salt

my opinion is there isnt a best salt. :D find something you can get locally and stick with it. Instant Ocean, and Reef Crystals is real popular. i use Kent Marine myself.
 
you can get the reefcrystals (by instant ocean but better) for like 45 shipped for a 160g bucket.

I was on oceanic but i had a few problems w/it. mostly just low pH and calcium was sky high. Now i'm on instant ocean and my pH is better, however my calcium is now low. So my next one will be reef crystals and i'll see how that is. and also, many people will mix IO and oceanic. That will balance out the calcium levels

but like paintbug says, theres no best salt. Its just what you like and what you dont. I'm sure there's some that are just horrible tho, but anything like io or oceanic or all those commonly used ones should be good.
 
I am going to order online because my LFS have ridiculous prices. I have vowed to try to by anything that is not alive online to save money. There are a number of salts on DrsFosterandSmith with no extra weight shipping charges.
 
thanks sirdudeguy. I have used oceanic in the past and liked it because it disolved so well (anyways better than instant ocean). Dont think I had the pH problems but good to know high calcium (I have never tested calcuim).
 
yes they're known to have really high calcium levels. I'm thinkin mine was in the 600 range? idk..but its sposed to be 400-450
And i'm not sure if the pH problem is very common w/them, but i do know that when i switched to IO my pH went up.

As for the mixing/dissolving...i've found it to be the other way around lol. IO has been much clearer and quicker and better dissolving for me than oceanic. But again, oceanic has a reputation for being inconsistent, so maybe i just got one of their bad batches :)

but i too try to buy online when possible. Shipping usually hurts on stuff like salt (and live stuff!!! grrr!!) but like you say, lfs's are expensive. The one near me sells a 3-bag box of io for 55. Thats 3 seperate 50 gallon bags. Now doc foster and smith have REEF CRYSTALS, which are sposed to be better than io (same company tho) for 40 or 45 shipped, and for 10 gallons more worth of salt.
 
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