Help... Best salt to mix with?!?

[TStud1986]

Hello all,

I'm interested to hear peoples opinions about the best mixing salts for the price...Please list any experience you might have along with why you believe a specific salt to be best. If you have pictures to go along with subject to show results would be great!

Thanks all its greatly appreciated!

-Tyler

 

[Sk8r]

It's fairly simple. If a salt says 'reef' it contains enough calcium and other elements to help stony coral, but even so you have to supplement calcium, magnesium and provide alkalinity buffer. I have a reef, and use Oceanic reef salt.

If a salt just says marine, or sea, it's for a tank lacking stony coral, particularly for reef fishes, and is a shade cheaper. So if you don't have corals, the regular marine salt is ok. If you're aiming for a reef you should use reef salt from the start.

You'll note that neither is just 'salt.' Both contain a long, long list of natural chemical elements that are from seawater.

This is why you are better off starting with ro/di water, which has stripped absolutely everything out of your city water (including some things that encourage algaes and other pests, and some that are downright poisonous) ---so that all you have is pure h2o with nothing else in it. This way when you stir up your salt water (usually at half a cup salt mix per gallon) you have effectively turned dehydrated ocean back into ocean water, with ONLY what the ocean has. Always mix until clear: some of the elements take longer to dissolve than others. A small pump may help mix.

 

[TStud1986]

Thanks for the advice I appreciate it I've been in the hobby for a little over a year now. I have a 75 gal reef set up mainly stocked with softies and lps. I have heard great things about red sea coral pro and am wondering what alls out there in similar price range that's as good/even better?!?

 

[iceet]

I like Reef Crystals. Very good price on Amazon

 

[CGT3]

I like Reef Crystals. Very good price on Amazon

+1 Reef Cyrstals by Instant Ocean are hands down my favorite. Dr. Fosters always has amazing deals on 200g mix boxes (50g mix bags x 4). To date they have the best price on it that i have found.

 

[supra400hptt]

I've used reef crystals for years. The only thing I don't like is the brown residue it leaves behind so I circulate it through a filter sock while it's mixing.

 

[MidwesternTexan]

I used RC.

I've been using Kent Salt for almost 2 years.

It keep my Mag and Ca much higher.

Our Lfs gives my local club- Wisconsin Reef Society it's owen Group buy deals-
and other things GB too, like IC gel frag glue. Going to pick up 4 tubes today- only $4.50/tube!.

MY vote is Kent- myself and others have great results with it too.

Any of them will work, just keep an eye on your Big three.
Unless yuour tank is crammed full of softies and lps- you shouldn't have much to worry about.

 

[MidwesternTexan]

I like Reef Crystals. Very good price on Amazon

Do you pay for shipping?

 

[Bryopsis]

Fluval sea salt hands down.

The parameters at 1.023 are correct. So at 1.025 the extra levels, make up for what's used during the week. I'm sure this won't work for a tank that needs extreme levels through a week, but for mine it's perfect and I won't have to dose any 2 part for that much longer. 60$ too at my LFS.

I've used IO and RC, didn't like reef crystals because of a mystery brown sludge that develops on the bottom of the bucket..
Other salts seem to have 1 or 2 parameters that are jacked compared to NSW.

 

[iceet]

Do you pay for shipping?

No I have Prime and get free 2-day. But now after checking I just discovered that Dr. Fosters has free economy shipping and is almost $10 cheaper. Thank you CGT3.

 

[iceet]

I've used reef crystals for years. The only thing I don't like is the brown residue it leaves behind so I circulate it through a filter sock while it's mixing.

I've used IO and RC, didn't like reef crystals because of a mystery brown sludge that develops on the bottom of the bucket..

I always used to think that was bacteria or something that grows in mixed saltwater that sits stagnant for a while... I turn my powerhead off after my salt is mixed to save power and sometimes notice that brown residue in my holding container.

 

[bighead]

I use Red Sea salt no problems

 

[Zer0.]

I use Kent reef salt. Its cheaper than Reef Crystals last i checked and has great levels. Also mixes very clear in about 30 min. no residue.

 

[cchsoracle]

+1 to Red Sea salt. I used Coral Pro for a while and didn't have any problems. I now use the blue bucket as it is closer to NSW parameters and I can adjust my Calcium/Alk/Mag to where I want it.