Let's get salty! What is the deciding factor(s) for why you choose the salt you use?

[Kostas G.]

Nothing beat natural sea water. That’s what I use

 

[A777flygirl]

I did research when I first started and it looked like IO Teef had the best recommendations from the experienced reefers. I have not changed in 2 years.

 

[Admann]

ESV, clean, clear, healthy livestock, that's all I asked, it delivered. I tried others over the years, but I will use this as long as they make it and it doesn't change..

 

[chap34]

Live Aquaria, you can get it stupid cheap and the parameters see what I’m looking for. I think it’s just Fritz rebranded. A bit dirty though

 

[playapixie]

I use Red Sea Coral Pro, I have been successful after trying their "Mixed Reef Recipe" and I am happy with my results so I don't plan on changing.

On the other side though, I don't do water changes unless there is a problem. I just test, test, test, then dose accordingly to maintain stable parameters.

Ditto this for me. The high-end parameters of their mixed reef recipe for coral growth have worked great for me, and I like that there’s room for error (such as a pump container running dry.)

 

[mermaid_life]

11.5 dKH, yes.

Cool thank you. I've been debating how to handle that.

 

[Joel Kingsland]

I use Instant Ocean & Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. I always have stable parameters. The biggest influence in my decision though would have to be the fact that this is the salt used by The Georgia Aquarium exclusively. This is more than an add slogan. on a visit there I took the behind the scenes tour and saw pallets of the stuff everywhere. With the amazing quality of there displays can attest, this salt simply works all the time.

 

[Quietman]

Habit?!? I don't think it's brand loyalty. Been re-thinking salt mix for a while...yeah, there are mixes that clear at different rate, have more or less residue, better or worse homogeneity in the package - I watch BRSTV like everyone else here does. But there I go buying HW Marine Pro again...good salt, meets my parameters, but is it worth it?

Maybe my answer is "Things are going ok, it's not a huge impact in cost per month, it's highly rated, why change for the sake of a few pennies a day?"

 

[madweazl]

Cheap and easy to get is my preference. They're all perfectly suitable to keeping a reef.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Am I the only one with Coralife salt? Well, I haven’t start using it but I will when I am done with my IO a couple of months. I had been using IO, then mixed them with about 30% RC for the past few month for my LPS dominated 120.

there are two things I don’t like about IO/RC are about half of the time, they don’t mix well and it had some sort of dirty foam or debris floating around. Secondly, it has DKH of 13+ On the RC

my friend who’s been using coralife recommended it and I will give it a shot.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Ideally, all of the above but they don't go hand in hand.

My favorite - ESV, used 20% of the time
Most Used - IO/RC, used 80% of the time

 

[Retro Reefer]

I have been using IO since the 80’s and don’t see any need to change, it does leave a film in my mixing containers and it turns my mixing pumps brown but not really an issue for me.

 

[dougers31]

I use LiveAquaria salt... Mostly because they claim to use it exclusively in their systems and for the fact the price is very reasonable plus the it mixes up clear and quickly.

 

[Mhart032]

I have been using IO since the 80’s and don’t see any need to change, it does leave a film in my mixing containers and it turns my mixing pumps brown but not really an issue for me.

you cant see the film if you use white containers lol

 

[ChadmRoman]

It’s approved by trident.

 

[C. Eymann]

I ran Red sea blue bucket because I like keeping alk/cal/mag closer to NSW levels in the tank, and if you have a properly setup mineral replacement method like a doser or calcium reactor on your tank params will eventually become the parameters of the salt you are using unless you dont do WCs

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

IO RC for me. It's just a coule bucks more a box than the regular IO, but still much more economical than other brands. I haven't been able to justify spending more on other salt brands. Would be nice to try higher end ones, but not for twice the price.

 

[don_chuwish]

I've tried several of the 'premium' options - HW-Marin Reefer, Red Sea Coral Pro, AquaForest Reef Salt, and now Tropic Marin Pro Reef. HW-Marin and Tropic Marin have been the cleanest mixing. BRS's recent videos on salt mix have been educational and led me to try Tropic Marin. So far I'm liking it and so are my tanks.
Next to impossible to attribute success/fail to any salt mix though - there are just too many other variables in play.
I use regular Instant Ocean for QT/HT tanks and it always leaves crud behind in the mixing Brute. Hate that.

 

[K7BMG]

It’s approved by trident.

What is?

 

[Taxus812]

Let's get salty today!

There are so many salts to choose from and so many reasons as to why people choose one over the other. Today I would like to know why!

Brand loyalty, price, ease of mixing, ease of getting, mixing parameters, cleanliness etc..

Why do you use the salt that you use? What are the reasons?

I selected mine In this order not saying this is a good way but it seemed to make sense to me
1) can be mixed and stored with little precipitation
2) matched the parameters I wanted
3) decent brand