Ordering my saltwater stuff... what salt?

[BlueAbyss]

Hey everyone, I'm finally filling a tank with saltwater, ordering the salt and some other stuff (a refractometer etc.) as we speak... but I'm at an impasse. I have 3 options for salt, prices CDN:

Seachem Reef Salt 54.95
D-D H2Ocean Pro Plus 79.95
Reefer's Best Coral Reef Salt 89.95

I'm leaning towards the D-D H2Ocean Pro Plus, but wanted to know what other more experienced people thought. I've thought about it myself, wondering why I don't just go with Instant Ocean, but I feel that since I want to keep my levels up for corals from the start I should go with a higher-end product.

[parkinsn]

I would go with the DD or RB, both of these salts are good although i have heard recently that the RB has been inconsistent lately..... not sure if there is any truth to that or not. I was having this debate myself recently and decided to go with the DD. Hope that helps you.

[Pazil]

I have only been using H2 for my latest tank and have had great results.

[Rbacchiega]

+1 for h2Ocean....rediculous growth and great readings right out of the pail.

[banditpowdercoat]

I tried the more expensive salts. Still was topping up levels. Worked out to be MORE expensive. I think Myka did a price comao with toping up Salts with the expensive Liquid supplements. Even using Liquid, IO took $19/pail for supplements. That makes a bucket $63. Still need to supplement the expensive brands. So, wheres the gain?

[BlueAbyss]

I tried the more expensive salts. Still was topping up levels. Worked out to be MORE expensive. I think Myka did a price comao with toping up Salts with the expensive Liquid supplements. Even using Liquid, IO took $19/pail for supplements. That makes a bucket $63. Still need to supplement the expensive brands. So, wheres the gain?

Good point, but I don't plan on topping up those levels until I get up to the SPS point. So, keeping that in mind, I think I'll go with H2Ocean. Thanks guys!

[Trigger Man]

Good call on the H2Ocean, i've been using it since October/November and seen good results.

[Myka]

I tried the more expensive salts. Still was topping up levels. Worked out to be MORE expensive. I think Myka did a price comao with toping up Salts with the expensive Liquid supplements. Even using Liquid, IO took $19/pail for supplements. That makes a bucket $63. Still need to supplement the expensive brands. So, wheres the gain?

Yep. I have been using IO since 1992(ish). I've tried more expensive salts, but I have never noticed a difference in the inhabitants, so I always go back to my beloved IO. :p

Good point, but I don't plan on topping up those levels until I get up to the SPS point. So, keeping that in mind, I think I'll go with H2Ocean. Thanks guys!

Are you sticking to SPS only? Fyi, LPS also need to be supplemented. You will still have the supplement the D-D.

Now if only I could find that reference to a study someone did on the different salts, what the actual levels were tested at.

D-D is the only "expensive" salt on the market that I have even remotely considered trying out in the last few years. The reason is because it is made from natural sea salt. However, this may be good or it may be bad...makes me wonder what contaminants may be in there from pollution and the likes.

[BlueAbyss]

No, I'm heading in a mixed reef direction, but I want my levels to be decent at the time when I actually go down the coral road. I just don't want a horror story with cheap salt, and I don't want to have to bring levels up to NSW conditions. Since all (ALL!) of my saltwater equipment and supplies have to come from the internet (there is no LFS that caters to saltwater within about a 5 hour drive... but that 5 hour drive will get me to your new home, Myka... how's Saskatoon treating you, by the way?), I just want things to be nice and stable from the start.

[Myka]

No, I'm heading in a mixed reef direction, but I want my levels to be decent at the time when I actually go down the coral road. I just don't want a horror story with cheap salt, and I don't want to have to bring levels up to NSW conditions. Since all (ALL!) of my saltwater equipment and supplies have to come from the internet (there is no LFS that caters to saltwater within about a 5 hour drive... but that 5 hour drive will get me to your new home, Myka... how's Saskatoon treating you, by the way?), I just want things to be nice and stable from the start.

Pfff, freakin IO is $65 here!!! Unless I have yet to find the oasis?? I brought 2 buckets from the Okanagan with me since it's only $45 there. Other than expensive fish supplies, life is good here! Thanks for asking! When you come into town let me know we should go for coffee or something. Maybe I will have my tank running by then...lol

I wanted to check that analysis that someone did on the salts because I seem to remember that none of the salts had all three primary elements (cal, alk, mag) at NSW levels. I'm pretty sure you have to adjust D-D too. Grr...I can't remember for sure though. Honestly though, I wouldn't waste my money on "designer" salt...I would save it for a bulk order of GFO. :lol: Speaking of which...I'm out of GFO. Thanks for reminding me self. Oi, I need to go to bed. (Omg, I just typed "work" instead of "bed") Stressful at the new job... Haha!!!

[Tomjay]

A General Guide to Salt Mixes
Here is a list of what I measured for the big three in a number of the salt mixes we use today. This is intended as a guideline and I, in no way, guarantee these figures. All I can say is they were all tested under the same conditions, with a number of different brand test kits, using the same methods for each test. I believe these numbers are reasonably what you can expect from these salts mixed at 35 ppt or 1.0264

A special thanks to Bertoni for putting it in nice form.


Calcium
Alkalinity
Magnesium

Aquatic Gardens
430
8
1240

CoraLife
560
9
1380

Crystal Sea Marinemix
340
9
1050

Crystal Sea Marinemix Bio-Assay
340
9
1050

D-D H2Ocean
450
10
1380

Instant Ocean
350
12
1070

Kent
540
11
1200

Marine Environment
480
7.5
1450

Oceanic
580
8.5
1650

OceanPure
510
10
1320

Red Sea
400
8
1300

Red Sea Coral Pro
490
7
1300

Reef Crystals
420
12
1260

Reefer's Best
420
11
1200

SeaChem Marine Salt
500
10
1400

SeaChem Reef Salt
540
10
1450

Tropic Marin
375
10
1230

Tropic Marin Pro Reef
450
8.5
1380

Tunze Reef Salt
420
9.5
1350

[Tomjay]

Here's the orginal link.....

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1287118&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

[banditpowdercoat]

Makes me wonder, because my last bucket of Reef Crystals was

320
11
1140


I tried it because they said it was higher in Ca. Pfffft, that was a lie.

[BlueAbyss]

The Seachem Reef Salt is my second choice, and it's a good 20 bucks cheaper per bucket... I may change my mind before I actually send the order in.

Myka, for sure we will have to do that some day... I will need to come down and get some stuff for the contest tank at some point this summer, if summer ever comes :biggrin: On a side note, I think that very few salt mixes take things to NSW levels, but I want to be close(r).

[Myka]

No kidding...it's snowing here right now...oi!

[BlueAbyss]

Ha, you are getting what we got yesterday!