Salt

I've been using IO since the beginning with my tank... I always buy the "bucket" of salt... I've mixed up a few batches that were more cloudy than others, but most test within what I'd expect it to. Not as much calcium as RC, but not terrible either, I usually make up the difference with my BRS additives, which are cheap enough. I've always wanted to use IO just to say I did it with out buying "fancy" salts or paying too much for salt.

I have pretty good results with it, the only exception being (and I can't prove this as I didn't test the salt batch) that I think I got a bad batch once that resulted in unusually high phosphates. Everything else being the same, that batch mixed up cloudy and when I did water changes, hair and film algae would always get worse instead of better like it normally does. This also coincided with a GHA overpopulation that is WAAAY better now, but I still haven't fully recovered from. I think the salt may have been to blame, as my other practices haven't changed much since then. That was about 4 buckets ago, and I haven't had the problem since... in fact the last two buckets have mixed clearer than EVER and I'm getting great results with water changes.

If someone two years ago told me I would be spending more than $250 a year on salt, I wouldn't have believed it. I want to get the most mileage out of my salt as I can...

I have considered switching to seachem, as one LFS near me highly recommends it and sells it for $48/ bucket, just a few dollars more than IO and I believe it mixes up more water out of a bucket. I just don't hear many good reviews of the seachem salts and I wonder why that is...

 

I use Coralife and haven't had any problems

 

Coralife, its what my LFS carries and its done well so far.

 

great info guys thanks.

 

I switched from that co to rc a while back and wont go back. I like rc at this point for the 10 more a bucket

 

I'd go reef seachem seeing as for price wise,do what I do best go to one store stating this is price is this...and see who would sell you the cheapest...

I get my pail of reef seachem at 60.00 bucks even from fish gallery...

 

I don't think any salt is better than any other among the major brands. You almost always need to add supplements to get to natural sea water levels. Buy whatever you can get the easiest and at the best price.

 

Coralife

 

not sure why your switching from oceanic.

 

petsolutions.com has RC for like $46 a bucket and if your order is over $99 they give you free shipping. So plan ahead when you need some other stuff and get a bucket or 2.

https://www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=51301800