Your Salt of Choice

[what salt do you use]

what salt do you use

reef crystals or io

 11 (64.7%)

seachem

 3 (17.6%)

oceanic

 0 (0%)

brightwell

 0 (0%)

tropic marin

 3 (17.6%)

Total Members Voted: 14

[Nereaga]

I am using coralife and have been for 5 years now.  When this bucket is done I am thinking of trying out seachem reef salt, which is close in the big three to coralife.

Brad

just wondering why change, 5 years successfully?

I use Oceanic which is the made by the same manufacturer as is the Coralife, dissolves in seconds and leaves no dirt looking residue behind

Good Question... I don't really have an answer for you.  I don't like the bucket I just got of Coralife, leaves a white film behind after mixing on the top of the water surface and I am starting to see cyano growing.  I under feed the tank, the only thing I add other than water is dosing for Alk/Ca. 

I am going to change over to Seachem and see if there is a difference, if not, Ill go back to Coralife.  Maybe it is something else.

[reeftanknewbie]

I have heard a lot of good things about corallife.  Never used anything but IO.  Was thinking of trying corallife or RC. 

[knockOUT]

kelvin.. have you had any phosphate issues with that salt? 

that is a good question... is it a known fact? I do have experience phosphate issues but I attributed them to TDS, now you got me thinking! what do you know, spill the beans, cmon.

i had used it for quite a while... loved how it mixed up clean and it was priced really great... but i was having phosphate issues.  i'm pretty sure larry had the same issue at the same time.   crabman too..... the phosphate issues went away after changing salts...

i've been using seachem for a while now with no issues.  my only complaint is finding it locally -- hint hint kelvin

now you got me thinking

[Chrishew09]

IMO, Reef Crystals may not have the highest levels of elements but it never causes any issue for me or anyone else for that matter. a simple light dose of Elemental will rise the elements to levels where you want them.

Reef Crystals + Elemental = good results

[eastonreef]

i know its a lot to ask but i just wanna be able to buy a bucket of salt .. mix with some ro/di water ... and do a water change

dont wanna have to test the new water to see if the levels are right -- they should be right all the time.  they should be what they claim they are...

i know its a lot to ask.... lol

[HENRYSTYLE]

i know its a lot to ask but i just wanna be able to buy a bucket of salt .. mix with some ro/di water ... and do a water change

dont wanna have to test the new water to see if the levels are right -- they should be right all the time.  they should be what they claim they are...

i know its a lot to ask.... lol

It should be like that but we are not living in a perfect world..Anything man made has flaws here and there...1 bucket is good then the next is off...sucks.

[subielover]

You are lucky if the only difference is between buckets. I have been considering switching to ESV salt, it has its elements in liquid form that you add in. By using liquid instead of water, it takes a lot of the inconsistencies that tend to arise from the standard dry (powder) salts. Considering I don't make a whole bucket of salt at a time, it is something I have been really leaning towards trying out. When salts sit in buckets for months, different elements settle at different rates. I really think this is where most of the inconsistency comes from when people are checking their water's parameters from one bucket to the next. Enough rambling from me...

[HENRYSTYLE]

You are lucky if the only difference is between buckets. I have been considering switching to ESV salt, it has its elements in liquid form that you add in. By using liquid instead of water, it takes a lot of the inconsistencies that tend to arise from the standard dry (powder) salts. Considering I don't make a whole bucket of salt at a time, it is something I have been really leaning towards trying out. When salts sit in buckets for months, different elements settle at different rates. I really think this is where most of the inconsistency comes from when people are checking their water's parameters from one bucket to the next. Enough rambling from me...

Good thought...Anyone have space to mix 200g of saltwater?

[birddogs]

You are lucky if the only difference is between buckets. I have been considering switching to ESV salt, it has its elements in liquid form that you add in. By using liquid instead of water, it takes a lot of the inconsistencies that tend to arise from the standard dry (powder) salts. Considering I don't make a whole bucket of salt at a time, it is something I have been really leaning towards trying out. When salts sit in buckets for months, different elements settle at different rates. I really think this is where most of the inconsistency comes from when people are checking their water's parameters from one bucket to the next. Enough rambling from me...

Good thought...Anyone have space to mix 200g of saltwater?

