Reef Crystals vs Aquaforest

[Cooldude7877]

I have been using aquaforest reef salt for over a year now and my alk was constantly low and my corals were ok with it but not really popping. I decided to switch because it has gotten harder to get Aquaforest and the price keeps going up. I made the decision to switch back to Reef Crystals and my corals have never looked better. So I can always get it. Even my SPS have perked up. I have a 400 gallon tank and change about 70 gallons biweekly. I do not dose anything, my phosphates are around .04 and my alk holds between 9.5-10.

I definitely get there is that brown residue around my mixing container but that is nothing to clean just need some vinegar and time. In closing I have tested using Tropic Marin, Aquaforest, Fritz Blue box, and Redsea Coral and Coral Pro. I keep going back to RC as it just works.

 

[SaltySqueeble]

I agree. RC is just fine, consistent parameters and always available. When I do my water change, 10% weekly I don’t need to dose alk, but still have to dose all other days to keep at 8dkh. Bucket rinses clean every time. One tip, if you put your salt into a filter sock inside your mix bucket there will be no brown residue.

 

[DD Corals]

Just curious whats the big difference between instant ocean and reef crystals? I switched from red sea blue bucket because it is cheaper for me to get instant ocean.

 

[SaltySqueeble]

Instant ocean has lower parameters than RC. Cal, alk, mag all on the low side.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Instant ocean has lower parameters than RC. Cal, alk, mag all on the low side.

Compared to what?

Normal IO has among the higher alk levels of commercial salt mixes.

 

[Largeangels]

Always IO for me. Fish or coral.

 

[SaltySqueeble]

Compared to what?

Normal IO has among the higher alk levels of commercial salt mixes.

He asked difference between RC and IO. It’s lower in parameters.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

He asked difference between RC and IO. It’s lower in parameters.

But not “on the low side” for alk :)

 

[SaltySqueeble]

But not “on the low side” for alk :)

What would you say the typical alk level is for IO?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What would you say the typical alk level is for IO?

This recent study has it just over 11 dKH, higher than all other salts in the study, including RC

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-ultimate-salt-test.949805/

 

[SaltySqueeble]

This recent study has it just over 11 dKH, higher than all other salts in the study, including RC

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-ultimate-salt-test.949805/

That was my understanding as well. I mentioned that to you before and you said it was likely a test error due to calcium carbonate precipitation. You’ve changed your mind?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That was my understanding as well. I mentioned that to you before and you said it was likely a test error due to calcium carbonate precipitation. You’ve changed your mind?

You mean that is was higher than RC (might be precipitation) or that it is higher than most other mixes (not precipitation).

 

[SaltySqueeble]

You mean that is was higher than RC (might be precipitation) or that it is higher than most other mixes (not precipitation).

Higher than RC… isn’t RC more like 9.6dkh?

 

[SaltySqueeble]

Just curious whats the big difference between instant ocean and reef crystals? I switched from red sea blue bucket because it is cheaper for me to get instant ocean.

Well, looks like you have a well researched answer in the chart above.