with cool water and seek medical attention. With brand names like Instant Ocean and Red Sea dominating online and Fritzs presence at local fish stores, AquaForest is unknown to most hobbyist. Guide to Buying The Best Marine Salt For Reef Tank Discussing the best reef salt mixes is always a passionate discussion among reefers and saltwater aquarists. It doesnt make the #1 pick because of its price, not because of its quality. Its actually easier than you think. Salinity 35 ppt | Ca 400-450 ppm|Mg 1300-1400 ppm|Alkalinity10 11.5dkh. But lets go further into the question. Instant Ocean recommends letting the saltwater mix sit overnight while mixing to allow for carbon dioxide equilibrium. A soft coral dominated tank will not have as many needs as a Heavy SPS tank. 3.1 Red Sea Coral Pro Salt; 3.2 Instant Ocean Reef . I seem to have a small cyano issue that I am hoping is the result of the excess nutrients in the Reef Crystals. Hi Cherry. 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. The Auto Delivery schedule can be changed in the cart. But here is a direct quote from. Red Sea Blue Bucket and TMPR are the best salts. I have a 40 gallon tank with a few fish, a growing clam (3 inches currently), and lps corals. At this point, you may need to humanely euthanize your fish. SeaChem Marine Salt 500 10 1400. Losing a pet is never easy, but losing a fish can really be hard! Salinity: 35 ppt (1.025 sg)| Ca: 413 mg/l| Mg: 1290 mg/l|Alkalinity 7.5 dKH. Scouts honor . Tropic Marin 375 10 1230. Mined reef salt mixes come from the mined evaporated seawater ocean deposits. Those can easily be compensated for with very, very cheap chemical additions or you can spend a bit extra and get a salt that already has those levels elevated. 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. Amazon.com: Reef Crystals 17 results for "reef crystals" Results Aquarium Pumps & Filters Instant Ocean Reef Crystal Sea Salt Marine Mix, 50-Gallon, New, 3.1 (2) $4299 FREE delivery Wed, Apr 12 Only 3 left in stock - order soon. FREE 1-3 day shipping on this item. Both of these products are top end choices that youll find recommended in just about any forum across the web, and maintaining an aquarium can be tricky enough without having to nitpick between products on every decision you make. Saltwater Aquarium Fish Supplies | Instant Ocean 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.. Raising the salinity to 35 ppt (sg = 1.0264) will help solve both. Formulated specially for use in reef aquariums, Reef Crystals contains essential ocean reef elements in concentrations greater than those found in natural sea water. There are even tanks where people do not dose, so a mix with evaluated parameters will make the most sense for those people. From there each salt comes with precise mixing instructions to achieve the desired specific gravity. This is the very first statement Im going to lay out for you. Learn how to properly mix saltwater with various brands of aquarium salt from the experts at That Fish Place - That Pet Place & thatpetplace.com. One of the fastest dissolving and readily available salt mixes at local fish stores. Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the. Some people swear by one brand of salt mix while others will go out of their way to talk about why this salt mix brand is way better than others. This relates most to reef tank owners. Reef Crystals scored 26 out of 100 in the S-15 Report. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Recommended Specific Gravity Range: 1.020-1.026 at 77F. With over a decade of aquarium experience, Miles can be found writing about saltwater and freshwater aquariums. nanoreef tanks), Great quality control and proven field results, High alkalinity makes this not safe for Acro heavy tanks, Two choices with regular and pro depending on what alkalinity you desire, Lacks evaluated levels and elements for hard coral heavy reef tanks, 13359 North Highway 183 Suite 406 It is very expensive and hard to find locally, but if you have designer SPS corals, this is the reef salt to buy. Though we might not be able to interact with these animals in the ways we do with others, there's still a deep bond. A main competitor close by tells me Fritz is too unreliable because of the alk swings from batch to batch, as you too pointed out. ), Salt mix package is measure at 35 PPM you will actually get the volume stated on the box, Low ALK can be a disadvantage for those who dont dose (e.g. Copyright 2023 Salt Tank Report. We do frequent water changes and have a RO system. 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. Top 5 Refugium Lights for Growing Chaetomorpha. 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. Austin, Texas 78750. The difference is that the Reef crystals contain a higher concentration. Every 4 months you would have enough salt leftover for an extra month. SW is the seawater concentration of Nozaki, 1994. AquaForest has been quietly making a name for itself in the reef industry. If your aquarium has been up and running for at least 6 months, we recommend Instant Ocean Sea Salt . It's the only reef salt I will ever use . Personally on a tank that size, I think it's better to just buy water from your LFS. I began my saltwater expedition with Instant Ocean Sea Salt not realizing the amazing nature of Corals and there demands. As you can see, the main difference between these two products is that Reef Crystals contain additional calcium and magnesium and Instant Ocean Sea Salt does not. I recommend using this refractometer. Rated 4.5439 out of 5 stars . Below is a list of common questions I get asked. The Brightwell NeoMarine Salt is so well regarded, that it is the reef salt of choice for World Wide Corals, one of the major coral sellers in the United States. New to Saltwater & Reef Aquariums? Fish only saltwater aquariums are not going to need an expensive or advanced salt mix so a budget mix will do the job. I want to get around all the marketing fluff and just tell you what works for your tank and needs. Brightwell is the best value for mixed and SPS reefs. This salt will work great for softy and LPS tanks that can take the swings better, but you run the risk of problems after water changes with this mix with sensitive SPS corals like Acros. The main difference between Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals is that Reef Crystals contain higher levels of magnesium and calcium. Both work great, but I would lean on the regular mix if you have a heavy SPS tank for better Alkalinity stability. They started in Europe in the late 1990s and recently entered into the US Market. Andrew. