Salt quality

[rtparty]

I’m fairly new to the hobby and R2R so thank you for making me feel welcome and educated

There are a couple trains of thought when it comes to salt.

1) Salt is salt and it’s all the same
2) Whichever salt I use is the best (purchase bias)

The truth is there are absolutely differences between the salts. To not acknowledge this is just flat out wrong and pure ignorance.

The real question is: do these differences matter? Do they matter to the animals and/or do they matter to the hobbyist? Mattering to the animals is 99% opinion and will never be agreed upon. Mattering to the hobbyist? That’s for you to decide and make a list of priorities.

For me, I see very tangible differences in the quality of raw materials used. I tested quite a few salts and sent them all off for ICP testing a few years ago. It was not a competition or salt A vs salt B setup. The intent was to actually see if we, the hobbyists, get what the companies advertise.

After 20+ years and using more than a dozen salts, I have my own opinions on what I like in a salt and they may or may not align with someone else. This is where making a priority list makes sense to me. Do you want easiest on the wallet? Or is clean and consistent more important? Or do you want to support your local store and want it readily available?

So, in conclusion, there are different qualities of salt. The purity of the raw materials alone makes each salt unique. You just have to decide what is important to you. 99% of them will keep fish and coral alive.

 

[MC Blowfish]

Instant Ocean

 

[Should I]

Currently filling my tank up with Nyos salt

 

[LunkerPunker]

halcyon
marine reef salt

 

[C_AWOL]

Primarily use instant ocean for the last 20+ years. No real reason to change from it

 

[gbroadbridge]

Just curious on what salt everyone uses. I’ve heard good and bad things about a few major brands and want to know the difference. Thanks!

Is google broken?

 

[saltcreep74]

My tank has a problem with rising alkalinity, so I try using a salt that mixes low alk.

Preferrably, TM Pro is my first choice otherwise I use Fritz Blue. Both work well for me. I get 7-8 Dkh @ 35ppm.

 

[Linden13]

Instant ocean reed crystal. Good price always find it on sale from different places and always easy to get. I think about trying something else but then find reef crystals for half the price and I know it works

 

[petcellar]

 

[draj]

using aquaforest, bought like 3 boxes, on the last bit of it now. switching to instant ocean after.

 

[Idoc]

That’s what I was mostly curious about. I use the same instant ocean salt but I’ve had people tell me the higher quality salt, the better your parameters will be

I don't think that is particularly true although some synthetic salt mixing parameters might be more standardized between batchs. But, there are some amazing looking tanks out there who use simple Instant Ocean salts...this is mainly why I switched.

 

[foamboy]

There are a couple trains of thought when it comes to salt.

1) Salt is salt and it’s all the same
2) Whichever salt I use is the best (purchase bias)

The truth is there are absolutely differences between the salts. To not acknowledge this is just flat out wrong and pure ignorance.

The real question is: do these differences matter? Do they matter to the animals and/or do they matter to the hobbyist? Mattering to the animals is 99% opinion and will never be agreed upon. Mattering to the hobbyist? That’s for you to decide and make a list of priorities.

For me, I see very tangible differences in the quality of raw materials used. I tested quite a few salts and sent them all off for ICP testing a few years ago. It was not a competition or salt A vs salt B setup. The intent was to actually see if we, the hobbyists, get what the companies advertise.

After 20+ years and using more than a dozen salts, I have my own opinions on what I like in a salt and they may or may not align with someone else. This is where making a priority list makes sense to me. Do you want easiest on the wallet? Or is clean and consistent more important? Or do you want to support your local store and want it readily available?

So, in conclusion, there are different qualities of salt. The purity of the raw materials alone makes each salt unique. You just have to decide what is important to you. 99% of them will keep fish and coral alive.

Now I’m curious. What did you decide matters most to you the hobbyist and which salt did that land you on preferring?

 

[rtparty]

Now I’m curious. What did you decide matters most to you the hobbyist and which salt did that land you on preferring?

Clean, consistent, and mixes up to the parameters run my tank. I’ve been using NYOS for a couple years now.

But I’ll also use Tropic Marin Pro, HW, or ESV if I catch them on sale. ESV’s alkalinity is a little higher for my liking but it is the best way to go about making salt.

 

[drewzaun]

I use IO. I was on a mission to find a “better” salt, tried many of the brands mentioned. I personally didn’t see much of a difference in my house, while I have seen some eye popping tanks using IO, and it’s not only the cheapest but always available which I can’t say about the others I have tried.

 

[CBonito]

Red Sea Salt!

Same here! I like coral pro salt a lot.
It keeps both ph and alk up and instead of being annoyed when I do a change, my corals always seem refreshed.

If I do weekly water changes, I can get away without using so many additives too which when you add it up, saves you money if it matters.

 

[robmiller2]

I have been using Fritz Blue Box for years and its giving me great results and its quite easy to get at my LFS.

 

[CBonito]

I have been using Fritz Blue Box for years and its giving me great results and its quite easy to get at my LFS.

I always hear about that one, but I've never seen it before anywhere.