Need your opinion on switching salt to save $

[sneekapeek]

I was recently started using Red Sea, It mixes fairly quickly and is pretty clean. I used to use Instant Ocean and before that Reef Crystals and both of them left a certain amount of crud. I think Red Sea might leave a very small amount of brown film on the container in a few places but I am not really sure (it might be from left over crud from IO). The other thing I like is the two bags I have run are spot on for parameters (IO could be really off which is why I switched).

Yea that’s what I’m worried about, my water tanks are hard plumbed into my system. They are verticals tanks and I would rather refrain from cleaning them as well as my pump. By paying extra I’ve been able to avoid the build up. I just wonder if I can get the same result from other salts. I’ve used Red Sea blue bucket in the past and the brown build up does occur over time. That was when I had a brute can and was easy to clean!

 

[CoralB]

If instant ocean drops that low after multiple hours I might as well just run my alk at that amount 8.5-8.6. No harm in that and save some dough. How’s instant ocean cleanliness wise, Is it unbearable if you let it sit? I’ve gone a few weeks without changing water after making up my bin, and haven’t had issues in the past from storage.

Same as Red Sea !!!

 

[sneekapeek]

Just purchased live aquaria box and instant ocean box. Hopefully get them soon to see how they go. I’m hoping instant ocean will be the choice since it’s half cost of what tmpr is. I know I could make it work in the end. I’ll post my findings. I’ve always been intrigued of liveaquaria especially when you can get that discount and parameters are really admiral as advertised. Love saving money where I can. Need some extra funds for the overpriced boogers!

 

[Big E]

If instant ocean drops that low after multiple hours I might as well just run my alk at that amount 8.5-8.6. No harm in that and save some dough. How’s instant ocean cleanliness wise, Is it unbearable if you let it sit? I’ve gone a few weeks without changing water after making up my bin, and haven’t had issues in the past from storage.

I've been mixing IO in the same brute container for close to 25 years and I've never cleaned it.
There is minimal film of hardened crust but it never builds up over time.
To me this means nothing......I'm interested in a salt that's consistent over months/years.

I've had water sit mixing for 10-14 days & never had a problem.

Don't base your decision on some visual perception of how the salt mixes..........use one for 6-12 months and then decide if it works for you.

 

[LeftyReefer]

Just purchased live aquaria box and instant ocean box. Hopefully get them soon to see how they go. I’m hoping instant ocean will be the choice since it’s half cost of what tmpr is. I know I could make it work in the end. I’ll post my findings. I’ve always been intrigued of liveaquaria especially when you can get that discount and parameters are really admiral as advertised. Love saving money where I can. Need some extra funds for the overpriced boogers!

I've been using LA/Fritz salt for the last 2 years without any issues. Always mixes up consistently, fast, and clear.
I try to buy the buckets/box when they are on sale for $50 or so.

At some point, Amazon had a crazy cheap sale on IO, so I bought one small bag to try out. Figured I could use it in my QT tank or something.... I mixed up that one bag and I did not like how it dirtied up my mixing container and left a brown film on everything. I'm sure it's harmless, but I'd rather not deal with that if I don't have too. I'd rather pay a few extra bucks and stick with the LA/Fritz salt that doesn't have any of those issues.

 

[sneekapeek]

I've been mixing IO in the same brute container for close to 25 years and I've never cleaned it.
There is minimal film of hardened crust but it never builds up over time.
To me this means nothing......I'm interested in a salt that's consistent over months/years.

I've had water sit mixing for 10-14 days & never had a problem.

Don't base your decision on some visual perception of how the salt mixes..........use one for 6-12 months and then decide if it works for you.

Thanks for the reply, yea I was gonna test over a few months to see how it goes. Generally, I’ve seen consistency to be an issue with every salt over the years myself. I’ve tried small batches of every salt before and decided on tropic Marin 12-15 years ago because how easy clean it was to mix and the parameters are considered favorable. I didn’t mind the cost previously because I was changing so little. But once I scaled up I always justified the means…because it’s so clean and easy to mix and the parameters are favorable I’ll keep buying it. Until I realized there has got to be other options out there that have similar characteristics and half the cost. Regardless, we’ll see how IO n LA salts fair in my mixing/pumping system.

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

Red Sea Salt or Instant Ocean would be my choice. Red sea is better if you want to mix the salt more rapidly. The brown crud found in some salt storage bins is harmless precipitation, so any salt can get that. I think the reason you see less of that in tropic marin salts is because their salt is either at the lowest recommended value for alk or just barely above that depending on which salt you get (the one with slightly higher alk has lower calcium though, which probably counters this). But because of their fantastic marketing, everyone things this has to do with cleanliness of the salt and impurities.

You are dead on about this. Surprising how few know about it.

 

[sneekapeek]

I've been using LA/Fritz salt for the last 2 years without any issues. Always mixes up consistently, fast, and clear.
I try to buy the buckets/box when they are on sale for $50 or so.

At some point, Amazon had a crazy cheap sale on IO, so I bought one small bag to try out. Figured I could use it in my QT tank or something.... I mixed up that one bag and I did not like how it dirtied up my mixing container and left a brown film on everything. I'm sure it's harmless, but I'd rather not deal with that if I don't have too. I'd rather pay a few extra bucks and stick with the LA/Fritz salt that doesn't have any of those issues.

