What salt do you use and why?

[skey44]

What I look for. Consistency, clarity, lab made, less clean up of mix buckets. Brands I am interested in trying is tropic marin. I have heard good things but when Nyos works so well why bother?

I feel the exact same way about Nyos but I use TM. I’m interested but am happy where I’m at too. Great minds think somewhat alike?!?

 

[Reef Jedi]

I feel the exact same way about Nyos but I use TM. I’m interested but am happy where I’m at too. Great minds think somewhat alike?!?

Curious what made you choose TM? I know BRS really was pushing it a while ago in their videos. Is it noticeably better? Do you get build up in your mixing bin? I’ve always heard it mixes very clear.

 

[Garf]

After 20 ish years of using Tropic Marin Classic I'm transitioning to Nyos. The cost of Tropic Marin has gone through the roof over here, no other reason.

 

[rtparty]

IO for me - because its cheap and has worked for everybody for decades. No issues to report in largely undemanding softies/LPS reef.

If I had unlimited budget, ESV all the way. Perfect salt mix, crystal clear in one minute....but comes at a price I can't justify.

ESV is a couple dollars a month more than IO. It is actually one of the cheapest salts per gallon

 

[jdpeters]

Reef crystals. I really like Jason fox and his simple approach. He uses it so it’s good enough for me.

 

[buruskeee]

Instant Ocean. Cheap, and consistent quality.

Challenge — ask your exotic salt vendor to disclose the source of their raw materials and who blends their salt for them. Most will not tell you. To be even remotely competitive, it is unlikely that most of these companies are doing it themselves, and instead are simply buying from one of the few sources out there, and likely doing so geo based. Meaning the “same” salt on two different continents could easily be two different source blenders and different raw materials.

There may be others, but here are manufacturers that I know of. I assume almost all other brands come from one of these by contract - or China.

• Spectrum, U.S.
• Fritz, U.S,
• Tropic Marin, Germany
• HW Wiegandt, Germany
• Red Sea, Israel
• Aquaforest, Poland
• ESV, U.S.
• Aqua Medic, Germany
• D-D, U.K.

Question, isn’t RedSea like 85% naturally harvested?

 

[skey44]

Curious what made you choose TM? I know BRS really was pushing it a while ago in their videos. Is it noticeably better? Do you get build up in your mixing bin? I’ve always heard it mixes very clear.

I have tried most of the big salts, and some of the smaller ones. Tropic Marin has given me consistent results. The Pro Reef type matches my goal parameter very closely and I like that. It mixes fast, clear, and does not leave any residue in the brutes. Approximately yearly cleaning is all that’s needed and that’s more from very slow growing bacterial slime not gunky clay film. I leave salt mixing and heated for weeks at a time. The salt is highly uniform. I like that there is a bag in the bucket to help guard against moisture. And most importantly it just gives me results. When I do a water change I always see a very positive result.
I’ve had success with other salts in the past including IO, RC, Aquavitro, Brightwell Oceanic, Coralife, and others. I used to work at the LFS and tried many especially the cheapest stuff on sale. But when we would get TM it was just always so luxurious and nice relatively. Since I started back in the hobby last year I’ve exclusively used TM. It’s purely preference for the reasons listed above. This is an expensive hobby. I don’t do huge WC, but I do think they’re important. I am trying to do everything to ensure my Acropora keep growing and sticking with what I perceive as a superior salt mix seems to be an easy way to eliminate other variables. The cost has been rising and it makes me consider switching, but I’m still not there. I try to buy a bucket whether I need it or not whenever it’s on sale. I also use AFR, so I’m on the TM bandwagon. Stuff works great. I mix the powder myself and also buy the big one of those when it goes on sale.

 

[Pod_01]

I use TM pro, easy to mix (10 minutes I can use it). No residue in the mixing bucket and the parameter are where I like them.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Question, isn’t RedSea like 85% naturally harvested?

I am not sure that I understand the question. It still has to be processed.
It doesn't matter if it is mined or harvested from evaporation, the salt has to go through processing to have trace elements blended, packaged, etc. All salt is "naturally harvested" in one fashion or another. Don't be fooled by marketing terminology, all of the salt (evaporated now) or harvested from a mine, comes from evaporated seawater.

 

[FMF0331]

I use Tropic Marin Pro ... because I'm financially irresponsible.

Been using it for the last 5 years or so, happy with the results

 

[BZOFIQ]

ESV is a couple dollars a month more than IO. It is actually one of the cheapest salts per gallon

Not when your system is 350 Gallons.

I currently still have about 13 buckets left of IO that I finagled out of Che wy, Pet co, etc for between $20-30 per bucket.

