Getting back into hobby, what salt?

[thanatos05]

Back when I was in the hobby RED SEA CORAL PRO was the salt to go with. It was pricier but did wonders with coral growth. It was mixed and could be used within a few hours if memory serves. The only big issue was mixing resulted in black sludge. What is the salt to use nowadays? Os it still RSCP or are there better and more economical solutions?

 

[reefing102]

I use Instant Ocean and Reef Crystals (depends which bucket is open). I’ve never used anything else in recent years.

I can’t vouch for other brands but IO has been around for decades. To me, if it was truly bad, it wouldn’t be in business.

 

[griss]

I used to use Coralife for decades. Then I had two different batches in a row with super high Ca and super low Alk. Switched to IO a couple years ago and no issues.

Only other salt I’ve ever used was Marine Environment back in the early 90s.

 

[thanatos05]

I use Instant Ocean and Reef Crystals (depends which bucket is open). I’ve never used anything else in recent years.

I can’t vouch for other brands but IO has been around for decades. To me, if it was truly bad, it wouldn’t be in business.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[kharmaguru]

I use Redsea coral pro. I had 1 batch out of maybe 7 buckets that had the sludge. I love that it's clear and ready to use in 30 mins. Before RSCP I used IO for years and always had brown sludge lol.

 

[thanatos05]

I use Redsea coral pro. I had 1 batch out of maybe 7 buckets that had the sludge. I love that it's clear and ready to use in 30 mins. Before RSCP I used IO for years and always had brown sludge lol.

Thanks

 

[jjmg]

IO here also, never had a problem with it.

 

[thanatos05]

Thank you very much for your response. I am doing some digging on IO

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

IO seemed to be a little low on magnesium so I switched to Reef Crystals.

 

[T Diddy]

IO seemed to be a little low on magnesium so I switched to Reef Crystals.

I had been using Fritz, as I really like their products in general. However, they recently went up in price, so I just bought my first bag of reef crystals in probably 20 years

 

[thanatos05]

Interesting

 

[ironwill723]

IO or RC for me. Whichever is a better deal on price at the time I need to buy it.

 

[shred5]

I used to use Coralife for decades. Then I had two different batches in a row with super high Ca and super low Alk. Switched to IO a couple years ago and no issues.

Only other salt I’ve ever used was Marine Environment back in the early 90s.

Yea I used to use Coralife many many years ago and got a bad batch. What amazes me is all the salts that have bad batches when you look back: Tropic Marin, Fritz, Aquaforest etc. I have had a few bad batches of other salts.

I have tried or tested most salts and almost always end up back at Instant ocean. The only other salt I find consistent was Tropic Marin but it is expensive. They also had a issue a few years back that crashed peoples tanks.

Instant ocean is stable and the price is good. It leaves a little residue behind that is most likely anticlumping agent which is probably clay but I never have had a issue with it.

 

[griss]

Yea I used to use Coralife many many years ago and got a bad batch. What amazes me is all the salts that have bad batches when you look back: Tropic Marin, Fritz, Aquaforest etc. I have had a few bad batches of other salts.

I have tried or tested most salts and almost always end up back at Instant ocean. The only other salt I find consistent was Tropic Marin but it is expensive. They also had a issue a few years back that crashed peoples tanks.

Instant ocean is stable and the price is good. It leaves a little residue behind that is most likely anticlumping agent which is probably clay but I never have had a issue with it.

Yep, started with IO back in the 80s for fish only tanks. Then, in 1990 when I started my first reef tank, I switched to Marine Environment. When Coralife came out, I switched to that. Then I had the issue with two bad batches of Coralife and also, at the same time, was having trouble finding a vendor with it in stock so, I switched to IO.

 

[wvned]

I have used Red Sea Blue, Fritz both kinds, IO, Liveaquaria, Aquaforest, Tropic Marin and probably 1 or 2 I forgot. Many many buckets and now 200 gallon boxes of each.
On a small system maybe it matters. I used Tropic Marin on the Nano Cube. It was supposed to be the best.
The system I have now doesn't care what salt I use. I am currently using Aguaforest. I buy what is on sale usually and get 4 200 gallon boxes.
I do not like IO. I have used a ton of it though. I had it on autoship from Chewy until they cancelled me. It coats my mixing station and pipes in something that looks like clay. Acid removes it. It is a pain to drag the tub outside to clean it.

 

[cward]

I agree with the IO, and Reef Crystals. It leaves a brown residue. I’ve been using Fritz and I have some Aqua Forest that came with my tank I need to use. I’ve also used HW, but the magnesium is really high (1600+), but it mixes really well.