What salt do you use.

[flashsmith]

Whatever is on sale at the time I'm in the market. Over analyzing can quickly make this hobby a nightmare.

 

[jft]

I USE instant ocean or REEF crystals for 20 years great results and never buy into the hype or pretty packages of some other salts.

 

[Fish Fan]

I used it a few times, seemed fine as far as coral but left residue which is fine for most but I don’t like.

Thanks for the info! I no longer use the Instant Ocean because of the residue, so that makes the Waterbox salt out for me too.

 

[Fish Fan]

I USE instant ocean or REEF crystals for 20 years great results and never buy into the hype or pretty packages of some other salts.

There's really nothing wrong with Instant Ocean products, I've used them for years, going back to the 1980's. The issue most of us have with IO is with the residue that it leaves behind in water mixing bins. Periodically, you have to break down your mixing station and clean out the containers, and many of us are sick of doing that. For some who are professionals in the aquarium business, it actually costs them more to take the time to clean their water change station than it does to use a more expensive salt mix. That's what people don't like about IO.

This is an older BRS video about choosing a salt mix, I still think it's worth a watch. Fast forward to near the end, about 19:04 in the video and they discuses and show examples of the "crud" that can accumulate in a water change bin. Instant Ocean is known for this:

Whatever is on sale at the time I'm in the market. Over analyzing can quickly make this hobby a nightmare.

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that over analyzing was a bad thing in this hobby lol!

But, I do disagree with your statement. Different salt mixes can be very different. Some are synthetic, some made from evaporated seawater, some have elevated levels of Calc. Alk and Mag, some do not. Some include trace elements, or aminos, so do not. Some can be mixed and stored, some cannot. There's a lot of differences between salt mixes.

To just go with whatever salt your LFS happens to have on sale that day is not going to make if easier if your goal is a consistent, stable environment in your tanks. Depending on what you're keeping, fluctuating level may not matter, but if you're going for consistency, I'd use the same salt, or switch salts over slowly.

If we're talking about choosing a salt mix, this is Lou Ekus from Tropic Marin, and this is a pretty good discussion. I believe it's in this video where Lou remarks that when you pay more for a salt mix, you're not paying for what's in it, you're paying for what's NOT in it, meaning that is costs more manufacturers to make a cleaner, more purified salt mix:



I've mostly used IO for years, I've tried RedSea, and I've been using the AquaForest for a little over a year now. From my experience, and, for me, now back up by this thread, I think the AquaForest salt is the best value for me. I'd just like to catch it on sale again.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I’m about to try the waterbox sea salt. It has the parameters I want, and is heavily discounted right now. Been using reef crystals and have to add acid to the mix to bring down the alkalinity.

 

[Fish Fan]

I’m about to try the waterbox sea salt. It has the parameters I want, and is heavily discounted right now. Been using reef crystals and have to add acid to the mix to bring down the alkalinity.

I'd be interested to know how you do. The price is very good right now, and I'm thinking it's going to be quite similar to the IO products.

I have a 150 gallon tank on order, and I've been looking for something inexpensive just to kick it off, then I'd switch back to the AquaForest long-term. I don't know if it's worth trying to save few buck on salt here. But I'd like to hear about the Waterbox Salts for sure.

 

[14 foot reef]

A poll without instant ocean on it..

This isn't a ligit poll without IO on it..... LOL 45 years Instant Ocean Here.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I'd be interested to know how you do. The price is very good right now, and I'm thinking it's going to be quite similar to the IO products.

I have a 150 gallon tank on order, and I've been looking for something inexpensive just to kick it off, then I'd switch back to the AquaForest long-term. I don't know if it's worth trying to save few buck on salt here. But I'd like to hear about the Waterbox Salts for sure.

I just ordered six boxes, I’ll update after a month or so. This salt is marketed for fish only or soft coral, but has the parameters I use in my sps tanks too. I dose two part, so I can adjust the levels up anyway if I have to.

 

[Fish Fan]

I just ordered six boxes, I’ll update after a month or so. This salt is marketed for fish only or soft coral, but has the parameters I use in my sps tanks too. I dose two part, so I can adjust the levels up anyway if I have to.

Good luck!

 

[56longroof]

I’m about to try the waterbox sea salt. It has the parameters I want, and is heavily discounted right now. Been using reef crystals and have to add acid to the mix to bring down the alkalinity.

