Each year, he continues to help his readers and clients with knowledge, professional builds, and troubleshooting. Should I change from my current Instant Ocean Reef Crystals to a better salt mix for my nano reef tank? Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt For 200 Gallons, Enriched Formulation For Aquariums, 25600 Fl Oz (Pack of 1) 4.8 out of 5 stars 5,537. . Salinity 35 ppt | Ca 400-450 ppm|Mg 1300-1400 ppm|Alkalinity10 11.5dkh. With brand names like Instant Ocean and Red Sea dominating online and Fritzs presence at local fish stores, AquaForest is unknown to most hobbyist. In a hurry? You will want to dose to your water change parameters. Although the solution of Reef Crystals premium sea salt can be used immediately, it is suggested that you aerate the water until it reaches oxygen/carbon dioxide equilibrium before use. Brightwell is the best value for mixed and SPS reefs. . So think of it this way. Salt mixes that are mostly or 100%synthetic represent some of the highest quality and most expensive reef salt mixes in the market. Enriched formulation. Ive used many brands over my 30 years in the hobby. Buy and sell with other aquarium hobbyists. Hi I am a very beginner to have a SPS tank. The first thing is the anti-caking agents in the salt mix. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or its affiliates. I started my tank with the intent of adding LPS and possibly SPS so from the get go I have been using Reef Crystals. 2005-2019 Monsterfishkeepers.com. What is the difference between Instant Ocean sea salt and Reef Crystals? That salt will cost you 0.35 cents per gallon to make. I dont have a hardcore acro tank, but if I did I would be running Tropic Marin or AquaForest. Store remaining Reef Crystals salt in a cool, dry place. Fritz Pro Mix Readily Available Quick Mixing Product, Chloroquine Phosphate Aquarium Dosing Calculator, How To Euthanize A Fish - 1 Humane (and 7 Others MEthods To Avoid), Freshwater Stingray Care Guide (Types, Care, and Environment), What Are Aquarium Air Stones? The difference is that the Reef crystals contain a higher concentration. Reef Crystals is intended for use in a reef environment. I currently have a 375 gallon aquarium, mostly soft corals to this point but Im trying to keep more sps and corals. There are many other trace elements I can discuss, but for most aquarists, these are the big 3 we concern ourselves with and test for in our reef tanks. Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt is the best salt mix you can purchase for your reef tank available on the market today period. Natural seawater has a specific gravity of 1.025 (salinity of 35ppt) and most salts are calibrated to this number. Any discounts on Instant Ocean: Reef Crystals? Ive recommended Brightwell Aquatics products in the past like their Neophos and Mircobacter 7. Mark has been featured in two books about aquarium keeping both best sellers on Amazon. 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). In new aquariums, transfer animals to the aquarium after salt is completely mixed and aerated and specific gravity is adjusted correctly. Reef Crystals contains essential ocean reef elements in concentrations greater than those found in natural sea water. So I was all ready to switch until I read your article. It's the only reef salt I will ever use . I have also seen a few mixes that have failed ICP tests with several parameters being too low. 2 Best Reef Salts For Fish Tanks | Top 10 Picks. 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 Both are suitable for all saltwater tanks. Below is a list of the best reef salt mixes available today. Things that corals use to grow and survive. We're sorry, oversized items on this page cannot be shipped by air. Having said that I have yet to introduce any corals but am finally at the place where I am ready to. Instant Ocean reef crystals on Amazon here. 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. It is important to always mix your salt as per the manufacturers instructions. What I feel separates NeoMarine from other salt mixes aside from their research and efforts are the parameters of the salt. We earn from qualifying purchases.*. Then put in your salt according to the manufacturers instructions until you get to 35 PPM (or 1.026). Measure specific gravity with an Instant Ocean Hydrometer. Reef tank equipment and automation is key to maintaining a stable saltwater tank, and a refugium can help keep nutrients in check. It really depends on what corals you are planning to keep. Use cup of salt for each U.S gallon of water. Continue with Recommended Cookies. *FREE SHIPPING on qualifying aquatic life orders $229 and up. Instant Ocean recommends letting the saltwater mix sit overnight while mixing to allow for carbon dioxide equilibrium. That salt will cost you $1.50 for each gallon you make. 3. Those 2 salts are the only one that Triton is recommending. The Europeans do it again with a revolutionary probiotic salt mix. Read more on How to mix salt properly here. The Reef Crystals would be a better choice, it has higher levels of magnesium, calcium, strontium, etc. if You have a significant population of growing stony corals, you will have to dose ALK and Ca or do heroic water changes. 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? 