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt is the budget friendly reef salt for many of us with reef tanks. 2. The other issue is the evaluated alkalinity of the mix. Eco-Complete vs Flourite: Which Is Better? Every Order on SaltwaterAquarium.com is eligible to receive a Free Gift, just add it to your cart before checkout! Used by public aquariums and research facilities. You will also need a heater and powerhead to mix the salt. Note: 1.4 cups of Reef crystals will make 5 gallons of saltwater at a specific gravity of 1.021. ssmallville June 19, 2012. That salt will cost you $1.50 for each gallon you make. Like I mentioned the tank is going on 2 years and is humming along. Contact in dry form may cause skin or eye irritation. Red Sea Coral Pro 490 7 1300. I would say the mix time is around that of Brightwells product. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt For 160 Gallons, Enriched You can also use a hydrometer but they are less accurate and reliable. Myself included. No more back and forth adding salt, mixing, waiting, testing and adjusting until you get it right. In this post, well compare the similarities and differences between these two products and provide guidance on which option is best for reef tanks, newly established aquariums, and more. Aquarium Pumps & Filters Instant Ocean Reef Crystal Sea Salt Marine Mix, 50-Gallon, New, 3.1 out of 5 stars 2. Instant Ocean sea salt is perfect for fish only and FOWLR tanks just the way it is out of the box. A Business Card sized reference card for the most common aquarium parameters.  Reef Crystals Reef Salt Box (Makes 200 Gallons) - Instant Ocean, $$$ Money Saver Aquarium Dry Live Rock (by the lb), HI755-26 HI772-26 Alkalinity Checker Reagent (25 Tests) - Hanna Instruments, Marco Rocks Reef Saver Premium Rock (by the lb) - Marco Rock, 1/4" Mur-lok Polyethylene BLUE RO Tubing (by the Foot), FritzPRO R.P.M. If you have a fish-only saltwater tank and want to save some money, go with the sea salt mix. Excludes Frozen Foods. Today it is easier than ever to install a pond right in your own back yard, but building a koi pond is neither fast nor cheap, so you want to make sure you're starting out in the right way. Instant ocean reef crystals are easy-to-use and provide all of the necessary elements required for a healthy coral environment. It is formulated with pharmaceutical level ingredients and one of the fully synthetic salt mixes on this list (Brightwell being the other). Its not cheap and you will need dosing as your SPS grows unless you want to be a slave to water changes. It actually depends on your reef tank setup and the corals you keep. Mix Reef Crystals salt with ordinary dechlorinated water. Instant Ocean Crystals Budget Friendly, 4. Tropic Marin is a brand you may not see regularly at the local fish store or chain stores, but they have been a major name brand all across the world, particularly in Europe. If too high, add more dechlorinated water. Continue with Recommended Cookies. For a tank that large, I imagine you are using some type of water reserve or water changing station to keep saltwater mixed to be at the ready. So follow the parameters listed on the mixes and dose to those levels. 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. Any discounts on Instant Ocean: Reef Crystals? Reef Crystals Reef Salt Box (Makes 200 Gallons) - Instant Ocean. Thanks mcgyvr. USAGE NOTE: NEVER mix salt in an aquarium containing animals. There is a cost-saving to buying salt in larger quantities. Reef Crystals Salt Mix - Bulk Reef Supply Many reef salt mixes you will see on this list will have evaluated Alkalinity. 3. Hobbyists may prefer Reef Crystals if theyre keeping stony corals, such as Brain Corals or Chalices since they will benefit from the additional calcium. But its not set in stone for every type of salt. 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. How long do you mix it? There are a few differences between the Instant Ocean sea salt and Reef crystals. Its first product was Instant Ocean, and its been used in large-scale hatcheries and aquariums ever since. Saltwater Mix: Instant Ocean vs Reef Crystals. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Store remaining Reef Crystals salt in a cool, dry place. When hes not writing about fish, you can find him going for a run or building websites, such as this one! 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? AccuraSea1 is formulated to simulate natural seawater, and its packaged as a plurality of precisely weighed packs. Then there is fish only and fish only with live rock (FOWLR) setups. Red Sea 400 8 1300. It will build up in your containers over time and those containers can be expensive to replace. One extra caveat is to test every single batch of salt you buy. Every tank has different needs depending on the type of corals you have. You might have 10 gallons extra leftover from the bag which you can keep for next month. Instant Ocean has been a mainstay in the industry for over 50 years. Recommended Specific Gravity Range: 1.020-1.026 at 77F. In fact, you can look up the test results online with every salt bucket you purchase.