Brand of salt?

Sea World def has differenet needs.. Shamu doesn't swim in a coral reef.

Reef Crystals are good, a lot of people use it. I just like Coral Life... I stopped testing CA and Mag because the levels are jacked, and with a Nano I don't need to dose, except I dose a lil Kalk, I just do water changes. I test every time I get a new bag of salt.. I shake it good, to mix up the stuff that settles at the bottom. Anyhoo.. in my experience the levels have been consistent. I was gonna switch to RC, but I did some research, they are both really good, I figured I'd stay with what's working for me.

 

My needs are exactly the same as theirs, I have a reef tank, they have many reef tanks, i want to keep my reef inhabitants happy and so do they.

I know in fact it was one of those Biologists from the Shedd that recommended Reef crystals to me. In fact he once told me that Reef Crystals was one of the more consistent salt mixes available.

I wasn't talking about shamu's tank, there are allot of other tanks and displays that use salt other than that one.

 

I know I was just bein silly.. was all that turkey! I agree with you.. Reef C's are good.. but not as good as pumpkin pie!

 

Most likely these aquariums, and online gigs like DFS use this salt because they most likely get it at such a discount that Aquarium Systems considers it advertisement funding. I have seen NOTHING but descrepencies w/ IO or RC as far as levels go and so on. If you want to buy a salt because someone else uses it go for Crystal Sea, the EPA, FDA various Wildlife testing centers dozens of colleges and so on use it. It is the only salt thats used for bio assays concerning wildlife by the government. BUT would I use it? I have and I won't again, that is until they can fix their Ca and Mg levels. Just because something famous endorses something doesn't mean its good. Do you guy Sprite because a B-Ball player drinks it?
I say pick a salt that tests good and tests good consistently, otherwise buy IO and RC.

The D&D salt, while pricey is the only salt so far that actually tests like the company says it does.

Good luck

 

I don't use reef crystals because others do I use it because I like it and it was recommended to my by someone who knows what he is talking about and that I greatly respect. I just thought it was interesting that many aquariums use it and there are just to many of them for these two to be such a bad product.

I also completely disagree with your statement "Most likely these aquariums, and on line gigs like DFS use this salt because they most likely get it at such a discount that Aquarium Systems considers it advertisement funding." because I am sorry I don't see anyone jeopardizing their creatures for a discount no matter how good it may be!

I used IO through out the 80's and 90's on my FO tanks. I have used reef crystals ever since i got back into it. I have either read about or heard about problems with other salts but never IO or RC. I know their levels are a little lower than some but I have never seen any of the inconsistencies that you speak of. I have also seen polls on many sites and find it funny the if its so bad that there are allot of people who say they use it and like it.

Also I would not trust anything our government consider good because if your want to talk about someone out looking for a discount no matter the consequences it would be that group and this they have proven time and time again.

 

My LFS (which is a saltwater only store) recommended the IO Reef Crystals, so I bought a tub. The owner said it was a great salt starting out.

 

So you have never read on just about EVERY marine forum of the consistently LOW Ca and Mg levels, even after reformulation? You have never read or heard about a brown odiferous slime in mixing vessels of RC? Thats odd as even the reps of Aquarium Systems who produce RC admit to some SERIOUS issues w/ the salt. If you use it great, but please don't tout its great abilities and qualities on a public site when the salt has had MAJOR issues for the last TWO years!! AND even before that in 2003 when Dr Ron Shimek did his bi assay, IO and RC did SO POORLY it was incredible that major aquariums still used it.

Remember, Michael Jordan wears Hanes.



PS I am not knocking those that use IO or RC, it is a cheap salt, BUT don't praise it please.... There are many impressionable newbies on the site!

 

All brands of salt have had problems with consistency at one time or another, and there are also salts out there that have lower and higher levels of Ca and Mg. Just because its cheap doesn't make it bad. If you look hard enough you can find 10 studies that say it s bad and 10 that say its good, so tell me which one do you believe.

Geekdafied posted a link to a study back a few months that I find pretty interesting and that show just exactly what I said above, there are salts that are better in some levels and salts that are worse.

In my opinion which is every bit as important as your opinion its a good product and I like it and will continue to use it and recommend it to anyone that wants to listen. And you have the option to praise and recommend the salt you like.

To be completely honest with you I don't care what Michael Jordan wears or does....;D

 

I decided against it, because of low mag and cal reported in forums and reviews. I use Coralife.. it has it's problems.. cheap also.. sometimes the cal is too high (560) and precipitates when I mix.. My buddy uses RC, he likes it and he is also dripping Kalk.. as long as your testing and dosing if necessary, more power to you
~Happy Holidays!~

 

I use Instant Ocean, never had a problem with it, and I just dose and test if needed.

I personally see no need to spend almost double for another brand when I have been using the same salt since the early 90's with no issues.