word and he's published numerous articles on this stuff, so I trust his opinions because they're based on lots of research, and he's helped me a lot. I changed back to regular IO because he and others said it's more consistent. I'd rather have consistent lower numbers than inconsistent higher ones. I'm not trying to knock anyone who uses a different mix and to each his/her own about what works best in your tank. But since I've used both of these mixes for a long time, I thought I'd chime in.

 

[philfree]

I use IO with no issues at 1.026.
As said above, in a established decently stocked tank, you have to supplement Ca and Alk anyways.
Entirely not necessary to get "specially" formulated salts like RC to maintain a healthy thriving reef.
I used to use Kent Reef salt. Which was alright, but took my Ca waaaay too high. 600+.
So i switched back to IO, everything is as right as rain now .

 

[glb]

I use IO with no issues at 1.026.
As said above, in a established decently stocked tank, you have to supplement Ca and Alk anyways.
Entirely not necessary to get "specially" formulated salts like RC to maintain a healthy thriving reef.
I used to use Kent Reef salt. Which was alright, but took my Ca waaaay too high. 600+.
So i switched back to IO, everything is as right as rain now .

How much more mix/gallon do you have to use to get 1.026?

 

[Makena95GT]

Not mis information at all. Unless you have used it and tested it and have evidence with it then it's not miss information. I said I have never experimented with instant ocean or reef crystals as I do not like either and prefer red sea. And it's funny you say "with any salt, including what I term the 'super salts', you'll need to supplement alk and calc" why not just buy a salt that has this already in the correct levels instead of dosing? I use Red Sea and my levels have been spot on since day one and never needed to dose any of those essentials.

As you have said people have different tanks. Someone with a much heavier stony coral load than you may find that NO salt has what they need some systems will have to dose alk or calcium regardless. Seems you aren't understanding that bit. Also as Randy said, if you arent having to dose, you probably aren't getting that "rapid growth" you claim. Every system is different. We will all need different levels to support our corals. I can use IO all day and still have an excess of nutrients because i have very little coral in a 40g.