SPS dominant tanks - What Reef Salt for 2022?

[brahm]

Instant ocean. I’ve ran into consistently issues with some of the other brands. I also prefer not to switch salts and tend to be on the higher frequency of water changes so availability is key. I did have good results with hW way back when but not to the point it justified the cost.

 

[chipchipbro]

It's actually available worldwide, but overseas TM is a local salt. TM is actually cheaper then IO overseas. Seen many from over the pond that have posted that in the last few weeks.

Honestly if TM was more in line with IO as far as price goes, I might switch to it. Just for the simple fact it mixes up closer to my desired levels(less tinkering with the salt mix). The $100 price tag kills me though. I can buy 2 if not 3 boxes of IO for the price of one bucket of TM.

LIke you said here in Europe the most reefers are using TM because IO isnt really available.
I mean IO IS available, but not in every LFS... I mean there maybe like 1 or 2 LFS in my whole country where IO Purple is available. TM is like everywhere and pricetag is the same as IO Purple.

Still, TM costs like 100$ bucks here for the 25kg bucket.

 

[jhuntstl]

I was using TMPR, but switched to regular IO for the savings and availability. I haven't mixed a batch yet, but I can't imagine it'll be much different. I dose AFR so losing the traces in TM shouldn't matter much.

Had nothing but a positive experience using Tropic Marin over the last 7 months. The last box I used was Made in Turkey. I did experience a mini SPS crash using the Turkey salt in a new build transfer, but also rebooted using the same salt and haven't had issues since. I wish I could blame some elevated iron and manganese, but I'm pretty sure that crash was on me.

 

[Yodeling]

Still, TM costs like 100$ bucks here for the 25kg bucket.

Whoa, I can buy IO for 1/3 of that (literally $33 for a 5g bucket at my local petco).

 

[chipchipbro]

Whoa, I can buy IO for 1/3 of that (literally $33 for a 5g bucket at my local petco).

Well, the 100$ or its even 110$ now.. is for a 200g bucket.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

HW Reefer or Fritz blue box depending on which I can get. Both mix to the same alk and cal and both mix clean.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

Seems to be a pattern here.....

Most of us that have been in the hobby for a while, and maintain SPS dominate tanks(natural progression of the hobby), all have gone with cost being the biggest reason for the salt we choose.

With that said, I have always used regular old purple box IO. Easy to find in just about any LFS, and big box store, cheap, and very consistent batch to batch. The brown crud is easy to mitigate too. I run my water through an RO/DI sediment filter as I mix it. My barrels are just as grey as the day I bought them about 20 years ago.

Like @jda said in the other thread, I have used IO for so long, I have my recipe down to a science.

Fill up brute
add measured amount of salt
Check salinity a few hours later
Dump in 20ml of muriatic acid
Dump in a couple ML of Calcium chloride

Always right around 7ALK, 420 CAL, and 1500 MAG(IO has always had high mag. I'm ok with that as I never have to supplement MAG to my tank).

Yea I think those of us that have sps dominant tanks over the years have realized the $$ is better spent elsewhere. I myself am switching back to IO again after really looking at it.

 

[Reefs anonymous]

TM pro but might switch to RS buckets with alk at 8ish. TM pro alk is too low for me. I have to add alk to the mix to get it to 8dkh.

 

[GillMeister]

Just switched from TM Pro to Aquaforest Reef after using Pro for 3 years

How is it working for you? I really thought about switching to this but no one carries it. I stopped using Tropic Marin because it was always out of stock and they jacked the price. AF prices seemed enticing but lack of retailers killed it for me. I do use a lot of their supplements and additives.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

Whoa, I can buy IO for 1/3 of that (literally $33 for a 5g bucket at my local petco).

Well, the 100$ or its even 110$ now.. is for a 200g bucket.

Something to keep in mind that those gallon ratings differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and they won't actually give you the rated gallons if you are mixing to 35ppt/1.026sg. You have to calculate for that. Most of these that are a "200g" box, actually will only give you between 160 and 170 gallons when mixed to 1.026sg.

