Why anything but Instant Ocean?

[BAUCE]

i just use IO. its incredibly cheap on amazon at times. $35 for 200 gallon box, i buy like 6 at a time when its on sale like that.

I no longer why its out of stock all the time on amazon

 

[chaoticreefer]

I have used IO for many years and has always mixed dirty for me. It leave a white film on my brute and a off white brown gunk ring at the top. God knows I want to use IO to save money and I don't care what's in or out, IO has been one of the worse salts for me even though I have used it for years. And it needs to be mixed for 24 hrs. I have tried the Doctors salt, two kinds of TM salts with good results. I have tried others too with not so good results. Right now I am using Continuum salt and loving it.

 

[Casket_Case]

I use Instant Ocean too, it’s what the Georgia Aquarium uses so that’s what I went this lol

 

[mkwarner77]

Only problem with that video, the prices are based on buying from BRS. They list the 160G bucket for $54.99(interestingly enough, they also have the 200G box for the same exact price?), but I buy the 200G for around $34 on amazon all day long.

Drops my price per gallon down to $0.15/G. Tropic Marin is $0.55 a gallon. Pretty big difference there now isn't it?

Do you really think that a company that is in business to sell you stuff will suggest the cheapest option, or make it out to be the same exact salt(not price obviously) as the most expensive brand? Ever wonder why tropic marin is at the top of their list? Just look at the price, pretty sure there is a very large profit margin in that one for them.

I'm certainly not saying any other salt is bad, but the stigma that IO is bad, or inferior to more expensive salts because it's cheap is pure hogwash.

Agreed, its goos salt, I just noticed it would take more salt to get the same salinity .

 

[SeeFu]

I no longer why its out of stock all the time on amazon

lol, usually that'll last me 1/2 a yr.

 

[Jimbhoy13]

I don't mean to offend, but I'm curious as to why anyone would use salt other than Instant Ocean. I don't know if this is only my experience, but every single other brand I've used (including reef crystals) has left my mixing station full of a brown film. I've tried many different salts and I don't see any difference in tank health when compared to IO. They all seem to perform the same, but IO is soooo cheap and mixes clear (very important to me). I get that some salts come with this additive or that additive, but does that have any impact on tank health? I've never noticed a difference in results. Sure you can find a salt that matches your tank parameters, but consistent dosing or a CaRx will get you right back to where you want to be. I just feel like there are so many other things to worry about that salt mix is pretty much a non-issue. Cheap and clear is my only requirement and IO fits the bill.

I use instant Ocean and happy with it.

 

[Ef4life]

I’ve used io and rc many times, never had an issue with them, but I hate the crud build up. I switched to hw for a while, worked good, would still get some brown crud, the last couple boxes I bought had some white plastic chunks mixed into the salt. It was Easy enough to skim out with a net since they would float, but I switched to tmpro after that. I love the tmpro, no crud, mixes fast, very consistent levels. I have no plans on ever switching back.

 

[Nhjmc]

I don't mean to offend, but I'm curious as to why anyone would use salt other than Instant Ocean. I don't know if this is only my experience, but every single other brand I've used (including reef crystals) has left my mixing station full of a brown film. I've tried many different salts and I don't see any difference in tank health when compared to IO. They all seem to perform the same, but IO is soooo cheap and mixes clear (very important to me). I get that some salts come with this additive or that additive, but does that have any impact on tank health? I've never noticed a difference in results. Sure you can find a salt that matches your tank parameters, but consistent dosing or a CaRx will get you right back to where you want to be. I just feel like there are so many other things to worry about that salt mix is pretty much a non-issue. Cheap and clear is my only requirement and IO fits the bill.

I use IO salt was using IO reef crystals just recently switched to their plain Instant Ocean salt as got tired of buying Nutriseawater at $21.99 a jug but holy smokes 48 hours in a 5 gal pail heater and two powerheads and the salt still not fully dissolved at least sure doesn't look it to me. Not sure did I get a bad batch maybe the salt was very hard bottom half anyway of box. SAw a video that not great to switch salt mixes IDK so many opinions online it's overwhelming.

 

[homer1475]

Mix your SW in cold, then heat. You should never add salt to heated water, it cause precipitate, which IMO is probably what your seeing.

 

[RazorRamon]

I use I/O in all of my systems. It seems to be working fairly well

Question, do you use acid to lower your all or just use it as is? I'm considering regular IO for my tank

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Question, do you use acid to lower your all or just use it as is? I'm considering regular IO for my tank

I use it as is, and it jumps my alk up a bit, but I only;y change out 40 gallons at a time on a 250 gallon system.

