rogergolf66
im an addict lol
Ok been useing reef crystals. Thinking of switching what salt do u use and why?
sps tanks salt choice
- Thread starter rogergolf66
- Start date
rogergolf66
im an addict lol
So the 31 people that viewed this in the sps forum don't have an opinion on what salt they use. Maybe u don't use salt? Why no responses from 31 viewers 
AdamDeMamp
New member
IO. Switched from RC bc alk and cal levels mix too high for my liking.
acroholicreefer
New member
Always been a fan and user of Oceanic Salt.
Henry Colf
New member
I use Instant Ocean. Never had a reason to switch.
rogergolf66
im an addict lol
Well ok my goal is to get my levels closer to natural sea water. I'm thinking of switching to zeo it system and requires nsw levels and the reef crystals I'm currently using keeps the alk way to high. It looks like Red Sea has the lowest alk at 7 that might be the only choice I see that will work.
sasharotty
Moved on to my couch
Switched back to IO from Rc. The last 2 boxes I mixed up with rc was at 11 alk. To high for my liking.
mos90
New member
same here.
psykobowler
New member
I use a 50 gallon bag of RC per weekly water change. It does not bump the alk or ca much for a 800 gallon system. I use one bag of RC and one bag of IO if I want to change 100 gallons. I do this once every 3 to 4 weeks or so to "recharge or clean" my system.
If you want to use zeovit why not use the salt designed for the system by kz reefers best salt.
epicurus84
New member
Any reef grade salt is fine. Ive used the wholesalers salt. Som shop owners own salt (i think its the same as the whole salers). i've used RC salt, blue ocean. And now i'm using the TM salt because i got it at a good deal. Mostly i say use the cheapest reef grade salt you can get your hands on. You might want to mix in some other salts slowly from time to time.
JPMagyar
New member
Salt's I have tried and tested:
IO
ReefCrystals
DD H2O
Oceanic
Tropic Marin
Coralife
Marine Enterprises Crystal Sea Bio-Assay Formula
and
ESV
I used Marine Enterprises for several years, followed by a couple years of Coralife and now I use ESV. Over time I have tested fresh batches of SW dozens of times and ESV is hands down the most consistent mix in terms of 8.2 pH, 425 Ca, and 8 dKH alk. It is also the ONLY salt mix I ever used that mixed up clear , but it is very expensive.
Honestly though, I agree with the last poster. I'm not sure that the salt makes that much difference as there are plenty of great tanks using almost every brand out there including the so called "cheap" brands. I will add though that DD H2O was the only brand that ever showed positive for phosphate (Elos test kit) Phosphate is a tricky chemical to test for so take that result with a proverbial "grain of salt"
Joe :beer:
IO
ReefCrystals
DD H2O
Oceanic
Tropic Marin
Coralife
Marine Enterprises Crystal Sea Bio-Assay Formula
and
ESV
I used Marine Enterprises for several years, followed by a couple years of Coralife and now I use ESV. Over time I have tested fresh batches of SW dozens of times and ESV is hands down the most consistent mix in terms of 8.2 pH, 425 Ca, and 8 dKH alk. It is also the ONLY salt mix I ever used that mixed up clear , but it is very expensive.
Honestly though, I agree with the last poster. I'm not sure that the salt makes that much difference as there are plenty of great tanks using almost every brand out there including the so called "cheap" brands. I will add though that DD H2O was the only brand that ever showed positive for phosphate (Elos test kit) Phosphate is a tricky chemical to test for so take that result with a proverbial "grain of salt"
Joe :beer:
Moser
Active member
Tropic Marin Pro reef. One bucket per week= 600L. Mixes clear every time and pretty rock solid parameters.
I have also used Bioactif- Very nice salt, but leaves a bacterial residue in my water change tank after a few weeks…. the Display tank looks very clean and the water crystal clear, the day after a change. I only changed because I got fed up cleaning out the water change tank.
Reefer's Best. Great salt, but very expensive. Mixes clear.
Mo
I have also used Bioactif- Very nice salt, but leaves a bacterial residue in my water change tank after a few weeks…. the Display tank looks very clean and the water crystal clear, the day after a change. I only changed because I got fed up cleaning out the water change tank.
Reefer's Best. Great salt, but very expensive. Mixes clear.
Mo
I haven't used every salt out there but have used...
Oceanic, Coralife, Kent, Instant Ocean and Reef Crystals, that I remember. I have never noticed a salt related issue but until a few years ago I mixed Oceanic 50/50 with IO, they balanced each other out nicely. For the past few years it has been just IO with no mix. The change they made to the formulation worked out great for my tank. I have used probably 75% IO over the others over the past 10 years. I never have had issues with any brand of salt mixing anything but clear but I also typically let it mix overnight which does help. No residue, no crud, no undissolved salt, no problems at all.
Oceanic, Coralife, Kent, Instant Ocean and Reef Crystals, that I remember. I have never noticed a salt related issue but until a few years ago I mixed Oceanic 50/50 with IO, they balanced each other out nicely. For the past few years it has been just IO with no mix. The change they made to the formulation worked out great for my tank. I have used probably 75% IO over the others over the past 10 years. I never have had issues with any brand of salt mixing anything but clear but I also typically let it mix overnight which does help. No residue, no crud, no undissolved salt, no problems at all.
brianfarkas
Member
switched for reef crystals to red sea regular due to running bio pellets i dont have to worry about spiking my alk.
