Which sea salt too use?

Rock-it · 01/25/2009, 07:28 PM

Hi all,
I have kept fresh water fish now for many years. I have decided to look in to up grading to a marine set up. I understand that I need to do some serious homework before I begin. I have purchased several books and searched the internet for info. One topic that is not mentioned in detail is the difference between a brand name sea salt and the cheaper types available. Can anyone help with why certain brands of sea salt are more expensive than the less well known brands? which do you more experienced marine enthusiasts use?

fireman676 · 01/25/2009, 07:33 PM

heres a thread about salt
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1287118
happy reading

RickD63 · 01/25/2009, 07:36 PM

Some salts are more suitable for reef tanks rather than fish-only tanks, so the ingredients will be different in others, therefore the pricing.

I started with Instant Ocean then moved to Oceanic because I lacked the Magnesium and Calcium that was needed to run a reef. I moved to a mix of IO and Oceanic because of the PH is lower when I use Oceanic.

brians4671 · 01/25/2009, 07:37 PM

ive used instant ocean from when i started. i have been happy with the quality and have found no reason to switch. i purchase it when it goes on sale and stock up with 4 5 galllon buckets to carry me to the next sale. good luck and

To Reef Central

RyanDragon · 01/25/2009, 07:38 PM

IMO, it's depend on how ur budget and wat kind of aquarium u want ur tank to be, fish only or reef.... if u have a tight budget then I suggest using Reef Crystal, it have extra essential elements and all those minerals and blah blah,,, and if u have more money then I think u should use Kent Marine sea salt..
However, if u want to keep corals,, u will need to dose extra stuff into the aquarium to help the corals to survive and achivied their average growth rate. ( The different between cheap salt and expensive salt is that cheap salt= not a lot of essential element,,,, expensive salt= extra dose of essential elements(iron, calcium...etc)

I hope this will help u...

Geodriller · 01/25/2009, 07:41 PM

If you are going cheap Coralife is pretty cheap and proven. Also they have QC so you get a consistant blend. Instant ocean is just as good but a little more expensive and if giong reeftank Instant Ocean also makes Reef Crystals. Ihave been using this fairly new stuff called Coral Pro salt. It is made by Redsea and I have tested the above mentioned salts after 24 hours of cycling, heating, and airation, and Coral Pro is the only salt that test results are what the bucket says. I have used Coral Pro for a little over a year and I love the stuff. I get it from Foster and Smith at $45.99 and that makes 175 gal. there are people out there that have done much more research than this and I would recommend reading a little more. I will say this though, salt is deffinatly not a place to skimp on money.

Rock-it · 01/25/2009, 07:58 PM

WOW!! What a responce, you guys are quick. As you can see I am knew to this forum. I didn't expect any feedback for a day or so. Thanks fireman I will take a look at that link. Geodriller I guess what your saying is you get what you pay for. Thanks guys i'll take that on board.

Flipper62 · 01/25/2009, 08:46 PM

A lot will depend on what you are going to have in the tank. Instant Ocean is a good salt, but if you going to have a Reef tank then your going to have to add suppliments like calcium.....ect. If it is going to be a Reef tank then a salt like Reef Crystals would be better. I use Oceanic Natural sea Salt Mix.

You can see the levels of everything in the salt in the link above. This is a great post....Thanks to Billybeau1

Here it is again
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1287118

01/25/2009, 07:28 PM	#1
Rock-it Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK Posts: 2	Which sea salt too use? Hi all, I have kept fresh water fish now for many years. I have decided to look in to up grading to a marine set up. I understand that I need to do some serious homework before I begin. I have purchased several books and searched the internet for info. One topic that is not mentioned in detail is the difference between a brand name sea salt and the cheaper types available. Can anyone help with why certain brands of sea salt are more expensive than the less well known brands? which do you more experienced marine enthusiasts use?

01/25/2009, 07:33 PM	#2
fireman676 Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lexington KY Posts: 127	heres a thread about salt http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1287118 happy reading __________________ "Beer is living proof God loves us and wants us to be happy." Ben Franklin Current Tank Info: Oceanic 75 gal RR, 20 gal fuge

01/25/2009, 08:46 PM	#8
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	A lot will depend on what you are going to have in the tank. Instant Ocean is a good salt, but if you going to have a Reef tank then your going to have to add suppliments like calcium.....ect. If it is going to be a Reef tank then a salt like Reef Crystals would be better. I use Oceanic Natural sea Salt Mix. You can see the levels of everything in the salt in the link above. This is a great post....Thanks to Billybeau1 Here it is again http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1287118 __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

01/25/2009, 07:36 PM	#3
RickD63 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 61	Some salts are more suitable for reef tanks rather than fish-only tanks, so the ingredients will be different in others, therefore the pricing. I started with Instant Ocean then moved to Oceanic because I lacked the Magnesium and Calcium that was needed to run a reef. I moved to a mix of IO and Oceanic because of the PH is lower when I use Oceanic.

01/25/2009, 07:37 PM	#4
brians4671 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: miami fl Posts: 2,088	ive used instant ocean from when i started. i have been happy with the quality and have found no reason to switch. i purchase it when it goes on sale and stock up with 4 5 galllon buckets to carry me to the next sale. good luck and *To Reef Central*

01/25/2009, 07:38 PM	#5
RyanDragon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Downers Grove, IL Posts: 343	IMO, it's depend on how ur budget and wat kind of aquarium u want ur tank to be, fish only or reef.... if u have a tight budget then I suggest using Reef Crystal, it have extra essential elements and all those minerals and blah blah,,, and if u have more money then I think u should use Kent Marine sea salt.. However, if u want to keep corals,, u will need to dose extra stuff into the aquarium to help the corals to survive and achivied their average growth rate. ( The different between cheap salt and expensive salt is that cheap salt= not a lot of essential element,,,, expensive salt= extra dose of essential elements(iron, calcium...etc) I hope this will help u...

01/25/2009, 07:41 PM	#6
Geodriller Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Pekin, Illinois Posts: 257	If you are going cheap Coralife is pretty cheap and proven. Also they have QC so you get a consistant blend. Instant ocean is just as good but a little more expensive and if giong reeftank Instant Ocean also makes Reef Crystals. Ihave been using this fairly new stuff called Coral Pro salt. It is made by Redsea and I have tested the above mentioned salts after 24 hours of cycling, heating, and airation, and Coral Pro is the only salt that test results are what the bucket says. I have used Coral Pro for a little over a year and I love the stuff. I get it from Foster and Smith at $45.99 and that makes 175 gal. there are people out there that have done much more research than this and I would recommend reading a little more. I will say this though, salt is deffinatly not a place to skimp on money.

01/25/2009, 07:58 PM	#7
Rock-it Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: UK Posts: 2	WOW!! What a responce, you guys are quick. As you can see I am knew to this forum. I didn't expect any feedback for a day or so. Thanks fireman I will take a look at that link. Geodriller I guess what your saying is you get what you pay for. Thanks guys i'll take that on board.