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. After you have the salt at the correct salinity, let it mix in the container. Check todays price of Instant Ocean sea salt on Amazon here. Many tropical fish have long lifespans which means they share a lot of time with us. Measure specific gravity with an Instant Ocean hydrometer. You could purchase a 50-gallon bag of Instant Ocean sea salt for around $25. Nicole is Reef Builders Event Manager and is responsible for running ReefStock shows in Denver and Sydney. Are you guilty of just using whatever salt you can find, or have you ever really given much thought to the salt you are using and why? Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most carefully formulated and universally preferred sea salt in the world. SeaChem Reef Salt 540 10 1450. Thanks for your kind words. SeaChem Marine Salt 500 10 1400. 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. Feb 19, 2010. Measure specific gravity with an Instant Ocean Hydrometer. Raising the salinity to 35 ppt (sg = 1.0264) will help solve both. Rated 4.6757 out of 5 stars . Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most used sea salt in the world. I am very confused now what the salt should I get for my tank. Aquarium Store Depotis 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. Knowing which salt is right for you comes down to the needs of your tanks livestock, your maintenance schedule, and most importantly alkalinity. 4. Transfer animals to the aquarium AFTER salt is completely mixed and aerated and specific gravity has been adjusted. You will want to wait at least 20-30 minutes every time you have to add salt in when testing your salinity. Its just not the best for hard corals because of the batch consistency. Fritz has a big marketing machine that sponsors a lot of YouTubers and they tend to be everywhere at the local fish stores. with cool water and seek medical attention. 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. This is the main reason I stopped selling salt mixes online. Formulated specially for use in reef aquariums, Reef Crystals contains essential ocean reef elements in concentrations greater than those found in natural sea water. It is a top tier salt mix with a reasonable price. It's why our Sea Salt is used exclusively by many of the leading large-scale aquariums and research facilities across the country. 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. The Reef Crystals contain additional vitamins and calcium that are crucial for the life within these complex environments to grow.While the additional calcium and vitamins included in the Reef Crystals are in no way beneficial to the growth and development of your fish, they are also by no means harmful in any sense. 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. That makes since and the cyano is manageable so looking to take the next step with adding some LPS. He swears by and only uses Reef Crystals. Its the same quality and field tested Instant Ocean salt we are familiar with the industry, but with a better formula designed for mixed reef tanks. There are other differences which I explain below. Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the. All Rights Reserved. If you keep clams or SPS, you're going to need to dose regardless. Because water conditions at different locations vary tremendously, a commercial dechlorinator is recommended to completely neutralize any concentrations of chlorine and/or chloramines. There is very little difference between Reef Crystals and it's sister product Instant Ocean. That way your parameters dont swing when you change your water. Fortunately I have been taking things nice and slow and enjoying the establishing process of building a nice tank and listening to other reefers and learning in the process instead of jumping all in. (I recommend using a refractometer). Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more, The Best Salt Mix Is The One Closest To Your Ideal Parameters, Aquarium Mix Parameters And Major Elements, 2. It doesnt make the #1 pick because of its price, not because of its quality. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 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. Below is a video from Raising Reef with better visual introductions and with directions for those of you who like to use water changing stations or store water. Its not cheap and you will need dosing as your SPS grows unless you want to be a slave to water changes. Rated 4.5439 out of 5 stars . You can be confident that whichever option you choose, you're getting a product that has been a favorite among hobbyists for many years. +1 for reef crystals. I recommend using a bucket or food-grade container like Brute to mix water and salt together. Losing a pet is never easy, but losing a fish can really be hard! Tropic Marin 375 10 1230. Its just not worth taking the losses to ship them. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt is a great way to start your marine aquarium. Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most used sea salt in the world. Your cost per gallon each month would be 0.50 cents. Softie and LPS tanks can tolerate more swings so going with a mix with a high alkalinity isnt going to hurt you. Q: What is the difference between Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals? Instant Ocean salt is one of those items. For example, SPS corals like Acropora are going to need different parameters and trace elements vs. say a softie tank. However, this is the best salt money can buy today. Salinity: 35 ppt (1.025 sg)| Ca: 413 mg/l| Mg: 1290 mg/l|Alkalinity 7.5 dKH. The parameters out of the boxes are perfect and makes it very safe to make water changes so you dont have to worry about swings when you make a water change. Instant Ocean: 400: 11: 1350: Reef Crystals . 