Which Salt is the best?

[Retro Reefer]

I have always started with IO and after my tank is full of corals I’ll typically use IO Reef Crystals for water changes.

 

[CC13]

I just ran out of my current salt mix and was thinking of switch from my current one RC. What do you guys use and which one is best in your a opinion.

Jason Fox uses regular Instant Ocean.

If its good enough for him, its dam-well good enough for my tank.

 

[ZoWhat]

Oh my word...best salt mix?
thats like asking who makes the BEST coffee in the world.....

 

[vetteguy53081]

Lets see some results (PICTURES) of some tanks using there selected salts

This is using Red Sea Coral pro

 

[KJAG]

Recently switched from Reef Crystals to Red Sea Blue Bucket. Love it.

 

[jda]

Addressing the questions about not mixing clear with Reef Crystals, let me mention this that can apply to any salt. If you are not going to use the whole container, then you need to dry-mix the salt before you use it. It can settle. I am making this up, but I can probably mix 5 gallons of a RC 50g bag and get alk at 6 and calcium at 600, then the next 5 gallons might be alk of 13 and calcium of 310, but if I mix the whole 50 gallon bag, then it comes out right. I have only really ever used IO and Tropic Marin Pro Reef and they both settle - I had a brief and regrettable side stint with SeaChem (very brief) and it needed mixed too.

Here is my IO routine. Fill up 44g brute with COLD water. Add entire 50g bag of IO. Add 2 tbsp of Dowflake. Mix. Heat. Add 20mls of Muratic Acid. Mix for 2 days. Use. This is perfect SPS water with calcium around 425 and alk around 6.8 to 7.0. I DO NOT need my salt mix to come out perfect, I just need it to be stable and consistent so that I can doctor it up to my liking.

 

[CC13]

Add 20mls of Muratic Acid. Mix for 2 days. Use. This is perfect SPS water with calcium around 425 and alk around 6.8 to 7.0

What is the purpose of the acid? Never heard this being done before but interested.

 

[jda]

It lowers alk. It is easy and safe, just have to aerate it until the CO2 is all driven off and the PH is back up.

gallons * desired dKh drop *.123 is the number of MLs of muratic acid to use.

 

[Deezill]

You know who also uses regular IO not to be mistaken for RC is Sanjay Joshi. Great video.

 

[KTTX]

Addressing the questions about not mixing clear with Reef Crystals, let me mention this that can apply to any salt. If you are not going to use the whole container, then you need to dry-mix the salt before you use it. It can settle. I am making this up, but I can probably mix 5 gallons of a RC 50g bag and get alk at 6 and calcium at 600, then the next 5 gallons might be alk of 13 and calcium of 310, but if I mix the whole 50 gallon bag, then it comes out right. I have only really ever used IO and Tropic Marin Pro Reef and they both settle - I had a brief and regrettable side stint with SeaChem (very brief) and it needed mixed too.

Here is my IO routine. Fill up 44g brute with COLD water. Add entire 50g bag of IO. Add 2 tbsp of Dowflake. Mix. Heat. Add 20mls of Muratic Acid. Mix for 2 days. Use. This is perfect SPS water with calcium around 425 and alk around 6.8 to 7.0. I DO NOT need my salt mix to come out perfect, I just need it to be stable and consistent so that I can doctor it up to my liking.

What's is Dowflake? Does that increase calcium?

 

[CindyKz]

I'm definitely in the minority here but I've always used corallife salt. Always was a good price and dissolved almost instantly. Id make 15 gallon batches at 1.025 and they'd be clear within 5 or 10 minutes. Also had awesome coralline algae growth and good coral growth, my purple stylo grew into a jungle.

I just bought a box of coralife. My first batch mixed up with very low alk.....6.something. I had to dose up to my tank (8) what does yours mix up at?

 

[jda]

Dowflake is a calcium chloride product. It is used for tennis courts, driveway melt and all kinds of things. 50 pound bag is like $25 in most places and nearly a lifetime supply.

