What salt and why?

[Ziggy953]

I have used all of the above in my tank. I started out with IO because of the cost and I could get a 5gallon bucket. It worked well until I started adding more and more corals and I found that it was causing cyano outbreaks (or that's what I decided was causing them). I switched to Reef Crystals and didn't see much difference in how things were going. I've also used Red Sea but didn't like the cost of it. I went back to IO and was pleased for a while but those cyano outbreaks started up again. I am using (don't eveyone yell at me) Aquatic Gardens (petco brand) {Premium Marine Salt Mix. I've been using it for about 6 months now and I have exploded coral growth, clearer water and happier fish. I have no idea why it works so well for me but it does. It mixes very easily and my CA stays at 380-400. I have a lot of SPS corals and you can see the growth from week to week. It cost about the same as a bucket of IO and I haven't had a cyano problem since I switched to it. Go figure right?

 

[Dr.Nate]

Reef Crystals here.

I've used both Instant Ocean and Kent.....and I had cyano issues with both. With RC, I have had none of those issues.

 

[MarineFlake]

What Salt: Reef Crystals. Why? I have used (Multiple buckets of each) Oceanic, IO, Red Sea Croal Pro, Reef Crystals. I could go through the pros and cons of each but everyone has different experiences based on *lots* of dynamics. Bottom line for me is Reef Crystals in both my 29G and 75G has been *fantasitc*. Any of them will do with the exception of the Red Sea Coral Pro. It has had a very visible negative impact on my 29G and is starting to cause decline in the softies in my 75G and seems to feed algea (As does IO to a much lesser extent). Again all have strengths and weaknesses but for me dealing with RC's is *far* more predictable and produced fantastic results in terms of growth and algea reduction. And no sir, I do not work for any industry even related to marine and reef keeping! ; )

Peace.

 

[Devilishturtles]

...

The Seachem mixes amazingly well, always provides me with a high Ca (some would argue too high > 480). So far I am very happy with it.

Wow! What salinity is that mixed at... 1.024 or so?

Also... what alkalinity goes along with that, after a couple days of sitting?

I should mention that I'm also using tap water and not RO/DI which I'm sure helps buffer my levels. Mixed to around 1.025. My alk also tests high and out of range after first mixed. Around 15-16 dkh. My new kit I got from seachem is defective so I haven't tested alk in a while but I would be interested to know what it settles out to in a few days time. I'll get back to you on that.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

...

The Seachem mixes amazingly well, always provides me with a high Ca (some would argue too high > 480). So far I am very happy with it.

Wow! What salinity is that mixed at... 1.024 or so?

Also... what alkalinity goes along with that, after a couple days of sitting?

I should mention that I'm also using tap water and not RO/DI which I'm sure helps buffer my levels....

Ahhhh - that makes sense now.

 

[Nikkiheartsfish]

I use oceanic. I like it a lot, it dissolves easily and I haven't had a problem with it.

 

[ellisz]

I started with IO. Did pretty well. I had great growth with softies and LPS. Had a cyano outbreak but I think it was really a DI water issue I was having.

I then went to Oceanic. I used this salt for over 2 years. Dissolved great and my corals seemed to love it. I kept softies, lps and sps with excellent results. I switched from IO mainly for the Ca content. My last 2 buckets would always leave a nasty brown film in the brute trash can I use to mix up my sw. I also started to have some hellacious hair algae. I switched salts again but not sure if it was the salt or not ...

I am now using Red Sea Coral Pro. Ca and Alk seem to be similar with Oceanic. Alk is a little lower than I would like. The COral Pro salt does not leave the brown film in the can but it does not dissolve as well as the Oceanic. I am still having some algae issues but it is not the same as what I had with Oceanic. Since switching to Coral Pro salt, I re-worked my RO/DI unit with a new membrane and a dual DI unit. Recalibrated my TDS and am confident my TDS is "0".

I think I will switch back to Oceanic or try the normal Red Sea salt. My softies and zoos don't appear to be doing as well since the switch but I switched MH bulbs at the same time.

My corals appear to like the Coral just fine but I am not sold on it ...

 

[clowninround]

I use tropic marin. I had all kind of issues with instant ocean. But my friend's use it with much less problems. Tropic marin keeps my tank completely stable. The coral growth exploded and my fish are happy. Other than PWC's, I don't have to do anything to it. With instant ocean I had to add buffers and calcuim all the time. I had an emporer angelfish that I got rid of because it had Head and laterel line disease or whatever it is called when I was using IO, when I switched little by little I started noticing the fish had not one single issue. I got brave after a year and bought another angel, and guess what? He is fat and happy! Then I got really brave and bought a blue tang (which I formly knew as ick magnets) and he has tripled in size! Every fish I add stays happy and healthy. Only fish I lost was due to his own decision to jump out of the tank! I swear by it now.

 

[sayuncle]

I have used all of the above. For the last 11 years I have used Bio-Sea by AquaCraft because it has all of the good points that have been listed but none of the bad points.