20 gallons of brine is quite easy to find a home for

[reeftanknewbie]

You are lucky if the only difference is between buckets. I have been considering switching to ESV salt, it has its elements in liquid form that you add in. By using liquid instead of water, it takes a lot of the inconsistencies that tend to arise from the standard dry (powder) salts. Considering I don't make a whole bucket of salt at a time, it is something I have been really leaning towards trying out. When salts sit in buckets for months, different elements settle at different rates. I really think this is where most of the inconsistency comes from when people are checking their water's parameters from one bucket to the next. Enough rambling from me...

would there be any benefit from mixing your powdered salts before every use or is this too ridiculous? I am looking for a good all around reef salt for my tank with limited corals at this point.

[jonbry]

Just read this post and wondered if anyone has tried Tropic Marins new salt called Bio Actif?  It is a bit more expensive but from the information I'm getting from reefers in Europe who are using it they are saying it is like nothing they've ever used before.  When I first started investigating this salt in mid winter only was available through one online company but now there are a few more.  Here is the product description from the 200gl bucket which is being sold for $89.99 on average:
 
Tropic Marin BIO ACTIF Reef Salt, 200 gal.

This new synthetic salt is said to promote growth of bioactive substances and provide protection for the mucous membrane of aquarium fish, thereby making your livestock healthier. Corals are affected as well, displaying brighter colors and opening their polyps more.

While making livestock healthier, BIO-ACTIF also promotes the breakdown of pollutants and excess nutrients in the water, leading to superb water clarity.
Tropic Marin suggests to perform weekly 15% water changes with this salt mix in order to maximize its effectiveness and promote the breakdown of unwanted “pollutants”.

Below is a list of all of the benefits seen when using Tropic Marin BIO-ACTIF sea salt:

* Rapid success in coral growth, even for beginners.
* Advanced reef aquarists can grow even very challenging and delicate species which have always been regarded as impossible to keep.
* Corals which once seemed incompatible because of their different demands in terms of care can be cared for together, with all species enjoying good growth and ideal conditions. Small polyp and large polyp stony corals can be kept together with leather corals, for example, without their combined care being detrimental to either group.
* The low-nutrient environment also allows sponges and complex higher-order algae to grow without running wild, adding their own natural and authentic touch to the indoor reef.
* Active control of the pH and carbonate hardness is conducive to the sustained growth of corals, calcareous red algae and other calcifying organisms.
* Skimming action for the elimination of contaminants and suspended matter provides a permanent solution to cloudiness, allowing the reef aquarium to shine in full clarity in the most vibrant colours.

[Crippler]

i know its a lot to ask but i just wanna be able to buy a bucket of salt .. mix with some ro/di water ... and do a water change

dont wanna have to test the new water to see if the levels are right -- they should be right all the time.  they should be what they claim they are...

i know its a lot to ask.... lol

Didn't you try TMProReef at one point?  All though I only mix 5 gal or so at a time, when I test a batch, it's always what they claim.  The Alk is a little low for some, 8.5, but I've never really seen any benefit when I raised the alk to 10 or so.  Now I leave it be.  Ca is always ~420-450 and Mg is always ~ 1350.  And it mixes fast and clean.  No phosphates.  I know it's expensive, but a bucket last me over a yr.  So I don't sweat that.  IMO, it's one of the only properly balanced salts out there.  The ratios are great and it's been extremely consistent for me.  Which is even more important in smaller tanks.  I just started a Finnex 4g pico for my daughter and that tank will be using the TMPR also.  I may try using some of my old water from my nano for her tank's change.  Keep it a little 'dirty' for the zoas and such.  We'll see.   

I've been using Reef Crystals in my mother's tank for over a yr and I don't like it.  Alk is way too high and whatever "extra" vitamins, or whatever they add, seems to help keep some nuisance crap kickin'.  I'm thinking about switching her over to the new Instant Ocean.  Lower alk, Ca & Mg are acceptable, no extra vitamins and it's cheaper.

I may try a small bucket of the Bio-Actif salt and see what happens.  lol  It's even more expensive, by $10, but a bucket last me a long time.  I've read nothing but great things about it too.  There's a decent thread over on RC about it.  A rep from Tropic Marin gave some good insight on the salt and how it works.  Good stuff.

[eastonreef]

I used to use tm but I go through a bucket in no time.... I wish a bucket lasted a year!  Lol

[reeftanknewbie]

Looks like most are using IO or reef crystals per the survey.  Does anyone account for the cost of dosing when they are looking at salt costs.  Because my stocking is very low IO seems to work with very little dosing needed as of now.