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. Want to grow your business and reach a wider audience? Used by hobbyists . It actually depends on your reef tank setup and the corals you keep. Salinity: 35 ppt (1.0264 sg)| Ca: 430 ppm| Mg: 1290 ppm|Alkalinity: 8.0 dKH. When hes not writing about fish, you can find him going for a run or building websites, such as this one! You can also use a hydrometer but they are less accurate and reliable. Saltwater aquarium hobbyists who plan on keeping corals, especially stony corals, will benefit from the added Magnesium and Calcium seen in Reef Crystals . I use IO instead of Reef Crystals. Every batch is ICP tested. 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. Many reef salt mixes you will see on this list will have evaluated Alkalinity. You will want to use at least a Refractometer along with 35 PPM calibration fluid to ensure you have the right salinity. The main difference between Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals is that Reef Crystals contain higher levels of magnesium and calcium. Yes, fortunately many LFS around us supply Fritz because they have built a massive marketing machine promoting their products. Red Sea Blue Bucket and TMPR are the best salts. There is a price difference between the two salts. This relates most to reef tank owners. Seachems Purigen vs MatrixCarbon: Which Is Better? If you follow reef YouTubers around, you likely have heard of Fritz Reef Pro Mix. Saltwater is only as good as the equipment you use to maintain it. Every tank has different needs depending on the type of corals you have. 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. If your soft corals are doing fine you can stick with the salt you have. Copyright 2023, LiveAquaria. If you have a reef tank, go with the Reef crystals. 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. (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. The salt is collected from the Red Sea. Instant Ocean Reef Salt for Aquariums, 160-gal. The salt is a very small part of the puzzle given the small amount of major elements added by typical water changes. Hopefully these answer your questions. But sea water is not just "salty"; it contains a precise mix of trace elements, all of which should be present in an artificial replacement. This is the very first statement Im going to lay out for you. This salt mix is neither the best nor the worst, more of the middle of the road type mix. Can You Have Too Much Flow In A Reef Tank. Every 4 months you would have enough salt leftover for an extra month. Tropic Marin PRO-REEF Sea Salt has been designed to meet the special requirements of reef aquariums with optimized Enriched formulation. The advantages of this packing are many: You can mix up a batch without ever having to check the salinity. 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. 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. Reef Crystals 490 13 1440. Which way should I go? If you have any thoughts or opinions about these products, feel free to share them in the comments section, and don't forget to check out our marketplace and community forum. I like that Reef Crystals contain a lot of the excess nutrients needed for coral growth which limits the need to dose anything or at least a lot. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt is the budget friendly reef salt for many of us with reef tanks. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Saltwater is only as good as the equipment you use to maintain it. Instant Ocean sea salt will be cheaper to purchase versus reef crystals. AccuraSea1 is formulated to simulate natural seawater, and its packaged as a plurality of precisely weighed packs. If you have seen his Instagram channel, you can see how incredible his tanks look. We have been using reef crystals, but have noticed lots of hair algae recently. Anyway, my parameters are as follows: Salinity: 1.025 Temperature: 78 Ammonia: 0 Nitrites: 0 Nitrates: .25 2389 Air Park Road, Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501. Instant Ocean Top Choice For Fish Only Tanks, 7. When all your gear is dialed in, your dosers are working overtime, and your acro garden is ready to thrive thats when its time to switch to the higher alkalinity formulas. Its the one of most expensive marine salts on the list, but if you have prized designer SPS corals, Tropic Marine Pro is what you will want in your reef tank. Hundreds of articles to help you with your aquarium. 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. NOTE: 1.4 lbs of Reef Crystals is formulated to create 5 gallons of saltwater at a specific gravity of 1.021. /TM/ 2023 Spectrum Brands, Inc. or one of its affiliates. I usually let it mix overnight and test the salinity again because I do my water changes. I don't think there is a good reason to run levels outside of that range but we all have our preferences. Its possible you are introducing some nutrients from your water changes as RO water will still have TDS in the water.
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