Need your opinion on switching salt to save $

[sneekapeek]

This is complete conjecture, not proof.

So the marketing company that sells expensive salt said you should use expensive salt? Imagine that…

It’s fine to have your opinion but don’t present it as fact…

Is ‘sending it to a lab’ mean you got an ICP test?

I’d imagine that IO has better margins since it’s the cheapest salt! Freights kills any margins coming from over the pond and raw material when sourced through purer sources typically have smaller margins than those naturally found because of protection clauses. I see it with car wash chemicals and it’s a pita to compete with dirty hydroxides that most people dump on their driveway.

 

[sneekapeek]

Fritz RPM (blue) is what I want to try when I run out of Instant Ocean (regular).
Not because I have any complaints with IO but because Fritz parameters better match what my tank runs -- mainly the lower alkalinity (than IO).
*roughly 1.5x price here so worth at least trying (for me)

Let me know how it goes. A good value is hard to keep a secret

 

[sneekapeek]

I just switched to Kent marine from Tropic Marin classic to save some coin. With the Kent salt the recipe to hit 1.025 require an extra 2 tablespoons, so that erodes the savings slightly. With that figured in, I am paying $.33 per gallon for the Kent vs. $.50 per gallon for the TM. Parameters are very close on the two salts. Time will tell if the decision was wise.

Let us know how it goes, I like a good value if it slaps me over the head.

 

[sneekapeek]

Fritz RPM and Live Aquaria salt are both the same salt. I'm assuming Fritz is making it and relabeling it for LA.
So you can buy whichever one you can find the better deal on at the time.

half of my supply is LA and half is Fritz. I use it interchangeably without worry. It's all the same.

Petco sells the LA salt and Petsmart sells the Fritz salt.

What’s your thoughts on these salts, I’d like to know because half the cost of tmpr and performs similar is value I could use!

 

[jmatt]

Completely agree. Micromanaging a tank will eventually burn you. Ive been doing this a long time, and one thing ive learned, if it looks good, dont F with it.

Tinkering is just in the nature of people who are drawn to a hobby this complicated. They (we) want it to be perfect and can't sit still...

As I'm getting started again, I'm hoping my laziness armwrestles my desire to tinker to a stalemate, and I am content to leave the tank alone.

 

[sneekapeek]

I'm curious, I've been reading through this entire thread and I haven't seen anyone mention Aquaforest salt, either regular or probiotic. My LFS uses the probiotic salt exclusively, and only sell that kind. I'm at the end of my Red Sea black bucket, and was hoping to find an answer in this thread if anyone recommended it, but it doesn't seem like it's popular at all?

Haven’t used it ever so I couldn’t comment on its use. My goal is to save money and still maintain characteristics of tmpr. Will it happen, I hope so! So far I’ve done 2 water changes with LA salt and I’m quite pleased. Time will only tell how corals respond. Being able to save money on salt is a win in my book! Maintaining quality and saving money is what I’m after. I found some brown crud for example at the bottom of my mixing tank and the salt that settled over some of the area cleaned the brown off which is awesome to my surprise. I don’t want to ever clean my tank or pumps, it’s just such a pita having to drain tank undo unions drag tank and pressure wash the crap out of it!

 

[sneekapeek]

Tinkering is just in the nature of people who are drawn to a hobby this complicated. They (we) want it to be perfect and can't sit still...

As I'm getting started again, I'm hoping my laziness armwrestles my desire to tinker to a stalemate, and I am content to leave the tank alone.

I like what you have to say bud! Unfortunately, my ocd of cleanliness bugs me to the point that if my mixing container is brown I should probably do something about it. I figured if the salt is the problem then who knows what else it may do to my pump heater etc. The cost savings on salt add up over time making cleaning or exchanging equipment justifiable, but it is a deciding factor for me which salt I should choose. I’ve looked at the numbers and for me IO LA cost would be better and just replace pumps heaters etc. I just don’t want the extra work involved exchanging equipment and if I can get best of both worlds with LA salt, I’ll be a happy camper.

 

[sfin52]

Instant ocean or rc cant go wrong

 

[sneekapeek]

Instant ocean or rc cant go wrong

I don’t think I would I just want to exhaust LA salt option first, if that don’t work than going purple bucket

 

[Dolphis]

I love brightwells neomarine. It’s $80 on BRS and such but can get a 150g box for $60 on Amazon. It’s what I use and matches everything you want.

7ish dkh
420 calc
1400 mag

This!
Neomarine has always been on my radar and was my original choice when I set up my reef tank, but went with TM, since it was comparable and seemed a bit better in several aspects.

is that $60 Amazon price the norm for the 150g box? It’s currently showing at $98, directly sold from Amazon -$129 from a third party seller.
Would definitely give it a try at that $60 price tag

 

[sneekapeek]

This!
Neomarine has always been on my radar and was my original choice when I set up my reef tank, but went with TM, since it was comparable and seemed a bit better in several aspects.

is that $60 Amazon price the norm for the 150g box? It’s currently showing at $98, directly sold from Amazon -$129 from a third party seller.
Would definitely give it a try at that $60 price tag

.40 cents a gallon at 150g $60 is not bad. I’d wait for a sale on live aquaria reef salt to save some money. I think I paid .32 cents a gallon at 180g $52 bucket. They’ll probably have some 4th of July sale, to bring down the costs.

I’ve used brightwell, my only gripe doesn’t mix as clean. You can see residue floating around as it’s mixed and leftover residue at bottom of container. I don’t have the luxury to clean out a 110g container every time I wanna mix salt.

 

[Nick Steele]

This!
Neomarine has always been on my radar and was my original choice when I set up my reef tank, but went with TM, since it was comparable and seemed a bit better in several aspects.

is that $60 Amazon price the norm for the 150g box? It’s currently showing at $98, directly sold from Amazon -$129 from a third party seller.
Would definitely give it a try at that $60 price tag

Wow I just checked again and now it’s $102 for the box last time I got it was $60

 

[sneekapeek]

Wow I just checked again and now it’s $102 for the box last time I got it was $60

Might as well go tm at those costs! I ended up finding some live aquaria for cheap and loaded up for a while. I switched from tm because of costs and so far things in my tank responded well to the transition. Clean and clear salt, can be left in container long.

 

[liquidfire]

I love brightwells neomarine. It’s $80 on BRS and such but can get a 150g box for $60 on Amazon. It’s what I use and matches everything you want.

7ish dkh
420 calc
1400 mag

 

[102ttran]

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.

im starting a new tank and was planning to use rc and how much of muriatic to use to drop from 12-8dkh?

 

[sneekapeek]

im starting a new tank and was planning to use rc and how much of muriatic to use to drop from 12-8dkh?

@jda he should know. That fella is extremely helpful! Too bad Siri or the oracle are of no use.

 

[102ttran]

@jda he should know. That fella is extremely helpful! Too bad Siri or the oracle are of no use.

yea i just read a thread about muriatic acid and saw his post for a formula.

 

[Dolphis]

Wow I just checked again and now it’s $102 for the box last time I got it was $60

Dang! Yeah, kinda figured it went up… you got a good deal

 

[sneekapeek]

I think the next 6 months will determine availability on any product. Just checked stock of live aquaria salt and they are sold out. However Red Sea was looking good. I’ve seen others have low stock on TMPR and IO

 

[Cook]

@sneekapeek Any updates on your testing? I went with Fritz RPM from TMP and I have noticed that I can't store the Fritz mixed salt water as long without precipitation (garage storage in the summer is ~ 80 degrees), but otherwise seems fine.