 

[alain Bouchard]

have you tried the new MEGA POWER SUPER SODIUM 3D HIGH DEFINITION QUANTUM 5000 salt? ;Pompus

 

[Hydrored]

How is it working for you? I really thought about switching to this but no one carries it. I stopped using Tropic Marin because it was always out of stock and they jacked the price. AF prices seemed enticing but lack of retailers killed it for me. I do use a lot of their supplements and additives.

First water change was yesterday and it mixed clean, I like that you can see the ICP results from the batch number. Second water change is today and also mixed clean.

I recently did a new build and used a mix of of old water and new water all from TM Turkey along with AWC from TM Turkey and has some odd tenuis issues and lost a few. I end on here and found all of the reported issues and figured not worth the risk. All of my acros never missed a beat, just tenuis so who knows. I’m not blaming TM for the losses and I’m just going to move on, interesting enough my tenuis all responded immediately from the water change.

 

[Rmckoy]

I have used aquavitro for so long .
but have been thinking of switching to something closer to nsw .

 

[chipchipbro]

Something to keep in mind that those gallon ratings differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and they won't actually give you the rated gallons if you are mixing to 35ppt/1.026sg. You have to calculate for that. Most of these that are a "200g" box, actually will only give you between 160 and 170 gallons when mixed to 1.026sg.

I know.. I just wanted to give an indicator of what size bucket I am talking about

 

[Acros]

I have used IO and reef crystals with success, however TM pro is the best salt that I have used and still use it today. The parameters best match my reef target and it mixes really clean. BRS did a bunch of tests with most of the salt brands and generally TM pro was the best in almost every category. It is more expensive though and that could really matter in a large system.

Darren

If you look at all the test they did, TM Pro does not come out better than any other salt. Look at the data and not their conclusions.

TM Pro exhibited similar levels of alk drop while storing, compared to other NSW parameter salts. The only test they performed better than others is in mixing clarity (which seems to be troublesome with newer batches).

 

[i_am_mclovin]

I know.. I just wanted to give an indicator of what size bucket I am talking about

Oh sure all good, just one of those things that some don't even realize haha.

 

[reef_ranch]

TMPR or RC Blue Bucket, whichever is available when I want to do a water change. If I order on-line its TMPR. If from my LFS its Blue Bucket. Both mix up to similar alk which is where I like to keep my tank.

But what do you do with all those empty buckets!!! (If I can find the boxes of TMPR I buy those -- easy to recycle and the less plastic in the world the better)

 

[shadow1013]

SBB Corals, if you read below had a lot of issue with their TM Pro salt with their Acros is switching because of the high Iron they are getting from the salt. Got me a bit worried wondering what mine will do.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/high-end-tenuis-hoarder.757551/page-60#post-9769583

 

[Potatohead]

Something to keep in mind that those gallon ratings differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and they won't actually give you the rated gallons if you are mixing to 35ppt/1.026sg. You have to calculate for that. Most of these that are a "200g" box, actually will only give you between 160 and 170 gallons when mixed to 1.026sg.

A bucket of TM Pro is actually 25 kg, whereas a bucket of IO is 21.7 kg.

So, it is about 15% more salt mix. So accounting for the 3% mixing difference between anhydrous or hydrous sodium chloride (which may not be applicable) it is still 12% more mixed saltwater worst case scenario, and 18% more best case scenario.

 

[stephj03]

A bucket of TM Pro is actually 25 kg, whereas a bucket of IO is 21.7 kg.

So, it is about 15% more salt mix. So accounting for the 3% mixing difference between anhydrous or hydrous sodium chloride (which may not be applicable) it is still 12% more mixed saltwater worst case scenario, and 18% more best case scenario.

I think he's referring to the 200g box which is 28kg.

That's the form most are getting from Amazon for about $40.

The 160g bucket you mention goes on sale a lot online for $30-35 with a price match for in store pick up at any PetSmart/PetCo.