What salt do you use and why?

[fish_collector]

IO because it grows sps just fine.

 

[allof fish]

Sounds like your salinity is off by quite a bit. I’d get that sorted out first and foremost. Randy’s DIY solution is invaluable.

I use ESV because I actually ICP tested and used over a dozen of them and understand they are different no matter what anybody says. It’s like saying all steak is the same because it’s labeled steak

I also really like NYOS but they are one of the most expensive on the market now.

Tropic Marin makes Fauna Marin salt so they’re likely the same quality. I just won’t support Fauna and their nonsense. See Bolus dosing thread for examples…

Red Sea doesn’t deserve a dollar from any of us after their leaking tank fiasco plus their salt is dirty every time I’ve used it.

Salinity was spot on. Even took a test to lfs because I thought my Hanna checker was off. Still 5.5 never buying again. I’ve heard good thing from esv. I really did like TMP but it is more on the expensive side. I also would use their icps too. I like the consistency of it

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I use IO Reef Crystals, but my favorite salt is no longer on the market - Omega Sea. They got bought out by IO/Aquarium systems.

 

[rtparty]

Salinity was spot on. Even took a test to lfs because I thought my Hanna checker was off. Still 5.5 never buying again. I’ve heard good thing from esv. I really did like TMP but it is more on the expensive side. I also would use their icps too. I like the consistency of it

Unless you made your own verified solution, you’re just throwing darts in the dark. I’ve rarely seen LFS have accurate testing.

I believe the alkalinity was low but that’s because of low salinity and your low calcium test also shows this. When one parameter is noticeably wrong, it could be test error or just an off batch. When everything is high or low, it’s a salinity issue

 

[craftycamper]

Red sea blue bucket. Its cheap enough, and every store around me carries it so I can easily get my hands on it.

 

[gkprevite]

I use instant ocean mainly because I always have and never had a salt related issue, plus I can get it pretty much anywhere. With no Lfs close by that’s a factor.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

i confess that I stopped using reef crystals because my mixing bin was very dirty. I believe maybe the salt was responsible for the cyano outbreak that I could not shake

 

[allof fish]

Unless you made your own verified solution, you’re just throwing darts in the dark. I’ve rarely seen LFS have accurate testing.

I believe the alkalinity was low but that’s because of low salinity and your low calcium test also shows this. When one parameter is noticeably wrong, it could be test error or just an off batch. When everything is high or low, it’s a salinity issue

Although I do agree it can attribute to a salinity issue I do not believe this was the case. If we’re splitting hairs it technically was 1.025 and was calibrated with a refractometer with brand new solution and a digital one at lfs. Even if salinity was let’s say 1.022 I still do not believe it should’ve been that low. I think the batch was just awful and a slightly low or high salinity wouldn’t cause the numbers to be that far off

 

[rtparty]

Although I do agree it can attribute to a salinity issue I do not believe this was the case. If we’re splitting hairs it technically was 1.025 and was calibrated with a refractometer with brand new solution and a digital one at lfs. Even if salinity was let’s say 1.022 I still do not believe it should’ve been that low. I think the batch was just awful and a slightly low or high salinity wouldn’t cause the numbers to be that far off

So you didn’t make your own solution?

The premade solutions are junk and are wrong far more than they are ever right.

Again, I wouldn’t use Red Sea salt if it were free but the numbers are still alarming and could speak to a different problem that 100% needs to be addressed or confirmed. The ONLY ways you can confidently know salinity is correct is to make your own solution following Randy’s recipe or get a Tropic Marin glass hydrometer and test at the proper temperature