Instant Ocean vs Reef Crystal(IO)

[Antonio.dejesus]

Does anyone has a preference of one over the other? I haver heard some people say that they have switched back to normal IO after using RC. The reason being that IO was more stable over time.

Or is there another salt that you would recommend?

 

[hybridazn]

I personally like red sea coral pro salt. Its consistent from batch to batch and i havent had any issues with it. Plus it mixes clean and fast, esp compared to IO and RC.

Of course it's a higher cost than the other 2, but I feel the positives are enough for the additional cost.

 

[cookr959]

I personally like red sea coral pro salt. Its consistent from batch to batch and i havent had any issues with it. Plus it mixes clean and fast, esp compared to IO and RC.

Of course it's a higher cost than the other 2, but I feel the positives are enough for the additional cost.

+1

 

[Fudsey]

Doesn't the RS Pro have real high kH?

 

[MTBake]

I use red sea salt. Not the coral pro version. Regular IO had too high alkalinity for me. As does the reef crystals. I kept getting alk spikes every time I did a water change. I may switch once I have a higher demand for alk but I'm just starting this tank so the demand isn't there yet.

 

[hybridazn]

Doesn't the RS Pro have real high kH?

It does. So ultimately it depends on what level you keep it at, how big of water changes you do and system size need to be taken into account when choosing a salt

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I prefer normal IO to RC because I do not want organics in my salt mix. RC has vitamins that I prefer to not have present.

 

[Waters]

No salt is really better than another (for the most part). You just need to use the salt that mixes closest to the number you are trying to keep. Successful tanks have been kept long term with pretty much every brand.

 

[Reef Jeff]

No salt is really better than another (for the most part). You just need to use the salt that mixes closest to the number you are trying to keep. Successful tanks have been kept long term with pretty much every brand.

This is the best advice I have seen in any "Which salt should I use" thread. The comment "You just need to use the salt that mixes closest to the number you are trying to keep" is great advice.

Parameter swings are far worse that quality differences between name brand salts and should be the most important deciding factor.

 

[madweazl]

I used RC for the first year and have used IO the past six months or so (had some LiveAquaria in between to check it out). I didn't notice any difference in the tank, no crazy dosing differences, or any of the other placebo that seems to get thrown around with salts. I reduce the alkalinity to where I want it prior to use and all else remains as it comes out of the bag/bucket. In the end, I stuck with IO because it's cheaper and honestly, there was no difference.

Edit: I should note, no difference in the health of the tank.

 

[Antonio.dejesus]

I'll stick with IO for now. As the tank matures and I add some corals, then I will change to Red Sea.

 

[gfox]

I prefer normal IO to RC because I do not want organics in my salt mix. RC has vitamins that I prefer to not have present.

Randy.Does IO mix cleaner then RC?also does IO leave your mixing barrel cleaner?

 

[madweazl]

I'll stick with IO for now. As the tank matures and I add some corals, then I will change to Red Sea.

If things are going well with a given product, why would you make a change?

Randy.Does IO mix cleaner then RC?also does IO leave your mixing barrel cleaner?

They're identical in that regard for me.

 

[Antonio.dejesus]

If things are going well with a given product, why would you make a change?



They're identical in that regard for me.

Im saying if the tanks starts cosuming more, then a salt with some higher traces would be better. Right?

 

[madweazl]

Im saying if the tanks starts cosuming more, then a salt with some higher traces would be better. Right?

This is the reason we dose. Once you find a product that works, there aren't many good reasons to change.

 

[Antonio.dejesus]

Yeah but if a salt has some higher traces doesn't that mean that you need to dose less compared to another salt that has lower traces?

 

[madweazl]

Yeah but if a salt has some higher traces doesn't that mean that you need to dose less compared to another salt that has lower traces?

Depending on your target levels, that is a possibility. In the case of IO, my calcium usually ends up around 420-440 and magnesium at 1340-1365 so that is where I leave those. I dont dose magnesium but do weekly, 13% water changes.

 

[Antonio.dejesus]

Depending on your target levels, that is a possibility. In the case of IO, my calcium usually ends up around 420-440 and magnesium at 1340-1365 so that is where I leave those. I dont dose magnesium but do weekly, 13% water changes.

Got it, thanks for the tips madweazl. So if I was planning on adding some zoas later , candy cane or some other "easy" coral, with IO and dosing should be fine for now?

 

[madweazl]

IO is fine to use regardless of what you keep.

 

[skiergd011013]

I personally like red sea coral pro salt. Its consistent from batch to batch and i havent had any issues with it. Plus it mixes clean and fast, esp compared to IO and RC.

Of course it's a higher cost than the other 2, but I feel the positives are enough for the additional cost.

i agree. I wish I used r.s.c.p from the get go.