Instant Ocean salt is one of those items. It is readily available at the local fish stores and online though, meaning you wont have to worry about getting your normal salt mix in a pinch if you need to get it locally. 100+ viewed in past week. Salinity: 35 ppt (1.0264 sg)| Ca: 430 ppm| Mg: 1290 ppm|Alkalinity: 8.0 dKH. So lets get started. Should I change from my current Instant Ocean Reef Crystals to a better salt mix for my nano reef tank? Professional Sea Salt contains all of the important macro and tra. Formulated by researchers and marine scientists, RPM contains all of the necessary major and minor elements of natural sea water that are utilized by living marine and reef animals. We dont spam. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt For 160 Gallons, Enriched So follow the parameters listed on the mixes and dose to those levels. I dont have a hardcore acro tank, but if I did I would be running Tropic Marin or AquaForest. I would say the mix time is around that of Brightwells product. 4. Another reason to choose the Sea Salt in your fish only tank is that it dissolves much quicker and easier than the Reef Crystals do. Fritz RPM Reef Pro Mix is manufactured using only the highest quality raw materials. That makes since and the cyano is manageable so looking to take the next step with adding some LPS. How long do you mix it? Many tropical fish have long lifespans which means they share a lot of time with us. It is important to always mix your salt as per the manufacturers instructions. Brightwell Aquatics NeoMarine Salt not only has all the essential elements of a salt mix, but also does not have anti-caking agents. I have also seen a few mixes that have failed ICP tests with several parameters being too low. Excludes Frozen Foods. Should I use Fritz, Reef Crystals or do I try to find Tropic Marin which nobody around me sells. Saltwater Mix: Instant Ocean vs Reef Crystals - Aqua Life Hub Used by hobbyists, public aquariums, and research facilities. There are even tanks where people do not dose, so a mix with evaluated parameters will make the most sense for those people. Continue with Recommended Cookies. This normalizes PH and adds oxygen to the water. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Synthetic Sea Salt - LiveAquaria This produces an all natural eco-friendly mix that is one of the best mixes in the industry. It is formulated with pharmaceutical level ingredients and one of the fully synthetic salt mixes on this list (Brightwell being the other). Login or register now to maximize your savings and access profile information, order history, tracking, shopping lists, and more. From there each salt comes with precise mixing instructions to achieve the desired specific gravity. Want to grow your business and reach a wider audience? If you have a bucket, mix it thoroughly prior to use, mix, then test. Instant ocean vs. Reef Crystals : r/Aquariums - Reddit 1 = Instant Ocean, 2 = Tropic Marin, 3 = Marine Mix, 4 = Reef Crystals, 5 = Rea Sea Salt, 6 = Kent, 7 = Coralife, 8 = SeaChem Reef Salt, CA = carbonate alkalinity (mequiv kg-1), BA = borate alkalinity (mequiv kg-1), TA = total alkalinity (mequiv kg-1). Reef Crystals Salt Mix - Bulk Reef Supply Red Sea Coral Pro: 490: 7: 1300: Reef Crystals: 420: 12: 1260: Reefer's Best: 420: 11: 1200: SeaChem Marine Salt: 500: 10: 1400: SeaChem Reef Salt: 540: 10: 1450: Tropic Marin: 375: 10: 1230: Tropic Marin Pro Reef: 450: 8.5: . Which way should I go? 2389 Air Park Road, Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501. While it doesnt have the additional magnesium and calcium, its much more affordable, and you wont have to worry about a compromise in quality. Having said that I have yet to introduce any corals but am finally at the place where I am ready to. Instant Ocean has been a mainstay in the industry for over 50 years. Same can be said with a FOWLR tank. After you order you can change the schedule in, Copyright 2023, LiveAquaria. Guide to Buying The Best Marine Salt For Reef Tank One of the fastest dissolving and readily available salt mixes at local fish stores. Now lets talk about the reef salt mixes themselves. I'd say most people are successful using just plain old salt like Instant Ocean. Its first product was Instant Ocean, and its been used in large-scale hatcheries and aquariums ever since. Table 3 presents the results of the analysis of fifteen trace elements for eight brands of synthetic sea salts (SSS): Instant Ocean (IO), BioSea Marine Mix (BSMM), Crystal Seas Marine Mix Bioassay (CSMMB), Coralife (CL), Tropic Marin (TM), Reef