Salt

Is there a difference in Salt mix brands?

 

Yes. Some have higher/lower calcium and all the other trace elements. Here's a guide that may help.

Comparison Table of Primary Elements in Some Top Brand Name Sea Salt Mixes

 

any recommendations?

 

depends on what you are putting in your tank. If you are doing fish only you can go with a cheaper salt that doesn't have all the boosted amounts of trace elements. If you plan to have a bunch of hard corals you will want a higher quality salt or plan to dose more often if not. I personally use aqua vitro, currently cycling so i cannot give it much of a reveiw except it dissolve so easily, fast, and, completely. red sea pro is popular (i think that is what it is called)

 

I used Oceanic at the very first to do my cycle and first few water changes, but switched to Instant Ocean's Reef Crystals after my first few corals. I noticed a significant decrease in algae after switching, some salt mixes can contain phosphates.

 

Kent Marine is what I use.

 

IMO, if its FOWLR just use Instant ocean, if you're gonna run some corals step up to the reef crystals. This is a highly debated topic, I think there are plenty of good options. If you're gonna run some serious sps look into the more expensive brands.

FYI, if you don't have a good LFS, Drs Fosters and Smith has free shipping on anything over $49, and a 200 pound bag of IO reef crystals is $48.99 now! So you have to find another penny to spend.Saltwater Aquarium Salt: Aquarium Systems Instant Ocean & Reef Crystals Synthetic Sea Salt

 

I use regular IO myself, but thats cause I got a KILLER deal off CL from a guy that was getting out of the hobby. $20 a box for 2 of the 200gal boxes. I am down to just opened my next to last bag. Sometime shortly I plan on switching to reef crystals as well & will do a gradual mix together transition so there isnt a sudden change.

 

Red Sea Pro, great salt for elevated levels of Ca and Mg. It also dissolves and clears up really fast when mixed with RODI!

 

I'm new to the hobby, but I also use Red Sea Coral Pro. Everyone LFS in my area (I am in Seattle) have bashed it when I tell them I use it... I don't know why... from a chemical point of view it seems to have everything I need. I also like the video they have showing exactly how it's made, what's added, and were everything comes from.

Is there something that these LFS know that I don't?