Salt-Mix Survey

I like instant ocean. If I had to tell you why I like it, I would say " I have no clue").

 

I never could get my nitrates below 20ppm, probably because I was stingy with my water changes. Once my nitrates spiked at 80ppm, I knew I had to do something. Bought a Air, Water & Ice Compact 5-stage RO/DI filter and bought a 45lb tub of Reef Crystals. After 5 20% water changes, nitrates are below 10ppm and all my creatures seem to be doing great. The salt disolves really easily, even in cool water.

 

Abyss Reef Salt 20kg * Introductory Special *


anyone heard of that???

Marine Salt

as i live in australia this is a good price and it's in aus, see if anyone knows?
lately ive been using aquasonic.

 

Hey David. What part of Australia are you from? I was lucky enough to have been able to travel to your country about 3 years ago. I spent 2 weeks in Cairns and have been itching to visit again lately.

As for the salt you mentioned, I've never heard of it so I can't say whether or not it's good. I've used nothing but Instant Ocean myself and have had no bad experiences.

 

"Seachem Reef Salt" for my 20g and "IO" for my 120g but I have done water changes on my 120g using Seachem. Great salt (seachem) but a tad on the $$$ side.

Who said this hobby was cheap anyway!?

 

Well I have used I/O since 1970 or so and its never caused me a problem or did not perform as advertised and until it does I see no reason to switch. My sons both jumped to this and that new improved/better salt looking for a perfect mix LOL well it was their money and tank and all came back to I/O as well. If it ain't broke why fix it ?

 

I/O reef crystals here. I buy the 160 gal bucket and have had no problems with it.

 

The one I use, is Instant Ocean at 1.021 i use it becasue fish stores are few and far between in central ny and it is easy to get cheap and consistant in tests and amounts

 

Are we overthinking this issue, or (gasp!) falling for the hype and advertising?
What do the large, public aquariums use?
Perhaps most commercial salts are just fine, with no significant difference between them except for price and packaging? We then only need to identify the brands with which people have had bad experiences and stay away from those.

 

ok wow, i thought salt was salt!! if its any count, all i've used is Oceanic, only because that's what the LFS guy sold me... it came in a big blue jug, and he thought it would be better to get it than several boxes of instant ocean... since it was enough for "50 gallons"... i've got a 55, so slightly low on the specific gravity (1.020/1.021)... all i know about salt is not to use table salt... what kills me, is that some companies make salt "specifically for reefs/corals" seachem, for one... but what if you have corals AND fish, like about 90% of people with SW tanks?? if there is in fact any differences between salts, then boy have i got a lot to learn!!