Salt Mix- What do you use?

[T-dub]

I'm still working on getting my 220 up and running and I need to buy salt. I've had good luck with the Coralife Marine salt but I'm just wondering what everyone's using. I will eventually have a mixed reef tank- SPS and some LPS
Thanks!

[bigdoug]

I am a newby but started with IO salt, switched to IO Crystals, mixes easier and more consistant PH.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Insant Ocean or Reef Crystals here. With IO I have to supplement magnesium.

[NaH2Ofreak]

Tropic Marin Bio Actif......good stuff.

Dennis

[T-dub]

I have used reef crystals in the past too with no issues. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone is using the coralife and having any problems.

[sirreal63]

Oceanic currently but when the new tank is set up later this month it will be a 50/50 mix of Oceanic and Instant Ocean. They tend to balance each other out when mixed.

[aleonn]

I've been using Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt with good results. I haven't tried the Bio-Actif salt yet. NaH2Ofreak, did you use the Pro Reef before, and if so, how did it compare?

[dkh0331]

Reef Crystals here.

[fishysteve]

Tropic Marin Pro Reef - I'll never change

[414driver]

SeaChem Aquavitro Salinity....great salt mix!

[jcook54]

Seachem Reef Salt. I've used it for a little over 1 year now and have been happy with the results. If I keep to my water change schedule I don't have to dose Ca or Mg.

[pweissma]

But what's the best salt for the $ for someone who doses?

[AquaReeferMan]

I use either Reef Crystals or Seachem Reef Salt.

[Palting]

I use Reef Crystals, simply because that's what my LFS has. He has IO as well, but RC is more Ca and Mg.

[sirreal63]

But what's the best salt for the $ for someone who doses?

Common salt mixes and their respective Ca Alk and Mag levels.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1714505

Instant Ocean and Oceanic are two of the least expensive salt mixes on the market. They have no "fluff" ingredients like vitamins, which aren't needed. They are not marketed as the latest and greatest and simply work. There has been an ongoing debate for years about salt and the extra "fluff" some producers put in theirs to demand a higher price.

IO, Coralife, Oceanic are inexpensive and work. You are hopefully adjusting the mix to tank parameters before doing a water change, so there is little need in buying the expensive highly marketed salt mixes. FWIW Instant Ocean is probably used by more reefers than any other salt, it simply works.

[Palting]

But what's the best salt for the $ for someone who doses?

Common salt mixes and their respective Ca Alk and Mag levels.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1714505

Instant Ocean and Oceanic are two of the least expensive salt mixes on the market. They have no "fluff" ingredients like vitamins, which aren't needed. They are not marketed as the latest and greatest and simply work. There has been an ongoing debate for years about salt and the extra "fluff" some producers put in theirs to demand a higher price.

IO, Coralife, Oceanic are inexpensive and work. You are hopefully adjusting the mix to tank parameters before doing a water change, so there is little need in buying the expensive highly marketed salt mixes. FWIW Instant Ocean is probably used by more reefers than any other salt, it simply works.

I suppose the key phrase here is "someone who doses". My understanding from the multiple threads here, reefkeeping mag, and from books on reef husbandry, is that dosing is unnecessary if the Calcium stays above 360-400 and the alk stays above 7 dKH even with consumption by the reef. I forget the mag number. Despite my multiple SPS and coraline that are growing, my Ca stays at 420-440 and Alk stays at 7.4 dKH with weekly water changes with reef crystals. So, I don't dose. OTOH, if I were dosing already, I suppose there would be no need for the higher Ca/alk/Mag, so IO should be good enough.

I do have a question though, because of the point raised by sirreal, as well as to get back on topic. Is there anyone here who is successfully growing corals with IO only, and NOT dose? Maybe I don't need to pay the extra $'s for RC, and still not need to dose. That would be nice.

[pweissma]

Common salt mixes and their respective Ca Alk and Mag levels.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1714505

Instant Ocean and Oceanic are two of the least expensive salt mixes on the market. They have no "fluff" ingredients like vitamins, which aren't needed. They are not marketed as the latest and greatest and simply work. There has been an ongoing debate for years about salt and the extra "fluff" some producers put in theirs to demand a higher price.