Crystals (RC), Red Sea (RS) and Oceanic Sea Salt (OSS). This is the main reason I stopped selling salt mixes online. This includes the amount or quantity of elements in the salt. The cons on caking, which Fritz doesnt and it sounds as if its for beginners. There are other differences which I explain below. Perhaps you have a nano tank and buy a 10-gallon bag of reef crystals for $15. The Reef Central Forums are now located at https://forums.reefcentral.comThe old forum is closed to new activity. For example, SPS corals like Acropora are going to need different parameters and trace elements vs. say a softie tank. Contains extra calcium, select trace elements, and vitamins above natural seawater concentrations. Most reefers should choose a standard alkalinity mix and aim for stability to avoid alkalinity highs or lows. A few corals and about 6 fish. Knowing which salt is right for you comes down to the needs of your tanks livestock, your maintenance schedule, and most importantly alkalinity. Many successful reefs use this salt. You do not have to follow that guideline if you purchase a mix with an evaluated level of Alkalinity, but you will likely want to still regularly check your levels and make sure you do not drop below 8 DKH. Figure a 200 gallon box of Reef Crystals is about $0.27/gal and the smaller bags are like $0.36/gal. Salinity: 35 ppt (1.025 sg)| Ca: 413 mg/l| Mg: 1290 mg/l|Alkalinity 7.5 dKH. Not sure if that is a plausible assumption but would make since seeing as I feed lightly, skim heavily and WC 20% a week with a dual reactor running. Salinity: 35 ppt (1.0264 sg)| Ca: 420 mg/l| Mg: 1300 mg/l|Alkalinity 8 dKH. I recommend Tropic Marine Pro Reef Salt! Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt Review - Petsnetic These are controlled systems where visitors can extend their hands into the water with the hopes that a stingray will swim by to be touched. This means there are two ideal places to purchase your salt mix. More Choices Available. The main thing since Im going to assume that you are planning to do a reef tank or fish only with live rock setup is that you use RODI water made from an RODI System. Reef Crystals vs. Red Sea Coral Pro Salt - Reef Central Online Community The Reef Central Forums are now located at https://forums.reefcentral.com The old forum is closed to new activity. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Standard Sea Salt vs Reef Crystal Salt - Reef Central Now lets go into detail and see why each mix was picked, With pharmaceutical level ingredients and a guarantee of all 70 trace elements, Tropic Marin is ideal for tanks full of designer corals. It will build up in your containers over time and those containers can be expensive to replace. Yes I was referring to standard Instant Ocean Salt vs Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. Instant Ocean is engineered to closely match natural seawater, and Reef Crystals are enriched to facilitate the. This salt mix is neither the best nor the worst, more of the middle of the road type mix. However, if you are serious about Acropora corals, I would steer away from this mix. More Choices Available. Optimum effectiveness. Reef Crystals scored 26 out of 100 in the S-15 Report. In general, salt comes in two formulas standards alkalinity (7-8dkh) and high alkalinity (10-12dkh) with different manufacturers offering variations in the trace elements. AccuraSea1 is formulated to simulate natural seawater, and its packaged as a plurality of precisely weighed packs. Create listings for FREE and gain access to tools and services that can help your online aquarium business flourish. So when it comes to choosing the salt for your aquarium, keep it simple: Instant Ocean Sea Salt for fish only environments, and Instant Ocean Reef Crystal for more complex reef based environments. It is very expensive and hard to find locally, but if you have designer SPS corals, this is the reef salt to buy. Thanks for reading. All Rights Reserved. Formulated by researchers and marine scientists, RPM contains all of the necessary major and minor Red Sea’s Coral Pro Salt contains biologically balanced, elevated levels of the foundation elements (Calcium, Magnesium, Carbonates) necessary for sustainable, accelerated coral growth. 11. What difference does ten bucks make? extra calcium, trace elements and vitamins promote growth and support the health of a variety of corals; including stony corals, coralline algae, anemones and other invertebrates. I always see great deals on Instant Ocean salt. 2.2 Pros & Cons. They offer a basic sea salt variety and reef crystal variety formulated for reef aquariums. Use cup of salt for each U.S gallon of water. Instant Ocean reef crystals on Amazon here. I recommend using a bucket or food-grade container like Brute to mix water and salt together. