Salt

[Reef Happy]

Just wondering which salt mixes others are using for coral reefing. Has anyone heard of the new salt out (Red sea coral pro)? I have been using Instant Ocean. Just wondering what the differences are in salt mixes.
Thanks,

 

[eddybabyhd]

Not to open a can of worms here, because i know its going to. I use Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt. I have love tropics products, every product i have tried has been awesome.

But i read the study that ranked the Red Sea pretty well among the other brands out there

 

[Reef Happy]

salt

salt

I have not heard one way or the other about Tropic Marin mixes. I am just trying to see which is preferred by most. I guess I should have taken a poll. I have always heard good things about reef crystals.

 

[JR719]

I tried Reef Crystals, did not like it. It did not mix well, don't know if I had a bad batch or what. It clumped and would not disolve.

I tried Oceanic. After battling phospate, I read here on RC where others complained of the phosphate reading from fresh mix. I tested and yep, high phospate.

I'll stick with IO for awhile. So far, so good.

 

[Reef Happy]

salt

salt

I have been using Instant Ocean for the past year and been pleased with the mix so far. I have not heard anything bad about IO I was just wondering if there was something better formulated. It is also reasonably priced.

 

[eddybabyhd]

I didnt mean to be sarcastic in my can of worms line, I just meant this is one of the most opinionated subjects in this hobby. I was only really warning you of the long, long, long thread this is to become

 

[ReeferRyan]

I used Sea Chem for a while and had major problems. It is buffered differently than Instant Ocean and my corals all hated me until I could get all of the Sea Chem out with water changes. I do not think Sea Chem is a bad salt, but switching to it after having used IO for a while is definitely bad

 

[ReeferKeith]

I have been using Reef Cerystals and I have been very happy with it so far. I haven't had any issues with it yet. *knock on wood*

 

[SeanF]

I have been using Red Sea Coral Pro since around June I believe well pretty much as soon as they started advertising it and the mix is awesome. 450 ppm calcium, 1350 mag, 10 dkh at least that is what I have been getting. The corals seem to respond really well to it. The only thing I have heard negative about it at all is from a local maintainence guy that some of the fish don't like it very much when he mixes it right before he dumps it in.

 

[Dtking]

i use reef crystals as well, but i do have a high phos count.. i like IO and Reer Crystals

 

[captbunzo]

There are some interesting facts about marine aquarium salt. For instance, all salts (with the exception of the red sea stuff) sold in the U.S. are mixed at the same plant. Yes, that's all of them.

Anyhow, a study was done by Eric Borneman recently. Preliminary results show Reef Crystals and the Red Sea stuff to have ranked at the top, with Instant Ocean being the absolute bottom competitor.

Good was defined as better coral growth, stronger coral skeletons, etc. Bad was less growth, weaker skeletons, higher algae growth.

I personally have used Reef Crystals for a long time and like it very much. I am seriously thinking, however, of checking into the new Red Sea stuff. I have heard some REALLY good stuff about it from some folks that really know there stuff.

 

[SeanF]

That used to be pretty much true but Kent moved away from having aquarium systems mix their base salt and Oceanic I think has always been made in a different location and is probably where Kent is being made now. Seachem has taken Kent's place and is now being made by aquarium systems.

 

[Reef Happy]

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salt

Good information everyone is putting out about salt. Thanks Paul for the study information this helps. All salt cant be that good. There have to be good and bad just as in anything else. This is a dissusion I haven't heard specifices about and it is nice to hear so much imput.

So it sounds like the IO may not be as good as we have always thought. I didnt think I was having any problem with using it but there can always be room for improvement especially when your running a reef. I wish someone out there was using the new Red sea coral pro that could tell us what they thought. It sounds like good stuff but is alittle more expensive as is the reef crystals.

 

[captbunzo]

Yeah, unfortunately the official results of the salt study won't be released until sometime next year... Hopefully sooner rather then later...

 

[rdonchann]

Here's an interesting link to the make up of different brands.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/seasaltmixes/l/aa090503b.htm

I agree with the theory that instant ocean may not be the best, but they take the market over with availability. There are a lot of products that may not be top notch, but if you market it and make it available and throw in spiffs and special pricing for resellers it will outsell anything else.

 

[Reef Happy]

SALT

SALT

Great site. Lots of information to look into on this topic.
If I am reading the studies right it looks like the red sea measures up overall as the best. Reef crystals is right in there too.

 

[TimV]

I think that any discussion of salt is going to be affected by whether or not you're running a calcium reactor or not. IO may be low in alk and calcium, but that isn't a problem in a system with a reactor. I've had the best of luck with IO. I went away from it for a while and had tons of problems with other salts. I've gone back to IO and all my corals look much, much happier.

Of course YMMV

T

 

[Reef Happy]

I have been using a calcium reactor for the past month. I dont personally know the effects of other salts when using a reactor. I may stick with the IO then. Like I say I have never had any problems with this salt.

 

[eddybabyhd]

that is the difference between the tropic marin pro reef and the regular. The Pro Reef is for people with reactors.