 

[Javier cortes]

I haven’t dealt with the brown crud or leftover white residue that I see some people say they get with reef crystals. I’m just about finished my first bucket and have the next batch already. I hope it’s the same and those are past issues.

I also used a bucket of the AquaForest Reef salt and thought it was a good salt. I only switched because my lfs was out and I needed something that day. A friend has just finished up a bucket of AquaForest probiotic salt and the impression was that they saw no added benefit.

Yea i rhought the same about the brown at the bottom of the bucket but man after a couple boxes yea it really brown at the bottom

 

[jaxteller007]

Anyone have good experience with the Aqua Forrest or Brightwell Aquatics? I've been using IO for awhile but I keep getting backs at my local stores that have clumped together chunks which I think may be an indicator of something wrong with that bag. It was recommend to try a higher end brand to see if that helps stabilize some of my parameters. I'm willing to try and if it doesn't work, go back to IO.
We run a FOWLR but do have 1 duncan coral which hasn't seemed to care about any parameter changes lol.

 

[KTTX]

Anyone have good experience with the Aqua Forrest or Brightwell Aquatics? I've been using IO for awhile but I keep getting backs at my local stores that have clumped together chunks which I think may be an indicator of something wrong with that bag. It was recommend to try a higher end brand to see if that helps stabilize some of my parameters. I'm willing to try and if it doesn't work, go back to IO.
We run a FOWLR but do have 1 duncan coral which hasn't seemed to care about any parameter changes lol.

I think the chunks are air and moisture getting in the bag.

 

[jaxteller007]

I think the chunks are air and moisture getting in the bag.

And I assume that messes up the salt? A brand new 5 gallon bucket I mixed had either a 1.019 or at best 1.02 salinitly level depending on which tool I used.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Anyone have good experience with the Aqua Forrest or Brightwell Aquatics? I've been using IO for awhile but I keep getting backs at my local stores that have clumped together chunks which I think may be an indicator of something wrong with that bag. It was recommend to try a higher end brand to see if that helps stabilize some of my parameters. I'm willing to try and if it doesn't work, go back to IO.
We run a FOWLR but do have 1 duncan coral which hasn't seemed to care about any parameter changes lol.

Ive used both. Aquaforest is excellent. I just had an issue getting a hold of it when needed.
I purchased Pre-made Brightwell Neo from LFS to see if any change in coral growth and color- I didnt use it long enough to really tell but appeared everything in that particular tank was happy.

 

[KTTX]

And I assume that messes up the salt? A brand new 5 gallon bucket I mixed had either a 1.019 or at best 1.02 salinitly level depending on which tool I used.

And I assume that messes up the salt? A brand new 5 gallon bucket I mixed had either a 1.019 or at best 1.02 salinitly level depending on which tool I used.

Ah ok...I have used many high end brands of salt with similar results to the Reef Crystal's i been using for last 2 years.

 

[jaxteller007]

Ive used both. Aquaforest is excellent. I just had an issue getting a hold of it when needed.
I purchased Pre-made Brightwell Neo from LFS to see if any change in coral growth and color- I didnt use it long enough to really tell but appeared everything in that particular tank was happy.

Ah ok...I have used many high end brands of salt with similar results to the Reef Crystal's i been using for last 2 years.

Yea we don't seem to have issues. Inverts are fine (horseshoe crap and pistol shrimp both just molted), Duncan is happy (I know they are really hardy), etc. But I've tried 3 different tools and all show both the tank and a new bucket of salt being a max of 1.02
So I'm wanting to try a new bag of salt that isn't all clumped up. Whether its IO or another brand.

 

[madweazl]

And I assume that messes up the salt? A brand new 5 gallon bucket I mixed had either a 1.019 or at best 1.02 salinitly level depending on which tool I used.

I'm not understanding what you're meaning when you say a bucket mixed up at 1.019 or 1.020? It mixes up to whatever salinity/Sg you want based on how much you add to the water. With that said, if it had clumps, the bag (bucket?) seal was broken and air/moisture were allowed in. I'd exchange that for another container.