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Copyright 2023 Salt Tank Report. NOTE: 1.4 lbs of Reef Crystals is formulated to create 5 gallons of saltwater at a specific gravity of 1.021. Feb 19, 2010. Fast dissolving. Salt mixes that are mostly or 100%synthetic represent some of the highest quality and most expensive reef salt mixes in the market. I want to get around all the marketing fluff and just tell you what works for your tank and needs. Instant Ocean vs. Reef Crystals - General Discussion - Forums Optimum effectiveness. That salt will cost you 0.35 cents per gallon to make. This mix is perfect as you can dose to 7.5 8.0 and not worry about a water change completely throwing off your key parameters. /TM/ 2023 Spectrum Brands, Inc. or one of its affiliates. Recommended Specific Gravity Range: 1.020-1.026 at 77F. Instant Ocean salt calculator How much do you use? Interested in what people have to say, experience with either/both and reasons for using one over the other. Nano reef tanks are good candidates for a salt mix with higher parameters since they sometimes are not dosed as they rely on water changes to get parameters back up. It's why our Sea Salt is used exclusively by many of the leading large-scale aquariums and research facilities across the country. Instant Ocean Sea Salt vs. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals IO unless you have a fair amount of lps and sps building skeletons. The Auto Delivery schedule can be changed in the cart. It is also the most readily available reef salt on the market so if you are in a rush or bind its very easy to get locally even from a chain pet store. Saltwater is only as good as the equipment you use to maintain it. Instant Ocean Sea Salt vs Reef Crystals (What's The Difference?) There are a few main differences between the two. 3 Instant ocean reef crystals vs red sea coral pro. If you have a Ca reactor or a good dosing pump system you could still use IO but Reef Crystals probably makes it a little easier to maintain Ca, alk and Mg levels. But its not set in stone for every type of salt. Because water conditions at different locations vary tremendously, a commercial dechlorinator is recommended to completely neutralize any concentrations of chlorine and/or chloramines. Instant Ocean recommends 1.020-1.026 at 77 degrees F. I mix my saltwater to achieve 1.025 SG at a temp of 79F. My tank does better with it. Once you have the RODI water at the correct temperature you will want to put in circulation from an Aquarium Wavemaker or Aquarium Return Pump. A general rule is to use cup of salt per gallon of water. There are many things in the saltwater aquarium hobby that are considered to be a staple item and have been around for quite a long time. It really depends on what corals you are planning to keep. SW is the seawater concentration of Nozaki, 1994. So when it comes to choosing the salt for your aquarium, keep it simple: Instant Ocean Sea Salt for fish only environments, and Instant Ocean Reef Crystal for more complex reef based environments. Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most used sea salt in the world. Rated 4.5439 out of 5 stars . (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Nicole Helgason is a professional scuba diver and can often be found photographing corals and sharing her passion about coral reefs around the world. I hardly ever buy salt locally because all the LFSs sell Fritz or Reef Crystals. Transfer animals to the aquarium AFTER salt is completely mixed and aerated and specific gravity has been adjusted. Yes, fortunately many LFS around us supply Fritz because they have built a massive marketing machine promoting their products. Further, why wouldnt you just buy the Reef Crystals to save the time and hassle of deciding which one to purchase? Fritz Reef Pro Mix (RPM) High Alkalinity Formula is manufactured using only the highest quality raw materials. When it comes to filling a saltwater aquarium, most fish tank owners would agree that the choice of which salt to put in generally comes down to two big name products; Instant Oceans High Quality Sea Salt, or Instant Oceans Reef Crystals. While both products are renowned as being the best on the market, they are notably different, and its very important to know these differences before deciding which one