 

[RazorRamon]

I use it as is, and it jumps my alk up a bit, but I only;y change out 40 gallons at a time on a 250 gallon system.

awesome! Mind me asking what your parameters are? Your corals look beautiful

 

[ReefAtlas]

I do the same thing but with Seachem Acid Buffer instead of the muriatic acid. I was worried the stuff they sell at Lowe’s might have had other impurities in it.

I am considering this as a possible option to use as an alternate for Red Sea Blue bucket. Do you mind sharing how much of the Seachem Acid Buffer you would need to bring the alk down close to 8dKH if using a full bag of IO salt (about 40 gallons mixed).

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

Tropic Marin and others are no better than Instant Ocean, and not worth the added cost. And for full-blown reef aquariums, IO Reef Crystals contains all the additives you would want for a reef.

 

[stanlalee]

I don't use IO because reef crystals is always cheaper lol and as you've noted IF there was a difference in reef health I wouldn't mind paying more for other brands. I realize other brands may use purer grade ingredients, mix faster, have more precise...Technically "better" BUT anecdotally been keeping saltwater fish since 1995, reefs since 2006 and IO/Reef Crystals has NEVER given me a reason to spend double for a bucket of salt. RC bucket is $36 shipped on Amazon and IO is $41 bucket locally. Does it mix fast: I don't care, I mix days to weeks before use. Does it leave residue on my bin: RC does and I don't care doesn't show in my display. Are the parameters the same as my reef: pretty much mixed at 1.026, 10dKH and 450ca but at the percentage rate of water changes and tank uptake virtually irrelevant.

 

[homer1475]

I don't use IO because reef crystals is always cheaper lol and as you've noted IF there was a difference in reef health I wouldn't mind paying more for other brands. I realize other brands may use purer grade ingredients, mix faster, have more precise...Technically "better" BUT anecdotally been keeping saltwater fish since 1995, reefs since 2006 and IO/Reef Crystals has NEVER given me a reason to spend double for a bucket of salt. RC bucket is $36 shipped on Amazon and IO is $41 bucket locally. Does it mix fast: I don't care, I mix days to weeks before use. Does it leave residue on my bin: RC does and I don't care doesn't show in my display. Are the parameters the same as my reef: pretty much mixed at 1.026, 10dKH and 450ca but at the percentage rate of water changes and tank uptake virtually irrelevant.

I have never seen RC less expensive the IO. Why would it when RC has elevated parameter which means it costs more to produce?

I buy 200G box of IO for about 35$ a box(you can often find it on sale twice a year and I buy a couple boxes at that price).

Right now on amazon a 200G box of RC is $67.60(lowest price with free shipping, not counting prime here as not everyone has prime), and a 200G box of regular purple box IO is $64.30(again free shipping and no prime). So it's $3.30 more a box.

Not trying to be argumentative, just have never seen RC cheaper then IO.

 

[vanpire]

I have never seen RC less expensive the IO. Why would it when RC has elevated parameter which means it costs more to produce?

I buy 200G box of IO for about 35$ a box(you can often find it on sale twice a year and I buy a couple boxes at that price).

Right now on amazon a 200G box of RC is $67.60(lowest price with free shipping, not counting prime here as not everyone has prime), and a 200G box of regular purple box IO is $64.30(again free shipping and no prime). So it's $3.30 more a box.

Not trying to be argumentative, just have never seen RC cheaper then IO.

It varies. I have seen it both ways. On sale, RC can be a little cheaper than IO. Right now, Chewy.com has RC cheaper for the 160 gallon buckets but more expensive for the 200 gallon boxes. I often see this.

 

[homer1475]

Guess I never noticed as I never buy the pails, always the 200G box.

You learn something new everyday.

 

[robbyg]

In the old days I used NSW and that was great but after about 2001 I noticed that my corals would decline after water changes and I just assumed it was some kind of pollution or bacteria. Since then I switched to using IO Reef Crystals. It just works for me and the price is right.

 

[chinw76]

Switched to io from tropic Marin pro reef. Didn’t make sense to pay 3x when it’s not 3x better

I did the same thing. What you are paying for with Tropic Marin is the shipping from Germany. After trying different salts, went back to instant ocean. Under lockdown conditions in the future, it will still be readily available.