what salt to use?

[gsxunv04@aol.com]

i currently use instant ocean sea salt but am thinking about the reef crystals by instant ocean or "Seachem" salt. any comments and what do you all use?

[elvictre]

I use Oceanic. In my last tank I switched from Oceanic to Tropic Marin Pro and didn't visually see the benefits of it. I felt as if I had better growth with the Oceanic so I switched back for my new tank.

Vic

[jxb647]

used to use Red Sea... For the past i'd say 2-3 years now i've been using IO

[Mike O'Brien]

I'd say go for anything but Seachem. Reef Crystals is a great choice.

[Irisservice]

and don't use coralife salt either...

Tropic marin (not pro version)
IO
Reef Crystals
oceanic
all good

[gsxunv04@aol.com]

ok i think im gonna try the instant ocean reef crystals. whats the diff. between this and reg. IO? are they added elemnets good or a waste?

[Mike O'Brien]

Basically just extra calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. All good things. And since the bucket is only three bucks more for RC, it's no big deal.

[chessmanmark]

I've been using Reef Crystals for over a year now. Last month I mixed up a new batch and tested the calcium level for the first time ever. I was disappointed to find it around 320. I'm almost done with that bucket and will open a new one soon. I'm going to test that one and hopefully see a difference. I'll post my findings when I do.

Whichever brand you use I would advise you test it after mixing it for 24 hours. I now add calcium to my freshly mixed SW to benefit my tank.

[Mike O'Brien]

I just tested some RCand got 340 ppm Calcium. That's pretty dissapointing.

Here is a Quote from Michael Del Prete, the S-15 report guy. He makes some good points.

Most salt manufacturers have modified their formulations. This for reasons I posted earlier.

IMO, none for the betterment of their brands, their customers or the captive exotic live stock that is exposed and/or in intimate contact with this essential complex chemical medium.

Let me ask you... Do you or anyone else really believe that some salt makers have actually improved their brands? This in the face of rampant inflation, increased costs of raw materials, increased competition ... dramataically increased costs for delivery transportation, etc. ... And all brands that did not score well.. have similar or even discounted prices vs. 10 years ago?

E.g. The cost of housing, food, travel, postage, etc. has steadly increased. Some brands of marine salts sell at discounted rates at those of years past. -- How do you think this is possible?

After ommitting or reducing various major, minor and trace elements then electing to employ lesser and lesser purity ingredients... the latest trend for some marine salts is to reduce the net weight in their packages.

As posted earlier there is a minimum amount of weight that must be present in a balanced formlula to hydrate the advertised gallons at the desired salinity of water being required/purchased.

[Mike O'Brien]

Mark, did you ever test the new bucket ? I just got 300 ppm with my Elos kit. And if I hear one more time that I have a bad test kit or my SG is too low, I'm gonna blow a gasket. My refractometer would have to be wrong by over 25% to cause an error like that, and I've tried a few different test kits.

[gsxunv04@aol.com]

any inventors out there, lets make our own TRUE salt, well monopolize the market

[Europa]

I'm in, but since we're going to monopolize, we might as well call it Magic Miracle Salt. Instant Ocean doesn't stand a chance :)

[gsxunv04@aol.com]

Yea, i like "miracle", that way we can easily attract the people who buy miracle mud.