BTW, currently $52.99 - $20 Wink Wink

 

[FishLvR]

I am moving away from mined salts. They are dirty and the mining process isn't great for the environments where the salts are mined. That is why I stick with Kent, TM, Nyos. Others can chime in but Red Sea took a ton of finicky mixing to get it near the parameters listed. Don't let it sit over 24 hours, but not less than 6 hours, mix 20% at a time, dont do this, dont do that, and so on. Nyos is getting annoying because BRS runs their support now. So when setting up an auto water change system I asked Nyos how long they think you can store their salt, because online they explicitly tell you it's storable. BRS emails me back (I emailed Nyos) and says it's not storable. So you get a lot of conflicting. That is one more reason I am thinking of switching to TM. To cut out BRS from the equation. Yes I buy from you but why are you running all their support? Does BRS really own everybody now? If you email TM about a product they respond. That's the ONLY reason I would change but I noticed just today the prices jumped up considerably!

 

[buruskeee]

I am not sure that I understand the question. It still has to be processed.
It doesn't matter if it is mined or harvested from evaporation, the salt has to go through processing to have trace elements blended, packaged, etc. All salt is "naturally harvested" in one fashion or another. Don't be fooled by marketing terminology, all of the salt (evaporated now) or harvested from a mine, comes from evaporated seawater.

I’m not the most proficient in chemistry nor care to study it; I thought the only way to make salt in a lab was the sodium and chlorine direct reaction way. Didn’t realize there was a couple other methods to make a liquid you then evaporate.

 

[Fury808]

What salt do you use and why?

What benefits do you think your choice has over others?

I used instant ocean regular for 20 years. The last two tanks I’ve used Red Sea blue bucket and I’m not too impressed with the residue it leaves in the mixing bin. I run an awc so it needs to be stored for a month.

Nyos because it leaves the least residue.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I’m not the most proficient in chemistry nor care to study it; I thought the only way to make salt in a lab was the sodium and chlorine direct reaction way. Didn’t realize there was a couple other methods to make a liquid you then evaporate.

I don’t think anybody is growing salt crystals — it is all terrestrial mined or evaporated from seawater.

 

[Reef Jedi]

I am moving away from mined salts. They are dirty and the mining process isn't great for the environments where the salts are mined. That is why I stick with Kent, TM, Nyos. Others can chime in but Red Sea took a ton of finicky mixing to get it near the parameters listed. Don't let it sit over 24 hours, but not less than 6 hours, mix 20% at a time, dont do this, dont do that, and so on. Nyos is getting annoying because BRS runs their support now. So when setting up an auto water change system I asked Nyos how long they think you can store their salt, because online they explicitly tell you it's storable. BRS emails me back (I emailed Nyos) and says it's not storable. So you get a lot of conflicting. That is one more reason I am thinking of switching to TM. To cut out BRS from the equation. Yes I buy from you but why are you running all their support? Does BRS really own everybody now? If you email TM about a product they respond. That's the ONLY reason I would change but I noticed just today the prices jumped up considerably!

Wow I didn’t know they ran support for so many companies? Did they officially take over TM also? Or do they just run support for all of them? Same thing with Apex, did they buy them out?

 

[nickng]

Curious what made you choose TM? I know BRS really was pushing it a while ago in their videos. Is it noticeably better? Do you get build up in your mixing bin? I’ve always heard it mixes very clear.

I’ve been using TM for approx 3+ years in the same mixing container, storing newly mixed saltwater for periods of 2-3 weeks. No residues, and never have to clean the container. TM prices have been going up though.

 

[NanoSteam]

Wow I didn’t know they ran support for so many companies? Did they officially take over TM also? Or do they just run support for all of them? Same thing with Apex, did they buy them out?

Maybe I'm mistaken but I thought I remember them buying out Neptune systems or at least the Apex brand 4 or 5 years ago? Someone will have to confirm that.

 

[Reef Jedi]

I’ve been using TM for approx 3+ years in the same mixing container, storing newly mixed saltwater for periods of 2-3 weeks. No residues, and never have to clean the container. TM prices have been going up though.

Do you use the TM Pro? I noticed there’s like 3 different options and kinda confused on the differences.

 

[Pod_01]

I noticed there’s like 3 different options and kinda confused on the differences.

There are four,
TM Classic-The original TM salt and has Alk 9-10 dKh. Great for fish only…

TM Pro Reef - contains 70 trace elements and Alk is in the 7-8 dKh.

TM Syn-Biotic - Same as TM Pro Reef and contains TM Reef Actif.

TM Bio-Actif - Same as TM Pro Reef and adds TM Nitribiotic and Reef Actif.

This may help,

I use TM Pro and add Nitribiotic and Reef Actif to the tank once a week.