What salt is considered the best?

[Manny2123]

Im really interested in what salt everyone is using. What salt is considered the best? Tropic Marin? H2 ocean? Pls everyone's thoughts

 

[Flreefer]

I like to alternate between Red Sea Coral Pro and IO Reef Crystals.

 

[Schism]

Ive been a user a reef crystals for years without any problems. Tropic marin and other high end salts usually just offer more pure additives the mixes vary but its whatever works for you.

 

[Manny2123]

Well I suppose I wld like to know how well ur corals r doing I want the best of the best salt wld u care ti share results uve seen?

 

[Flreefer]

Here's a pic of a Monti Cap I traded in yesterday, pic also shows middle portion of my 180g.

View attachment 98336

Pic taken May 31, 2012.

 

[ccCapt]

I use regular Instant Ocean.

Here's a quote from Randy Holmes-Farley, PhD.
"I do not think there is a "best" salt mix. Nearly all of them will work fine as long as you know their pros and cons.
I don't want excessive borate, which leaves out Seachem.
I don't want vitamins or anything else organic in my mix (because I doubt their utility, they degrade with time to who knows what, bacteria may thrive on them as I store new salt water for a substantial period, they are totally undescribed with respect to amounts or identity, they are not naturally present in natural seawater at appreciable levels, and because I've occasionally had them mess with my skimmer), so that tosses out some like Reef Crystals, hW Marinemix Plus BioElements, Kent, Coralife, and Nutri-SeaWater.
I don't want excessive calcium (long term use of limewater as I use drives up calcium, so I do not want it starting high), so that tosses out a bunch, such as Kent, Seachem, Coralife and Oceanic.
There are certain companies that I will not support due to their misleading claims and/or product lines. That tosses out a few which I won't detail here since it is my personal thought as opposed to a specific issue with their salt mix.
I won't use certain lines of natural seawater due to excessive metals in it.
That only leaves a few to choose from, such as Instant Ocean and Tropic Marin Pro. The remaining ones might all be fine for me, but IO is lower in cost, especially if you get it when it goes on sale (which it frequently does). It also has a very long track record of success in many aquaria with relatively few concerning issues of bad batches."

Here's what I get with using Instant Ocean.

 

[Aquarist1234]

I think Tropic Matin Pro is the best. I've always used it and my fish love it!

 

[Schism]

I use regular Instant Ocean.

Here's a quote from Randy Holmes-Farley, PhD.
"I do not think there is a "best" salt mix. Nearly all of them will work fine as long as you know their pros and cons.
I don't want excessive borate, which leaves out Seachem.
I don't want vitamins or anything else organic in my mix (because I doubt their utility, they degrade with time to who knows what, bacteria may thrive on them as I store new salt water for a substantial period, they are totally undescribed with respect to amounts or identity, they are not naturally present in natural seawater at appreciable levels, and because I've occasionally had them mess with my skimmer), so that tosses out some like Reef Crystals, hW Marinemix Plus BioElements, Kent, Coralife, and Nutri-SeaWater.
I don't want excessive calcium (long term use of limewater as I use drives up calcium, so I do not want it starting high), so that tosses out a bunch, such as Kent, Seachem, Coralife and Oceanic.
There are certain companies that I will not support due to their misleading claims and/or product lines. That tosses out a few which I won't detail here since it is my personal thought as opposed to a specific issue with their salt mix.
I won't use certain lines of natural seawater due to excessive metals in it.
That only leaves a few to choose from, such as Instant Ocean and Tropic Marin Pro. The remaining ones might all be fine for me, but IO is lower in cost, especially if you get it when it goes on sale (which it frequently does). It also has a very long track record of success in many aquaria with relatively few concerning issues of bad batches."

Here's what I get with using Instant Ocean.

Exactly, there is no best salt. It depends on what you need/dont want. Some of the best tanks ive ever seen use simple old instant ocean. Its not the salt that determines success.

You can buy the most expensive salt out there, it doesnt mean its going to out perform another. Its about knowing your levels and maintaining them to be at proper levels and as constant as possible.

If you need elevated calcium etc then you will probably want a brand like reef crystals or red sea coral pro. If you had a fish only system i recommend a brand low in reef building elements. If your using tap id recommend a mix lower in trace elements and with a heavy metal detoxifier ect. So many options and uses there is not best. I suggest trying reef crystals, its a good place to start and if you dont like it you will know why, and what brand you may need from there

Ive never had a need to change brands.

 

[ccCapt]

Very interesting reply.

If you need elevated calcium...

Just curious, but why do you think anyone would need elevated calcium? There is no advantage in keeping calcium anything over that of natural seawater...which is 420ppm.

If you had a fish only system i recommend a brand low in reef building elements.

What brand of salt do you think is low in those elements and how do you know this?

If your using tap id recommend a mix lower in trace elements and with a heavy metal detoxifier

Again, what salt do you think meets this recommendation and how do you know what it actually contains?

I suggest trying reef crystals

I will just quote Dr. Holmes-Farley on this recommendation....
"I don't want vitamins or anything else organic in my mix (because I doubt their utility, they degrade with time to who knows what, bacteria may thrive on them as I store new salt water for a substantial period, they are totally undescribed with respect to amounts or identity, they are not naturally present in natural seawater at appreciable levels, and because I've occasionally had them mess with my skimmer), so that tosses out some like Reef Crystals,..."

 

[kdpuffer]

This is an interesting thread, I can see this getting heated lol. Personally I use whatever salt contains what I need at the time. Last purchase I was seeing a drop in calcium so I got salt with higher calcium levels. I personally want to avoid dosing and this is how I'm trying to do it.

 

[Schism]

Very interesting reply.

Just curious, but why do you think anyone would need elevated calcium? There is no advantage in keeping calcium anything over that of natural seawater...which is 420ppm.

What brand of salt do you think is low in those elements and how do you know this?

Again, what salt do you think meets this recommendation and how do you know what it actually contains?

I will just quote Dr. Holmes-Farley on this recommendation....
"I don't want vitamins or anything else organic in my mix (because I doubt their utility, they degrade with time to who knows what, bacteria may thrive on them as I store new salt water for a substantial period, they are totally undescribed with respect to amounts or identity, they are not naturally present in natural seawater at appreciable levels, and because I've occasionally had them mess with my skimmer), so that tosses out some like Reef Crystals,..."

Call the company they usually have no problem listing certain levels. By reef building elements im mainly talking about ca, alk, mag which is usually listed on many salt labels at various.

As for why an elevated calcium. Some tanks take up calcium rapidly, tanks full of stony corals and clams drain calcium like nothing. Having elevated calcium helps tremendously with trying to maintain levels. If you can maintain calcium levels no problem then obviously you dont need a mix that contains higher calcium.

As for trace elements, some can be found and some listed. Usually salts not intended for reefs contain lower levels of these elements. Usually is a strong word.

I was just giving recommendations on figuring out what might work best for a certain idividual. Obviously for Dr. Holmes-Farley instant ocean and tropic marin work for him. As stated by him each has its pros and cons.