Long time Reef crystals user has had enough!!

[Toomnymods]

I've had all i can take of this subpar salt.. been using it for over 2 yrs straight and it never mixes to consistancy, always leaves a brown film sludge on the sides of mixing container, and white chalky substance on the surface.. I'm just tired of paying 75.00 for complete garbage..

Now onto the questions, I'm planning on switching to Tropic Marin, but notice they have 3 salt mixes.. I currently have a GFO reactor and calcium reactor if that matters in choosing the best salt mix for a sps/ricordia/zooanthid tank.
what are the benefits of each and overall which in your opinion is the best?

 

[ryanb91]

Wow I thought i was the only one who ever got that brown slugde crap in the make up buket....what the heck is it?

 

[D5HP]

I got it way worse with D-D H2Ocean. I just switched back to Reef Crystals and have had great results again.

I hear good things about Tropic Marin though...just can't justify the price!

 

[Toomnymods]

only bad thing so far i have read about tropic marin pro is that it has low magnesium.. hell i'll add that seperatly if i can get better coral growth and development over the reef crystals..

 

[Lynnmw1208]

try the new red sea coral pro same price as reef crystals but much nicer imo.

 

[dublo8]

+1 for RSCP!!! Went from Rc to the red sea coral pro and it made a nice difference. Tank is happier too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[aday2remmbr]

i use instant ocean, alot of people talk trash about instant ocean but i have compared it will pretty much every other type of salt mix and it works splendidly. dissolves within 5 minutes of hitting the water and doesnt leave any film/sludge anywhere.

 

[albano]

I've had all i can take of this subpar salt.. been using it for over 2 yrs straight and it never mixes to consistancy, always leaves a brown film sludge on the sides of mixing container, and white chalky substance on the surface.. I'm just tired of paying 75.00 for complete garbage..

+1...used IO and RC for over 30 yrs...switched about 8 months ago to ESV, like it much better.
HOW are you paying $75 for RC?, should be available at way less! It's about $55 for 200g from Foster & Smith...with free shipping!

 

[rkaires]

RC goes for $49.00 by me. I switched to ESV as well and couldn't be happier.

 

[Toomnymods]

went and got tropic marin pro.. i just cant stomach mixing 40 gallons of salt water and having half of it turn to crud after 4 days of sitting.. I mix mine in a brute trash can and only use 20 gallons a week for waterchanges, so 20 gallons will sit usually for 10-14 days before it is used.. no reason it should turn to sludge imo..

 

[tecnomage]

I just went from Instant Ocean to Seachem Reef Salt and everything seems very happy. It's a bit more concentrated than IO.

 

[ReefPharmer]

I get some sludge with IO but from everyone who uses it, it does not seem to affect the quality of the mix. The RC seems to be one of the most used mixes in the business.

 

[tecnomage]

That's weird, I never had a problem with IO and brown sludge. I only used the bags though, does it happen with the boxes only?

 

[albano]

That's weird, I never had a problem with IO and brown sludge. I only used the bags though, does it happen with the boxes only?

I got it from the 160g buckets

 

[d0ughb0y]

I switched to neomarine, on my second bucket, no complaints.

this is what my powerhead looks like every time I make a salt mix using reef crystals.
it looks like I used the powerhead to mix concrete

 

[kaserpick]

I'm a fan of TM Pro, but I can't justify the cost anymore.

Am I the only one that mixes a 50/50 blend of Instand Ocean and Oceanic?

 

[aquaph8]

I've used many brands and always go back to RC.

 

[Toomnymods]

I switched to neomarine, on my second bucket, no complaints.

this is what my powerhead looks like every time I make a salt mix using reef crystals.
it looks like I used the powerhead to mix concrete

mine looks exactly like that but brown.. and brown silt all over the bottom of the bucket and white film on top of the salt water in the brute trash can..
My problems are stemming from using thier 160g buckets..

 

[Fig]

New Kent Marine Reef salt user here and couldn't be happier. Cheap to!

 

[reefjunkie42]

i have heard that it would cost more to produce to remove the brown sludge. Im sure they wouldn't market something as "REEF" crystals if they would indeed hurt our reefs. I notice if i wipe my mixing brute can before I mix a new batch I don't nearly get as much sludge. It seems to me that for 40 a bucket(price by me) it is worth every cent.