IO, Coralife, Oceanic are inexpensive and work. You are hopefully adjusting the mix to tank parameters before doing a water change, so there is little need in buying the expensive highly marketed salt mixes. FWIW Instant Ocean is probably used by more reefers than any other salt, it simply works.
Thanks, exactly the kind of info I was looking for. I plan to change salt on my 7g and then maybe later on my solana. I'm using D&D H2Ocean and it's very expensive. With large frequent water changes it's not worth paying for elevated levels of Ca/Alk/Mg in my 7g. With dosing I don't need elevated levels for my solana either. If other trace elements are all ok in the cheaper salts then there is no real benefit for the higher cost.

[sirreal63]

I do have a question though, because of the point raised by sirreal, as well as to get back on topic. Is there anyone here who is successfully growing corals with IO only, and NOT dose? Maybe I don't need to pay the extra $'s for RC, and still not need to dose. That would be nice.

If water changes alone are meeting your demands, then there is no need in dosing. You do have to stay on top of this though, as the corals grow and coraline grows the demand is higher and water changes alone may not meet the demand.

When Reef Crystals came out I used about 4 buckets of it and noticed no difference, other than it cost more than IO and Oceanic in a 50/50 mix. I used the IO/O for years mainly because it was inexpensive and with that mix I didn't have to alter it much to match the tanks parameters.

It should be noted that from time to time batches of the same brand will mix differently, this is why it is important to test and adjust the mix when doing a water change.

[EdKruzel]

I used IO and RC for years, my preference was Tropic Marin but once I moved it was only available through mail order and the shipping was ridiculous.

I was happy enough with IO and bought a bad batch; when I called to let them know what I discovered, I ran into the most rude customer service person imaginable. I explained that I purchased 4 bags and that two were bad and had the same lot number. My LFS was going to refund my money; I didn't want anything from them I was just trying to be a good hobbyist and pass on the information. I kept explaining I didn't want anything from them but their rep kept calling me a liar and that I must want something in return.

I use Oceanic now with very good results and will never return to IO strictly because of their customer service department.

[kbinkerd@verizon.net]

Why is it that red sea salt is never mentioned in these salt discussions? It is made by dehydrating sea water from the red sea, which I would think tend to make it superior to any chemically laboratory mixed salt recipe.

[sirreal63]

Why is it that red sea salt is never mentioned in these salt discussions? It is made by dehydrating sea water from the red sea, which I would think tend to make it superior to any chemically laboratory mixed salt recipe.

It is only partially made from dehydrated sea water and then chemically corrected to mimic sea water. Dehydration of sea water and re-hydration does not reproduce the original sea water, that is why Red Sea Salt is chemically corrected. Is it good salt? Yes, but I don't think there are any commercially prepared salt mixes that are bad.

[scubasteve06]

IO user here. I had pondered switching to Reef Crystals or Seachem AquaVitro, but from what I've seen here IO has all that I will need. Since I am a carbon doser I do not dose anything other than vodka, with vinegar soon to be added to the mix. Also thinking about starting to use ZeoBak or Prodibio BioGest soon for more of a mix along with AA and vitamin supplementation.

[Toke23]

Insant Ocean or Reef Crystals here. With IO I have to supplement magnesium.

[mdhnatow]

Petco Premium Marine Salt Mix ftw...

[FranktheTankTx]

Epsom Salt

[LifeAquatic]

Esv b-ionic salt.

[skidoll]

Red Sea Coral Pro. I used to use IO, switched because someone said the former is better....I don't see a difference.

[Dex]

I have always used Instant Ocean. Mixes well and the price is right...:thumbsup:

[reefgeezer]

I use Kent salt and have for many years. It is pretty inexpensive and always dissolves well. It has high calcium and alk though. That makes water changes tough if trying to keep alk in the NSW range.

[preef]

Coralife. Less expensive than IO, more Ca, and Mg than IO.

[89Foxbody]

Instant ocean reef crystals.

[T-dub]

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like I will just keep using coralife and continue my water change schedule!

[sslak]

Tropic Marin Pro Reef...I like it so far. Buckets of RC and IO salts always clumped up for me when storing for long periods of time after opening...it sounds simple but I like that Tropic Marin is inside a bag inside the bucket. It helps keep the moisture out!