you want to fill your tank with.The first thing you need to think about when deciding between the two is exactly what kind of aquarium you have or hope to have. For starters the Sea Salt is slightly cheaper than the Reef Crystals. Just curious as I take the next step towards adding some LPS. Post Here. What is the proper way to mix Instant Ocean salt? Red Sea Coral Pro 490 7 1300. However, if you are hoping to establish a more complex reef based ecosystem with live rock and corals, they recommend using the Reef Crystals.The main reason for this is that the additional living organisms that come with a full on reef based ecosystem require more nutrients from their salt to grow than fish do. I would recommend Brightwall for SPS if you Tropical Marine is too expensive. Reef Crystals vs. Red Sea Coral Pro Salt - Reef Central Just take the price of the salt and divide it by the amount of salt that it makes in gallons. There is a price difference between the two salts. If your goal is to maximize coral growth, then Coral Pro combined with ourreef care recipeswill enhance growth up to four times their natural rate. There are a few main differences between the two. Reef Crystals Reef Salt Box (Makes 200 Gallons) - Instant Ocean. The main issue with the Red Sea Coral Pro is its availability. 2.4 Pros & Cons. #3. The first thing is the anti-caking agents in the salt mix. Red Sea Coral Pro mix contains elevated and balanced levels of thefoundation elements(Calcium, Magnesium, Bicarbonates) necessary for sustainable, accelerated coral growth. Reef Crystals is underweight to produce 50 US gallons at aquarium needs. 2.1 Choosing salt mixes; 2.2 Use a safe water supply; 2.3 Maintaining your tank; 2.4 How much marine salt is necessary? Below is a list of common questions I get asked. I started my tank with the intent of adding LPS and possibly SPS so from the get go I have been using Reef Crystals. Both are suitable for all saltwater tanks. Brightwell Aquatics NeoMarine Salt providing all major elements, minor and trace elements, and elements known to be in natural seawater. How do you test the salinity of Instant Ocean salt? The #1 choice of hobbyists, public aquariums, and scientific research facilities, Instant Our Reef Cleaner Packages are Wild Collected they let you naturally control algae, maintain crystal clear water, and keep your sand bed sifted. Hobbyists may prefer Reef Crystals if theyre keeping stony corals, such as Brain Corals or Chalices since they will benefit from the additional calcium. With brand names like Instant Ocean and Red Sea dominating online and Fritzs presence at local fish stores, AquaForest is unknown to most hobbyist. 2.1 1) Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt. While they are everywhere, this is not the best reef salt mix on the list. Below is a list of the best reef salt mixes available today. All content here is available for continued discussion at the new forums. Mix Reef Crystals salt with ordinary dechlorinated water. But here is a direct quote from Instant Ocean themselves. Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt is the best salt mix you can purchase for your reef tank available on the market today period. You will want to use at least a Refractometer along with 35 PPM calibration fluid to ensure you have the right salinity. They offer a basic sea salt variety and reef crystal variety formulated for reef aquariums. Instant Ocean - Ever wonder what the difference is between - Facebook Tropic Marin Pro Reef 450 8.5 1380. Mixing Instant Ocean salt is straightforward and easy to do. To prepare small quanities of Reef Crystals salt, use 1/2 cup of Reef Crystals salt for each U.S. gallon of water. JavaScript is disabled. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals; Instant Ocean is a legacy aquarium product found at most local fish stores. Since I use water changing stations, I stay away from anything that cakes. At a salinity of S = 35, AccuraSea1 produces the following target parameters: calcium 420 mg/l, magnesium 1300 mg/l, strontium 8 mg/l, potassium 400 mg/l, Alkalinity 8 dKH. 10 Best Reef Salts For Fish Tanks [Buyers Guide] - Your Aquarium Guide Aquarium Salt Mix Reef Supplies Canada This salt mix is neither the best nor the worst, more of the middle of the road type mix. With over a decade of aquarium experience, Miles can be found writing about saltwater and freshwater aquariums. Discussing the best reef salt mixes is always a passionate discussion among reefers and saltwater aquarists. The N?oMarine Salt creates a marine environment so chemically-similar to natural seawater it would be hard to tell any difference between water prepared with N?oMarine and filtered natural seawater from tropical reef waters. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or its affiliates. Instant Ocean Sea Salt vs Reef Crystals: Similarities & Differences Correct pH and buffering capacity, essential minerals and trace elements have been added in precise ratios to ensure a correctly blended mix for the health and longevity of your livestock. It actually depends on your reef tank setup and the corals you keep. if You have a significant population of growing stony corals, you will have to dose ALK and Ca or do heroic water changes. Reef Crystals, Seachem Reef or Red Sea Coral Pro - The Reef Tank PDF Elemental composition of commercial seasalts - Free Mark has been featured in two books about aquarium keeping both best sellers on Amazon. You may be wondering, if the Reef Crystals are in no way harmful to fish only environments, and they are better for more complex reef based environments, why does Instant Ocean even make the Sea Salt product? Instant ocean reef crystals are easy-to-use and provide all of the necessary elements required for a healthy coral environment. (Everything You Need To Know), A Complete Care Guide for German Blue RamsFeeding, Housing, Breeding, and More, Freshwater Crabs - 15 Great Selections (With Pictures), Freshwater Angelfish - A Complete Care Guide, Tropical Fish Species - 30 Popular Types (With Pictures! Fritz has a big marketing machine that sponsors a lot of YouTubers and they tend to be everywhere at the local fish stores. Reef salt is the magic ingredient for your saltwater aquarium. When they first went to market, there were some batches with different Alkalinity numbers. Manufacturer's Mixing Instructions: Remember: Aquarium Salt Mix Guide - That Pet Place This post may have affiliate links, which means we may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Those can easily be compensated for with very, very cheap chemical additions or you can spend a . Note: 1.4 cups of Reef crystals will make 5 gallons of saltwater at a specific gravity of 1.021. Reef tank equipment and automation is key to maintaining a stable saltwater tank, and a refugium can help keep nutrients in check. Adding water after salt can cause a highly concentrated solution leading to some precipitation of ingredients. The Sea Salt simply packs a much smaller list of chemical properties that are suited to provide your fish only with what they need to thrive. At this point, you may need to humanely euthanize your fish. Mined reef salt mixes come from the mined evaporated seawater ocean deposits. They have created the benchmark for the industry and quality control standards. WheresTheReef Saltwater is only as good as the equipment you use to maintain it. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals can be as high as 13, which can be disastrous to an SPS tank after a water change. Both Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals are designed for marine aquariums and are free of nitrates and phosphates. I like oceanic it dissolves so far and its a great salt, i was using instant ocean and kept getting ph swings.. 75 . Calculating the cost of these salts can be done easily. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. That reading should be consistent for the rest of the salt batch. Stir vigorously to mix salt and water. . Hundreds of articles to help you with your aquarium. They started in Europe in the late 1990s and recently entered into the US Market. Stir vigorously to mix salt and water. If you plan on using these salts to set up a new aquarium, go with Instant Ocean Sea Salt . Aqua Life Hub is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The mix also has anti-caking agents which will turn your buckets and holding vats brown over time with crud making non-ideal to use for those who like to store saltwater. Its just not worth taking the losses to ship them. Things that corals use to grow and survive. Instant Ocean - Free shipping | Chewy 4. Instant Ocean® Sea Salt is the most carefully formulated and universally preferred sea salt in the world. Buy and sell with other aquarium hobbyists. But here is a direct quote from. Enriched Reef Crystals Reef Salt is formulated especially for reef aquariums. Reefer's Best 420 11 1200. Nicole has a Bachelors degree in Coastal Geography from the University of Victoria, and is originally from Vancouver Canada. Instant Ocean Reef Salt for Aquariums, 160-gal. Optimum effectiveness. Spectrum Brands, a Wisconsin-based company with over 5 billion in revenue, owns the subsidiary Instant Ocean, a Blacksburg, VA-based business that specializes in sea salt, protein skimmers, and other aquarium-related accessories. Even so, water changes likely will not be enough in a full blown SPS tank. Salinity: 35 ppt (1.0264 sg)| Ca: 465 ppm| Mg: 1390 ppm|Alkalinity: 12.0 dKH. A: Instant Ocean is engineered to closely match natural seawater, and Reef Crystals is enriched to facilitate the growth of corals and other invertebrates in a reef aquarium. We earn from qualifying purchases.