best salt

hershey99 · 01-20-2007, 07:38 PM

just wondering what brand & types of salt people are using?
I myself have been using red sea salt, iam almost finished my pail and was wondering if its worth changing. the guy at the lfs said it was no good but then again they sell instant ocean.
BTW my tank is FOWLR right now but i plan on going for a reef after my tank gets a little more established.

randy · 01-20-2007, 09:46 PM

i use instant ocean reef crystal reef salt and have had now problem with it. also use r/o water.

Loman · 01-20-2007, 09:50 PM

I Use red sea salt (and the LFS that I deal with uses it as well). I have not had anything I would consider a problem with it. There are some interesting and very detailed comparisons available on the net if you try to google them. It compares brans to real sea water.

ultramike · 01-21-2007, 05:13 AM

I use SEACHEM REEF SALT but the REEF SALT only for a fish mostly tank-I was told by a guy who services aquariums their , MARINE-FISH SALT is lacking in some trace minerals he, and him only, thinks its the newest best disovling with extra trace minerals for the fish , than in the FISH-MARINE keeping salt. Do ya Really think it matters if salinity is kept a-ok???And nothing gets terriably out of whack-its marketing and this guy had just unloaded 100 5 gallons buckets of this SEACHEM Stuff. We will see. I know hes got 5 KILLER TANKS !!!!

I for one don't and think it's all personal choice.

Regards

Michael R. Rogers

ultramike@comcast.net

www.rogersrarities.com

Tommy Gun · 01-22-2007, 12:36 PM

I switched between Kent Sea Salt and now use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. From the huge list of trace elements in any of these salts, it would be hard, for me at least, to really compare them as to what is the best for any situation. To help out with your question though mike, I really feel taht the extra trace elements in reef crystal mixes also go a long way towards promoting coraline algae growth and I would think that it would help out with inverts like snails who need calcium to built their shells as they grow. In my case, I had bought a box with three bags of the Kent salt mix and I had some issues that I did not relate to the salt mix at first. However, I was told to look at the lot numbers on the bags and sure enough, they were all different. In short, I think that the three bags were just a little different from each other which was making my skimmer act up. I went to Instant Ocean because it was the only salt in my area available to me that came in a bucket, so I would know that it was all the same. In the end though, I am pretty sure that I may have just gotten a bad batch of Kent salt and so I am not knocking their product, but rather just saying that I really like the reef crystals better for my own tank.

WhoDey · 01-22-2007, 04:35 PM

I agree with Tommy. IO Reef Crystals i think helped my coraline algee grow. I vote reef crystals.

-Nate

hershey99 · 01-22-2007, 06:24 PM

i have noticed my LR is starting to grow coralline. well at least i think its coralline, the rock is turning a dark maroon color, and my tank is only a little over two months old. now i dont know if this has anything to do with the salt that i'am using, the water, or the fact that i have two pieces or LR that are full of coralline. as far as salt choices in my area all that i have found are red sea, instant ocean (not sure about reef crystals though), and seachem.
One thing i have noticed with the red sea salt is that it takes awhile to fully dissolve. i always end up with a little bit of salt in the bottom of the bucket when i do my water changes.

derek

Loman · 01-22-2007, 07:10 PM

hershey99,
I hope you are correct and it is coraline algae growing. It could also be cynobacteria which is a dark brownsh red to purple look. One is good and the other not so good.

hershey99 · 01-22-2007, 11:27 PM

just wondering if this looks like coralline or not? i don't have any clear before pictures of the rock but there was no color on it

Tommy Gun · 01-23-2007, 12:28 AM

It does look like that could be coraline algae. In general, it would differ from other types of algae since it just looks like the rock is colored and not have that moss-like look to it, if that makes any sense to you.