Salt of choice?

[cdw79]

Running out of salt and considering trying a new brand. I've been using Fritz blue box since I started this current tank up, but its MG content seems to be a little on the lower side and the boxes are pretty pricey. Was curious if anyone has strong opinions about what salt to use / what would be the best bang for the buck. Thanks!

[YHSublime]

A lot of hobbyists concern themselves with salt choices, but at the end of the day, I decided when Copps said he used Reef Crystals, that it should be good enough for my tanks as well. If you're looking for best bang for your buck, consider Instant Ocean, my current tank has been running on it for the better part of almost 5 years, and I don't dose anything outside of ESV bIonic for two part.

 

I also noticed in Grahms recent writeup for TOTM that he also uses IO, but adds considerable additions to keep up with water chemistry and coral growth that I don't have. Anyways, if the "cheap stuff" is good enough for the aquarists I respect and the tanks I admire, I can't imagine a better endorsement.  

[howaboutme]

You can overthink a lot of things in this hobby. Salt is not one of them. I use RC....crud in my mixing container and all! 

[DaJMasta]

If you're willing to pay a premium for something that mixes closer to ideal parameters or mixes cleaner, then there's probably something better out there (though I had heard good things about Fritz), but cheap has its benefits and basic supplementation (alkalinity, magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc) is not too expensive to do on a batch if you are willing to test for it.

 

I use red sea's coral pro and there's good and bad.  It's widely available (lots of potential for sales and easy to find locally in a pinch), it mixes up to pretty elevated parameters close to what I normally run, and it's somewhat cheap... but it comes at the cost of crud in the mixing bucket.

[YHSublime]

2 hours ago, howaboutme said:

You can overthink a lot of things in this hobby. Salt is not one of them. I use RC....crud in my mixing container and all! 

 

Right. I think we share a lot of the same schools of thought. 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

I'm using Red Sea Blue Bucket. I used IO and RC before but never liked how it mixes or how my corals respond to them. I might also be imagining it but I think corals look better with the Red Sea or Tropic Marin. 

[menglish]

RC is my salt of choice.

Works well for me.

 

[howaboutme]

1 hour ago, YHSublime said:

 

Right. I think we share a lot of the same schools of thought. 

Brother from another mother?

[Origami]

IO has been my salt of choice for 15+ years now. I used to have to boost the calcium and alkalinity levels to get it where I wanted, but that's not been the case for many years now.  IO and RC, of course, are made by the same company.