*. Some fish store recommended me to get a dosing which is pretty expensive. In new aquariums, transfer animals to the aquarium after salt is completely mixed and aerated and specific gravity is adjusted correctly. Instant Ocean Crystals Budget Friendly, 4. Natural seawater has a specific gravity of 1.025 (salinity of 35ppt) and most salts are calibrated to this number. *FREE SHIPPING on qualifying aquatic life orders $229 and up. When used correctly, Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals will set the pH of a tank between 8.0 to 8.3, and kH levels between 7-10 dKH. Red Sea Coral Pro Made From the Actual Red Sea, 6. Even raising your calcium and mag won't stop the dosing requirement; which will be needed both more often and in larger volume as your tank gets filled with growing corals. Reef Crystals also contains special additives to help detoxify excess heavy metals, such as copper, and is fully compatible with all marine aquariums. Red Sea Blue Bucket and TMPR are the best salts. So think of it this way. Seachems Purigen vs MatrixCarbon: Which Is Better? That being said, Instant Ocean Sea Salt is made for fish only tanks. This salt doesnt contain any additional calcium and magnesium, and the last thing youll want to do is experience a sudden change in water chemistry. If you you use Reef Crystal Salt how much Coral Life is required to consume the excess nutrients that comes in that type of salt? Instant Ocean is engineered to closely match natural seawater, and reef crystals is enriched to facilitate the growth of corals and other invertebrates in a reef aquarium. Two Little Fishies AcroPower Amino Acids Review, ReefWave 45 Review: Red Seas Gyre Powerhead. Anyway, my parameters are as follows: Salinity: 1.025 Temperature: 78 Ammonia: 0 Nitrites: 0 Nitrates: .25 If your aquarium has been up and running for at least 6 months, we recommend Instant Ocean Sea Salt . At the end of the day either is great (But I reccomend consitancy) because you are going to need to dose alk, ca, and mag in a thriving reef anyway. Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the best selling aquarium salt in the world. AquariaCentral.com, a division of Monster Aquaria Network, LLC. Thank you for visiting! Both salts contain these elements but the reef crystals contain more essential ocean reef elements at greater concentrations than natural seawater. Advertise today. Used by public aquariums and research facilities. Customer Favorites, Marine Invertebrates - Save 25%, Popular Value Packs, Marine Invertebrates, LiveAquaria Certified Captive Grown Corals, Captive-Bred Freshwater Fish and Invertebrates. $42.99 $ 42. Recommended specific gravity range: 1.020 to 1.023 at 75F. The purpose of this post today is to just lay out the facts and finding what salt mix will work for you and your budget. The Best Salt For Saltwater Aquariums - Reef Builder Gear Guide I won't comment about the trace element part, short of there are usually more than enough in all salt mixes. Eheim 2215 vs 2217: Which Canister Filter Is Better for You? You are using an out of date browser. Andrew. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Then there is fish only and fish only with live rock (FOWLR) setups. The Facts About Reef Crystals - Aqua Craft If you are hoping to keep a simple saltwater fish tank that will serve only as a sanctuary for fish, than Instant Ocean themselves recommends using their classic Sea Salt. Some of them recommend tropical marine (which is pretty expensive salt) but no need the dosing. The pro mix has higher alkalinity while the regular Red Sea mix has lower alkalinity. The Reef Crystals would be a better choice, it has higher levels of magnesium, calcium, strontium, etc. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. AquaForest Probiotic The Only One That Is ICP Tested, 5. Brightwell is the best value for mixed and SPS reefs. If specific gravity is too low, add more Reef Crystals salt. 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