Omega Sea Premium Sea Salt Review

[undertai]

I was given a bag of the Omega Sea Premium Sea Salt as I won a photo contest that they where doing and they also used my picture to go on the packaging. I was sent this salt even before it hit the stores and I'm doing a review of the salt after using it for a couple of months. I'm now going from the 60 gallon bag to the 180 bucket as I like the salt; i'm coming from reef crystals salt. I like the Omega Sea salt better as it has almost the same levels as reef crystals but clears faster and better levels in some cases.



Here is manufactures specs and info:

OmegaSea Premium Reef Salt is scientifically formulated to match the chemical composition of natural seawater. Pharmaceutical grade blending and careful analytical testing ensure a superior seawater that will meet the most stringent needs of research scientists, public aquarists, and marine hobbyists. This formula contains incredibly low levels of moisture, so it mixes easier and produces 20% more seawater than traditional reef salt mixes. With no phosphates, no nitrates, and no added bromide, you can be sure that OmegaSea Premium Reef Salt will create a safe and healthy environment for you reef creatures. Enhanced alkalinity levels help you quickly reach and maintain the proper pH. Elevated calcium and magnesium levels encourage excellent coral growth and propogation.

Features:
Salinity 35 ppt
PH 8.3
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1320 ppm
Alk 180 ppm
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0


My Specs & Review With Salinity at 1.025:

Takes about 5 minutes to clear after mixing vs 30 minutes or more with reef crystals
Calcium 425 - Used Hanna Colorimeter
Alkalinity 10.64 dkh or 190 ppm - Hanna Colorimeter
Phosphate 0.04 - Hanna Colorimeter
Magnesium 1300 - Red Sea Reef Foundation Test Kit
PH 8.1 day & PH 7.9 night
Nitrate 0

My tank looks nice after doing water change, I give my tank about 1 hour and its crystal clear again. I'm finally able to keep acropora corals in my tank, before I could keep everything but acropora corals. Since started using this salt I added a couple of acropora corals and they are growing and doing well. Using reef crystals I would buy a couple of acropora frags and they would last about 7 or 8 days the would start STN and die off. My tank has 3 fish, 5 LPS and heavily stocked in SPS corals maybe 15 or more in a small 24 Gallon cube tank. I do biweekly water changes and use kalk in my top off water. I haven't added anything new to my tank except a couple of corals and the change to this salt about 4 - 5 months ago. For me I really like the salt for the single reason that it let me keep Acropora corals the main reason I got into this hobby. I found my long term salt for my tank and any tank I do in the future.

 

[Crit21]

Or...maybe no reply means no one who read this post has tried it yet?

 

[Mikefromaz]

It has been a while since any new posts here. Anyway for what its worth. I always test a new salt as one poster did above. I got similar results as far as what was observed, however did notice a rather large discrepency from the manufacturers claims. They claim "60 gallons" of mixed sea water. Perhaps if they mean something other than a S.G. of 1.025. To mix to normal reef levels requires 160g. of salt to produce one gallon of water at 1.025. The 15.5 lb. bag will only produce 43.5 gallons at NSW. This "slight of hand" (do I dare say deceptive?), is common with a number of other brands as well. If any company advertises "sea salt" that's one thing. I don't understand why Omega would craft an otherwise fine product and completely ignore the commonly accepted reef salinity standard?