What's the BEST salt for a reef tank?

[shaned]

I'm on my last bucket of salt for my 170 gal reef tank which contains lots of live rock, fish, SPS, LPS, clams, etc. I've been looking online and also at local LFS to get pricing on salt for my reef tank and it seems that everyone has a different opinion on the best brand and different prices too.

Is there a website which compares salt mix brands for a reef tank?
Can anyone recommend a brand they use with good results?
Finally, where's the best place to buy reef salt mix .. locally or online?

I've read and heard that Tropic Marin is the best but it's also very expensive.
I'm also looking at Seachem, Oceanic and Kent brands in my comparison.

Has anyone taken a poll on their favorite brand of salt with the best value for your money?

Thanks,
Shane
678-662-6336 cell

 

[glxtrix]

thats a toss in the air and a huge debate. I personally use Instant Ocean, always have, always will.

 

[theplatypus]

Reef Crystals here

 

[flyingarmy]

Instant Ocean here!

Unlike when I bought powdered water and didn't know what to add!:doh:

 

[cameron]

This question gets asked a lot. Mostly it is personal preference, but the most used around here is Instant Ocean with Reef Crystals (same thing with some extra additives) as an option. I know several local LFS use it for their tanks, some of the maintenance companies and the biggest user the Georgia Aquarium. It is hard to go wrong with this mix and often you can find it on sale at Drs Foster Smith for around $30 with $10 shipping no matter how many buckets you buy. I think there is going to be a group buy on it soon as well.

 

[glxtrix]

you could also price match it at pets mart for 35.99 a bucket if you need it asap

 

[darren24]

Reef Crystals here. Drsfostersmith.com seems to always have it on sale.

 

[jetchris]

I prefer IO

 

[ouling]

here we go... LOL, I remember this debate a while back with me, jin and jermey.

I say Oceanic is the best salt because it is 100% natural evaporated sea salt!!

:jk:
Lawl.


But seriously, I like oceanic because you get more salt for your money, probably due to it's smaller crystal size or something. It mix very easily, have high calcium and magnesium readings, and a good pH along with decent alk.

Calcium from my batch tests 430-450 all day at 1.0255 SG

 

[victor626nj]

i use troppic marin pro reef just because i have to add less additives

 

[ralph atl]

TMPR here

 

[horsesziggy]

i use instant ocean its cheap i take 5 fifty gallon bags every three weeks dump in tubs cap full prime garden hose from outside let it mix for 48 hr wala instant ocean,in my eyes all the crap everyone puts in there tanks is a waste of money and time and thats just my opinion it works for me, a test kit is a accident waiting to happen

 

[schwaggs]

Started years ago with Reef Crystals, then IO, now Tropic Marin. I got tired of the inconsistancies with IO. I'm not sure if the Tropic Marin is worth the extra cash but in the big picture of keeping a reef tank, salt cost is a minor expense.

 

[ralph atl]

horsesziggy;98700 wrote: in my eyes all the crap everyone puts in there tanks is a waste of money and time and thats just my opinion it works for me, a test kit is a accident waiting to happen

I guess it depends what you have in your tank, how healthy you would like your organisms in your tank, and it would depend upon what you are defining as crap. Test kits are just a set evaluative tools to tell you what you need to do when it comes to dosing, changing media, etc. They also can point you in the right direction when things go wrong. IMHO, not testing for calcium, Alk, trates, salinity, temp, phosphates,& mag in a SPS dominated reef tank would be reckless.

 

[victor626nj]

mysterybox;98716 wrote: I guess it depends what you have in your tank, how healthy you would like your organisms in your tank, and it would depend upon what you are defining as crap. Test kits are just a set evaluative tools to tell you what you need to do when it comes to dosing, changing media, etc. They also can point you in the right direction when things go wrong. IMHO, not testing for calcium, Alk, trates, salinity, temp, phosphates,& mag in a SPS dominated reef tank would be reckless.

he has a 450 fish only tank

 

[ralph atl]

Victor626nj;98718 wrote: he has a 450 fish only tank

I agree that with a 450 FO tank, there really isn't much need for any testing at all unless there are issues.

 

[jimw369]

The salt issue has been beat to death Shaned. LOL While major brands might be a little different it seems to be a matter of personal preference.

Have you ever been to the Sea Turtle Hospital on Jekyll Island? I would imagine they go thru a lot of salt. Heres a pic of what they use and another of some of their tanks outside. Big skimmers too!

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shaned;98613 wrote: I'm on my last bucket of salt for my 170 gal reef tank which contains lots of live rock, fish, SPS, LPS, clams, etc. I've been looking online and also at local LFS to get pricing on salt for my reef tank and it seems that everyone has a different opinion on the best brand and different prices too.

Is there a website which compares salt mix brands for a reef tank?
Can anyone recommend a brand they use with good results?
Finally, where's the best place to buy reef salt mix .. locally or online?

I've read and heard that Tropic Marin is the best but it's also very expensive.
I'm also looking at Seachem, Oceanic and Kent brands in my comparison.

Has anyone taken a poll on their favorite brand of salt with the best value for your money?

Thanks,
Shane
678-662-6336 cell

 

[victor626nj]

mysterybox;98720 wrote: I agree that with a 450 FO tank, there really isn't much need for any testing at all unless there are issues.

that nothing its total waater volume is aroun 800 gal

 

[wbholwell]

Schwaggs;98702 wrote: Started years ago with Reef Crystals, then IO, now Tropic Marin. I got tired of the inconsistancies with IO. I'm not sure if the Tropic Marin is worth the extra cash but in the big picture of keeping a reef tank, salt cost is a minor expense.

I went through the same progression, too. I have yet to test my water and get any suprises with Tropic Marin PR. And since I only go through about 40 gallons per month, cost is not my biggest concern.

 

[suasati]

These are the factors that affect me in selecting a salt mix....

1) Does the salt give me the Ca content I want to keep the tank at
2) Does the salt give me the Alk I want to keep the tank at
3) Is it defficient in Mg/K and such that I can compensate without much problems.
and finally,
4) Is it consistant between batches.....

Having said that, I have been using TM/TMpro for tha past couple of years, now I am testing hwMarinemix... so far, of the 6 batches(4 packages) I have mixed the parameters are pretty close to each other... so I may go with hwmarinemix for good or go half and half with marinemix and TM... I was never happy with anyother brands..... and I have tried pretty much all of them....