What alk are you seeing out of Reef Chrystals? I'm testing at 9-10 and it's staying consistently there in my mixing container stored for up to a week.

 

[Reefer Matt]

What alk are you seeing out of Reef Chrystals? I'm testing at 9-10 and it's staying consistently there in my mixing container stored for up to a week.

It mixes up around 10-10.5 dkh for me. I keep my alk at 8.5 dkh in my tanks. I add 9 grams of seachem acid buffer to 30 gallons of mixed saltwater at 1.025 sg to reduce the alkalinity to 8.5 dkh and heavily aerate the water before use.

 

[56longroof]

It mixes up around 10-10.5 dkh for me. I keep my alk at 8.5 dkh in my tanks. I add 9 grams of seachem acid buffer to 30 gallons of mixed saltwater at 1.025 sg to reduce the alkalinity to 8.5 dkh and heavily aerate the water before use.

Out of curiosity. Why is 10-10.5 a issue? Personal preference or ?

 

[Reefer Matt]

Out of curiosity. Why is 10-10.5 a issue? Personal preference or ?

It’s what I have always kept my coral at, just personal preference. I don’t want fast growth from my sps. I have to regularly trim them, and don’t have room for the frags anymore.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Whatever is on sale at the time I'm in the market.

+1

Over analyzing can quickly make this hobby a nightmare.

Yes that and watching all the promotional nonsense from people buying followers on youtube

 

[mizimmer90]

I've been using the waterbox reef salt for a few months now and I like it thus far! Switched over from IO. It mixes well and the major params are quite close to what they quote (tested using my home kits).

 

[Harpo]

I use reef crystals but I'm tired of the residue

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There's really nothing wrong with Instant Ocean products, I've used them for years, going back to the 1980's. The issue most of us have with IO is with the residue that it leaves behind in water mixing bins. Periodically, you have to break down your mixing station and clean out the containers, and many of us are sick of doing that. For some who are professionals in the aquarium business, it actually costs them more to take the time to clean their water change station than it does to use a more expensive salt mix. That's what people don't like about IO.

This is an older BRS video about choosing a salt mix, I still think it's worth a watch. Fast forward to near the end, about 19:04 in the video and they discuses and show examples of the "crud" that can accumulate in a water change bin. Instant Ocean is known for this:



I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that over analyzing was a bad thing in this hobby lol!

But, I do disagree with your statement. Different salt mixes can be very different. Some are synthetic, some made from evaporated seawater, some have elevated levels of Calc. Alk and Mag, some do not. Some include trace elements, or aminos, so do not. Some can be mixed and stored, some cannot. There's a lot of differences between salt mixes.

To just go with whatever salt your LFS happens to have on sale that day is not going to make if easier if your goal is a consistent, stable environment in your tanks. Depending on what you're keeping, fluctuating level may not matter, but if you're going for consistency, I'd use the same salt, or switch salts over slowly.

If we're talking about choosing a salt mix, this is Lou Ekus from Tropic Marin, and this is a pretty good discussion. I believe it's in this video where Lou remarks that when you pay more for a salt mix, you're not paying for what's in it, you're paying for what's NOT in it, meaning that is costs more manufacturers to make a cleaner, more purified salt mix:



I've mostly used IO for years, I've tried RedSea, and I've been using the AquaForest for a little over a year now. From my experience, and, for me, now back up by this thread, I think the AquaForest salt is the best value for me. I'd just like to catch it on sale again.

If what anyone doesn’t like about normal IO is the calcium carbonate precipitate in the mixing bin, that is eliminated by dropping the alk and pH with a small amount of acid. Some reefers do that.

If you are talking about Reef Crystals, that’s a more complicated residue.

 

[slipknot23]

Aquaforest reef salt

 

[Fish Fan]

If what anyone doesn’t like about normal IO is the calcium carbonate precipitate in the mixing bin, that is eliminated by dropping the alk and pH with a small amount of acid. Some reefers do that.

If you are talking about Reef Crystals, that’s a more complicated residue.

Thanks, Randy!

Yes, I think the larger issue is the Reef Crystals, it's like a brown nasty, instead of just a white, crusty layer.

To be fair, I have zero problems with the crud, except the cleaning out of my water change can ;-)

Thanks again!

 

[BristleWormHater]

Instant ocean purple bucket