Thanks for the heads up! I’m excited to try this new salt. Thanks for the honest review. I’ve used IO before, I just wasn’t happy with it compared to Tropic Marin back in the day. I’m really looking forward to comparing IO and LA salts head to head. I’m pretty much done with Tropic Marin, I just can’t justify the price anymore. Got the Mother’s Day discount yesterday and paid near $50 for each 200g box. Trying to make water changes fun again! And at that price, I’ll be dancing all the way to the lfs to pick up a long stick of the next best thing! And still have money for gas to get me home.

 

[sneekapeek]

You are dead on about this. Surprising how few know about it.

What gives the brown color, carbonates or calcium?

 

[Big E]

A friend told me about this Petco sale going on now----

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/instant-ocean-aquarium-salt

If you do the auto refill this comes to $35 per box for 2 or more 200g(60 lbs.) boxes. You can cancel the auto refill anytime.......... just use it for the discount and then cancel it.
These kind of sales happen often.

 

[homer1475]

FWIW.....

I have used IO for decades now. Stumbled across a video BRS did a few years back about mixing mistakes. They stated how they used a simple sediment filter(same from our RO/DI machines) to "filter" the water that is going to the tank to leave all that brown crud out of the tank.

I have mine setup so it filters the water going into the tank, as well as a closed loop to filter the water in the mixing barrel. Been doing it that way now for a couple years and have 0 brown crud in my mixing barrels.

 

[sneekapeek]

FWIW.....

I have used IO for decades now. Stumbled across a video BRS did a few years back about mixing mistakes. They stated how they used a simple sediment filter(same from our RO/DI machines) to "filter" the water that is going to the tank to leave all that brown crud out of the tank.

I have mine setup so it filters the water going into the tank, as well as a closed loop to filter the water in the mixing barrel. Been doing it that way now for a couple years and have 0 brown crud in my mixing barrels.

I like that idea, put an inline sediment filter on the closed loop! Thanks for the reply. What micron do you use?

 

[sneekapeek]

A friend told me about this Petco sale going on now----

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/instant-ocean-aquarium-salt

If you do the auto refill this comes to $35 per box for 2 or more 200g(60 lbs.) boxes. You can cancel the auto refill anytime.......... just use it for the discount and then cancel it.
These kind of sales happen often.

Thanks I’ll check it out stud!

 

[homer1475]

I like that idea, put an inline sediment filter on the closed loop! Thanks for the reply. What micron do you use?

I just buy a couple extra 1 micron when I order replacement filters for my RO/DI.

I make roughly 80G a month for weekly WC's. I change out the filter about once a year. You can certainly see the "brown crud" on the filter.

 

[homer1475]

In this pic You can see the extra canister with the sediment filter. This one was fairly new so not so brown.

The line incoming is from my mixing barrel, then I have a Y on the out that goes to my tank, or recycles back to the barrel when I close the valve at the tank.

 

[sneekapeek]

In this pic You can see the extra canister with the sediment filter. This one was fairly new so not so brown.

The line incoming is from my mixing barrel, then I have a Y on the out that goes to my tank, or recycles back to the barrel when I close the valve at the tank.

That’s a great idea, thanks for the insight

 

[92Miata]

I've been mixing IO in the same brute container for close to 25 years and I've never cleaned it.
There is minimal film of hardened crust but it never builds up over time.
To me this means nothing......I'm interested in a salt that's consistent over months/years.

I've had water sit mixing for 10-14 days & never had a problem.

Don't base your decision on some visual perception of how the salt mixes..........use one for 6-12 months and then decide if it works for you.

My IORC mixing barrel is about 2 years old, and other than a light dusting of brown on the top ridge, looks brand new. I leave mixed water for weeks. No problems. Mine is in the garage, so its unheated, and that may help. Most of the "IO is dirty" stuff is BRS FUD to sell more expensive salts.


Adjusting the dKH on salts up or down is also trivially easy. People shouldn't spend an extra $40 on a bucket of salt to avoid $2 of Sodium Bisulfate.


And yes, IO and RC have been rock solid for decades, and are being used by basically every public institution in the country, but somehow have gotten the reputation of low quality - while TM, with all their issues, is somehow the "gold standard". Marketing folks, it works.

 

[Tankkeepers]

Red Sea Salt or Instant Ocean would be my choice. Red sea is better if you want to mix the salt more rapidly. The brown crud found in some salt storage bins is harmless precipitation, so any salt can get that. I think the reason you see less of that in tropic marin salts is because their salt is either at the lowest recommended value for alk or just barely above that depending on which salt you get (the one with slightly higher alk has lower calcium though, which probably counters this). But because of their fantastic marketing, everyone things this has to do with cleanliness of the salt and impurities.

The brown stuff is clay red sea coral pro does not have this instant ocean is bad with it

It can effect your tank in a negative way

I switched from IO to red sea for this exact reason

Could not be happier

Paracipitation is white not brown

 

[Tankkeepers]

Also don't switch just becouse it's cheaper

If switching screws up your tank was it really cheaper

You should look for the best regardless of cost

 

[jda]

I use IO and don't get any kind of crud. RC can have some, but I do use some muriatic to get the alk down, which keeps the bucket and the pumps nice and clean - another reason to just do a few minutes worth of math and then the acid when you do your routine. Even if you get some crud, it does not hurt anything.