What's the REAL cost of your salt mix and how many gallons does it make? | BRStv Investigates

[shred5]

All I know is I just got back from the LFS and overheard the owner quote $1.50 per gallon for his saltwater. I did not try to do the math but it sure seemed high to me and judging by the video it turns out to indeed be quite high.

If you are actually buying saltwater and not salt it will be much higher.. In some places like where I live water is not cheap so you add the cost of water. If they use a RO unit to purify it then it wastes allot of water too.
Now you have to add in the cost of filters and the actual cost of the unit. You have labor and storage. Well and obviously the cost of the salt...

 

[shred5]

Looking at that chart----

I don't know about the cost numbers on other salts but I pay on average $40 for a 200g box of IO. That's 20 cents per gallon which is basically half the cost of what is listed.

Yea I pay about 45 locally and sometimes a little cheaper but I can get most of the other salt on sale too...

 

[randyBRS]

Most of them are close except for IO. Even with the inflated price of IO, it's ~20% cheaper than all the others. And it does what the rest of them do. You can easily get IO for much cheaper than what is listed in this video. You can make it for under 23 cents a gallon, which is >50% cheaper than all the others. I've used many salts and none of them have ever made any difference. So I use IO.

For sure IO is probably the biggest moving target in price versus the others. I used to get it from my LFS years ago for much cheaper than I could ever find online.

 

[randyBRS]

@randyBRS and BRS Investigates Team: Great concept to test, and as always thanks for making well produced, informative and interesting videos.
A while ago you guys mentioned you were going to conduct an experiment on whether much increased alkalinty or calcium levels had any true impact on the rate of coral growth. Has that experiment concluded? When do you expect to put that information out?

We had to tear that one down for some unforeseen conditions that happened during testing. It is now setup again and in the middle of testing! Coming soon!

 

[Herby’s reef]

I wonder how fritz would fit on the chart? Really good video. I did not expect those results at all!

 

[ReefPiracy]

Really comes down to word of mouth. The hype always comes and goes. Of course everyone loves to play with different ideas and equipment. Buy IO and pick additives to make your own levels. I use IO or Kent at 30-40 a box. I use a reactor to keep levels up anyways. Water change is to get rid of detritus in my book.

 

[DarkSky]

I usually use regular IO as well, but now I'm giving Live Aquaria's salt a try. I grabbed a TON of cases when it was on sale + Drs. Foster and Smith had a 40% off coupon. It mixes pretty consistent around 8.5 ALK, 420ppm Ca, 1450 ppm Mg @ 1.026sg. I'm still working through a couple of cases I picked up from BRS at black friday.

If BRS took a crack at making their own salt mix, I'd give it a try too.

 

[Big E]

For sure IO is probably the biggest moving target in price versus the others. I used to get it from my LFS years ago for much cheaper than I could ever find online.

I can get IO 200g boxes for $40 here all the time at marine fish stores.

Chewy.com had it on sale online for 38.50 for over two months. free shipping

Petsmart occasionally has it on sale for 35-36 range at the stores

It doesn't take much effort to find it in the 42-45 range max.

If you don't look for it beyond Amazon or Ebay you won't get a good price. No one in their right mind is going to pay $55 for a 160g pail.

A lot of those other salt brands seldom are on sale and even if they are the original price is so inflated they are still a rip off.

 

[Venzzla]

Looking at that chart----

I don't know about the cost numbers on other salts but I pay on average $40 for a 200g box of IO. That's 20 cents per gallon which is basically half the cost of what is listed.

Where do you get this for at $40?

 

[Venzzla]

I can get IO 200g boxes for $40 here all the time at marine fish stores.

Chewy.com had it on sale online for 38.50 for over two months. free shipping

Petsmart occasionally has it on sale for 35-36 range at the stores

It doesn't take much effort to find it in the 42-45 range max.

If you don't look for it beyond Amazon or Ebay you won't get a good price. No one in their right mind is going to pay $55 for a 160g pail.

A lot of those other salt brands seldom are on sale and even if they are the original price is so inflated they are still a rip off.

sorry just saw this, I skipped to the end

 

[madweazl]

Where do you get this for at $40?

It goes on sale all over the place (e.g. Petco, Amazon, LFS, etc.) a number of times each year (usually in the $35-40 range). Additionally, Tetra offers rebates (attached) so you can get a couple more discounts.

Edit: A 160g bucket is $38.15 at Petco with coupon PICKUP10 (online purchase w/pickup in store).

 

[Venzzla]

Cheapest I found on internet atm, was ebay 49.99. If I see this cheaper on chewy or other sites,I will load up.

