Best reef salt for a nano reef?

[iDream]

right now i'm currently buying my own SW as i dont really have another way of doing it (no access to an RO/DI system, DEFINITELY dont have the money for one) but i'd like to make SW myself eventually.

since i have absolutely no experience with this, i'm gonna ask you guys what you prefer for your salt, and if there is one that could be better for a nano reef.

i'd also like to ask why you chose your salt, what it may provide that others dont, because i certainly dont want to waste my money.

thanks in advance!




P.S. I'm posting here in the general because the nano section is very rarely viewed, and i know i'll get more reponses here

 

[Fishguy2727]

You can buy RO/DI water from most shops and mix your own water at home with the salt of your choice, you don't necessarily need the whole RO/DI system.

There are two main types of salts out there, ones that mimic natural seawater and ones that enhance it.

The ones that mimic saltwater simply try to match the proportions of minerals found in natural seawater. Brightwell Aquatics does this. We used BW at the shop I was running and I hated it. It smelled like eggs, it burnt (the guy from BW even said one guy had to go to the hospital from chemical burns when he stuck his wet hand in a bucket of salt to scoop some more out), and the buckets were almost impossible to open, you HAD to use a tool (or two) of some kind.

The other types of salt try to enhance on natural seawater. This usually means they start with natural proportions but then try to improve it by adding more of the minerals shown to be needed or used in a reef tank (like calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, etc.). The best will have a lot of trace elements as well, not just the 'top 20'.

I use Tropic Marin, regular not the Pro Reef. Tropic Marin uses all pharmaceutical grade ingredients (so they are pure enough to give to a human and are extremely consistent in purity). The only weird thing is that their Pro Reef actually has less of certain things because they assume you will be supplementing it via dosers, calcium reactors, etc. They even say they should have switched the names. I always get the buckets so I can easily open and reseal them and you get a bucket in the end (great for any fishkeeper).

If salt gets wet either from actual water or humidity in the air (because it is kept in something less than air tight and clumps up) it has slightly dissolved and then redried. When this happens the salts and minerals crystalize differently than before and are no longer the same and will not be the same again even after you mix the salt up. Keep your salt air tight.

 

[mwilliams]

Tagging along here.... Reading the above thread about Tropic Marin. I have been using the Pro Reef would it be better to use the regular Tropic Marin so I can stop dosing the tank?

 

[Fishguy2727]

Exactly, or at least not have to dose as much depending on how much your tank is using. My alkalinity was low with the regular so you still may need to supplement, it just may not be as much.

 

[mwilliams]

Mine alkalinity was low too the other day and I have been using the Pro Reef for well over two months now which I kind of found it strange but also my temp had dropped down to 75degree and my poor little Xenia's are like really limp and I now have the temp back up but still low 77-78 and have two more days of buffering. Plus my bright green mushrooms are still really small compared to what they had been looking like about a week ago....and my duncan tentacles that was once plump are now skinny looking do not know what else is going on????

 

[iDream]

tropic marin? stuff sounds good, great post that helped me quite a bit!

i'll definitely look into it!

 

[iDream]

so i'm on fosterandsmithaquatics, theres tropic marin (pro reef in that category) and tropic marin bio-actif? there a major difference?

 

[mwilliams]

I think there is not sure but I have been using the Pro Reef one and like it. But was recommended to use either one. I will see if I can find my email to see which one was more recommended over the other one....

 

[mwilliams]

I found the email I was looking for and it has the Bio Actif is the better of the two:
1st choice would be Bio Actif
2nd choice is the Pro Reef.
and after reading her email I am at the end of my bucket for the Pro Reef and I will probably try the Bio Actif once I finish the bucket.

 

[iDream]

hmm, but its so spensiveeeee! i'm looking at the regular tropic marin, maybe when i order my stuff of f&s i'll bit the bullet, maybe later down the road though

 

[mwilliams]

Try getting it from your LFS they might can get it in cheaper. I was able to get the big bucket from my LSF for $89 which I think was a good price. I do not know how much they will charge for the Bio-Actif yet will be calling them here shortly to see how much. Because I am thinking when I set up the new tank I will switch over to the Bio-Actif "Maybe"... or just stick with the Pro-Reef one....

 

[iDream]

this is true, i'll look into that.. thanks!

 

[mwilliams]

I was told the the Tropic Marin was the best so that is when I changed over. For now I am using my tap water and using PRIME to condition the water until I can get the RO/DI unit but all my readings have been excellent since I switched over and quite using my LFS pre-mixed saltwater. The readings where never good and now I don't have to worry about the water spilling out in the vehicle anymore. I was told in one of the many threads that you can use the water from the stores (distilled or the ones that you get out of a machine) but for the ones that come out of the machines you have to have a TDS meter to make sure that the water is pure because you don't know how often the maintain those machines.

 

[Fishguy2727]

I used a TDS meter on store bought distilled water and it was 0.0, something many RO/DI have trouble keeping. That is definitely a better option than tap water.

 

[mwilliams]

Yes agreed. I bought 5 gals of distilled the other day that was just for one of my small water changes...

 

[mwilliams]

I used a TDS meter on store bought distilled water and it was 0.0, something many RO/DI have trouble keeping. That is definitely a better option than tap water.

where did you get your TDS meter from?

 

[cmor1701d]

There is NO BEST salt. Most are quite similar. Some have higher CA,, and lower Alk, some have the reverse. Pretty much any of the quality name brands should be good.

I did have a problem with Kent's a few years ago that was verified by them (sent them samples from two buckets).

The search for the BEST salt mix is right up with the search for any other mythical object. It can also start a holy war with everyone claiming their salt brand is the best.

However, doing regular water changes is the best thing you can do for your livestock. Pick a brand and use it. If it lacks something you can add or change brands later.

 

[melosu58]

I agree with Cmor. There is no best or perfect mix. If that was true we would all be using it. My favorite is Oceanic but I would not be truthful if I said it was the best. They all have their pros and cons. You just have to see what works best for your needs.

 

[Bige]

I also agree with the two above pros. The best is the one you like and fits for you. I have seen amazing tanks using every kind of salt there is.

 

[mr_X]

i like oceanic, D&D ocean (deltecs salt), reef crystals, seachem reef salt, tropic marin pro reef (never tried the regular), and red sea coral pro. all of these will give you similar results. i like oceanic best because they have the 6 gallon buckets!