 

[Venzzla]

I do think that most Instant Ocean users consider cost a primary concern (along with being tried and true) and do look to scoop up the deals. Over the past 20-25 years I remember using a bucket of RSCP and very early on, I remember using a salt that came with a small package of supplements that you added to the mix (cant remember the name now).


It goes on sale all over the place (e.g. Petco, Amazon, LFS, etc.) a number of times each year (usually in the $35-40 range). Additionally, Tetra offers rebates (attached) so you can get a couple more discounts.

Edit: A 160g bucket is $38.15 at Petco with coupon PICKUP10 (online purchase w/pickup in store).

Sweet thanks for rebate info!

 

[madweazl]

Sweet thanks for rebate info!

Edited the post to include the 160g buckets being on sale at Petco. Certainly not the cheapest it gets but with the rebate, you can essentially get two buckets for $57.

 

[Venzzla]

Edited the post to include the 160g buckets being on sale at Petco. Certainly not the cheapest it gets but with the rebate, you can essentially get two buckets for $57.

I just looked and not on sale atm but I certainly will be watching!

 

[shred5]

I just looked and not on sale atm but I certainly will be watching!

Yes it is.. A bucket is normally 54.99 and on sale for 42.39

With the code for instore pickup it comes out too 76.30$ for two buckets. Download the rebate he attached and it save another 20.00 so a total 56.30 for two buckets.

The rebate can be used anywhere.

 

[madweazl]

And for the sake of this thread, that works out to a monthly cost of $10.94 or $0.27/gallon Before rebate. $0.20/gallon or $8.07 monthly after rebate. Less than half the cost of the others for something that truly makes no real world difference...

 

[Venzzla]

Yes it is.. A bucket is normally 54.99 and on sale for 42.39

With the code for instore pickup it comes out too 76.30$ for two buckets. Download the rebate he attached and it save another 20.00 so a total 56.30 for two buckets.

The rebate can be used anywhere.

Ok I see what the problem is now. I am looking at IO reef crystals. Regular is on sale.

 

[Greybeard]

Saw someone ask about Fritz... BRS doesn't sell it, and didn't test it, but I'd put it pretty much in line with the others.

I, too, used IO and RC for decades. Changed to Red Sea blue bucket when I started this tank, and found that it really doesn't mix up clean for me. A couple mixes in my reservoir, and I've got sludge in the bottom. Ug. Switched to Fritz RPM about a year and a half back. Why? My LFS has it in stock, it's cheap, and easy. Mixes up clean. I'm finding, as I get to newer lots, that it varies quite a bit in Calc and Alk from lot to lot. Quality control doesn't seem to be very good. When my current box is gone, I'm switching back to Reef Crystals. Just ordered a few boxes of RC's from Dr. F&S's going out of business sale. Once that's gone, I might try something else... I like the idea of synthetic salts... I'd hope they'd be more consistent, lot to lot.

AWC system, I use 1.5g of NSW per day. Just a line item on the monthly budget

 

[JDowns]

Thanks JDowns for providing the table.

Itd be great if the information in these videos could be made available in a standard text form as well. Its an inherently superior format
1. far faster to extract the information you need
2. can be searched easily (you can't control F on a video)
3. can be indexed by search engines effectively.

I fear a lot of information on the modern web is falling into the black hole of un-indexed videos.. (not to mention many of us simply skip any content thats presented in video format)

But the info is great, thanks!

Salt Type 5gal @ 35ppt(grams) Total Weight(grams) Total Gallons @ 35ppt Cost Cost per Gallon Cost Month 100gal
Instant Ocean Sea Salt Mix | 801.00 | 22,345.50 | 139.50 | $54.99 | $0.39 | $15.60
Instant Ocean Reef Crystals | 804.00 | 20,228.50 | 125.80 | $62.99 | $0.50 | $20.00
HW Marine Mix Reefer | 755.00 | 19,524.00 | 129.30 | $69.99 | $0.54 | $21.60
Red Sea Aquarium (Blue Bucket) | 746.50 | 22,276.50 | 149.20 | $72.99 | $0.49 | $19.60
Red Sea Coral Pro (Black Bucket)| 739.50 | 22,178.00 | 149.90 | $72.99 | $0.49 | $19.60
Brightwell Aquatics NeoMarine | 684.00 | 20,533.00 | 150.10 | $03.99 | $0.03 | $19.60
Tropic Marin Classic Sea Salt | 734.00 | 25,056.50 | 170.70 | $83.72 | $0.49 | $19.60
Tropic Marin Bio-Actif | 722.00 | 25,094.50 | 173.80 | $95.37 | $0.55 | $22.00