FREE SHIPPING on qualifying aquarium supplies orders $49 and up. 2.2 Pros & Cons. Should I change from my current Instant Ocean Reef Crystals to a better salt mix for my nano reef tank? . You can also use it for reef tanks provided you add the additional amount of elements needed to meet a reef tanks requirements. Copyright 2023, LiveAquaria. Many reef salt mixes you will see on this list will have evaluated Alkalinity. Its just not the best for hard corals because of the batch consistency. One of the great reasons why Instant Ocean salt is so great is that you can choose between using a salt for both fish only tanks and full reef tanks. Instant Ocean at Petsmart- I just ordered 3. 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. I'd say most people are successful using just plain old salt like Instant Ocean. Instant Ocean Sea Salt vs Reef Crystals (What's The Difference?) Nicole has a Bachelors degree in Coastal Geography from the University of Victoria, and is originally from Vancouver Canada. Note: 1.4 cups of Reef crystals will make 5 gallons of saltwater at a specific gravity of 1.021. In case of contact, completely flush skin or eye(s) The main difference between Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals is that Reef Crystals contain higher levels of magnesium and calcium. 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. 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. Those 2 salts are the only one that Triton is recommending. However, this is the best salt money can buy today. Contact in dry form may cause skin or eye irritation. They offer a basic sea salt variety and reef crystal variety formulated for reef aquariums. This salt mix is neither the best nor the worst, more of the middle of the road type mix. I began my saltwater expedition with Instant Ocean Sea Salt not realizing the amazing nature of Corals and there demands. Both products have received positive feedback from hobbyists and ultimately, the choice between them comes down to personal preference. Aquarium Store Depot earns a commission if you make a purchase. Saltwater aquarium hobbyists who plan on keeping corals, especially stony corals, will benefit from the added Magnesium and Calcium seen in Reef Crystals . I recommend using a bucket or food-grade container like Brute to mix water and salt together. You can also use a hydrometer but they are less accurate and reliable. Water Changes: Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most used sea salt in the world. Raising the salinity to 35 ppt (sg = 1.0264) will help solve both. Reef Crystals (and other reef orientated salt mixes) have higher levels or essential and trace elements that would probably benefit stony corals more. Your cost per gallon each month would be 0.50 cents. 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. 99. Knowing which salt is right for you comes down to the needs of your tanks livestock, your maintenance schedule, and most importantly alkalinity. Used by public aquariums and research facilities. The More You Spend, The More You Get! USAGE NOTE: NEVER mix salt in an aquarium containing animals. Join 100,000+ Subscribers and stay up to date on education, news, sales & deals. 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. He swears by and only uses Reef Crystals. Differences between Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals, Similarities between Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals. All Rights Reserved. That way your parameters dont swing when you change your water. Although the Reef crystals can be used right away, we suggest aerating the water until it achieves oxygen/carbon equilibrium. What difference does ten bucks make? Two Little Fishies AcroPower Amino Acids Review, ReefWave 45 Review: Red Seas Gyre Powerhead. Thank you for visiting! The stability and quality control of this mix makes this pretty much a must for those with the most demanding corals like Acroporas. I have also seen a few mixes that have failed ICP tests with several parameters being too low. Metal Detoxifier - to neutralize traces of heavy metal often present in domestic water supplies. /TM/ 2023 Spectrum Brands, Inc. or one of its affiliates. AquariaCentral.com, a division of Monster Aquaria Network, LLC. 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. What is the recommended specific gravity range? 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. Every tank has different needs depending on the type of corals you have. Hi I am a very beginner to have a SPS tank. 1.2 Instant Ocean Salt Review; 1.3 Bright Well Salt Review; 1.4 Aquaforest Reef Salt Review; 2 Marine Salt Buying guide. We do frequent water changes and have a RO system. But here is a direct quote from. Recommended Specific Gravity Range: 1.020-1.026 at 77F. I dont have a hardcore acro tank, but if I did I would be running Tropic Marin or AquaForest. This is where we start getting into details. Specially formulated for use in reef aquariums contains essential ocean reef elements in greater concentrations than natural sea water, Contains extra calcium to ensure stony coral and coralline algae growth, extra trace elements to provide vital nutrients and extra vitamins to support vigorous growth and survival of corals, anemones and other invertebrates in a captive environment, Neutralizes trace heavy metals often found in tap water. Instant Ocean has been a mainstay in the industry for over 50 years. It's the only reef salt I will ever use . Instant Ocean Sea Salt vs. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Salt Mix - 200G Box $86.95 | / 15 in stock Enriched formulation. There are actually two mixes Red Sea sells. Fast dissolving. I won't comment about the trace element part, short of there are usually more than enough in all salt mixes. Stir vigorously to ensure a good mix. FREE 1-3 day shipping on this item. Instant Ocean has been around since the 1960s, when William Kelley, the former director of the Cleveland aquarium founded the business. Optimum effectiveness. We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. How do you test the salinity of Instant Ocean salt? Lets talk about the main parameters that make up a reef salt mix. This allows for ASD to promote items that are more effective to promote via Amazon versus selling on this site due to shipping costs, the vendor's choice to only carry through Amazon, or order minimums. 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. Others will be pulled from the ocean like Red Sea Salt. 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. 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. Check todays price of Instant Ocean sea salt on Amazon here. Salinity: 35 ppt (1.025 sg)| Ca: 413 mg/l| Mg: 1290 mg/l|Alkalinity 7.5 dKH. So I was all ready to switch until I read your article. Every batch is ICP tested. We dont spam. It is also available in different quantities from 10 gallons to 200 gallons which is great for all sizes of tanks. Discussing the best reef salt mixes is always a passionate discussion among reefers and saltwater aquarists. Fritz has a big marketing machine that sponsors a lot of YouTubers and they tend to be everywhere at the local fish stores. However, if you are serious about Acropora corals, I would steer away from this mix. Saltwater Aquarium Fish Supplies | Instant Ocean Red Sea Blue Bucket and TMPR are the best salts. It's why our Sea Salt is used exclusively by many of the leading large-scale aquariums and research facilities across the country. No matter what size your aquarium, science-based Instant Ocean products offer the . 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. I use IO instead of Reef Crystals. Since I use water changing stations, I stay away from anything that cakes. Any discounts on Instant Ocean: Reef Crystals? Instant Ocean Reef Crystals; Instant Ocean is a legacy aquarium product found at most local fish stores. Im not familiar with Kents salt, but I do know the former founder created Brightwell Aquatics. Mixing Aquarium Salt Salinity Answers | Instant Ocean Most reefers should choose a standard alkalinity mix and aim for stability to avoid alkalinity highs or lows. with cool water and seek medical attention. A few corals and about 6 fish. D-D The Aquarium Solution has added a second formulation to its popular H2Ocean salt brand. 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. Fish only saltwater aquariums are not going to need an expensive or advanced salt mix so a budget mix will do the job. (I recommend using a refractometer). It will build up in your containers over time and those containers can be expensive to replace. Read more on How to mix salt properly here. Best Aquarium Reef Sea Salt | Instant Ocean Further, why wouldnt you just buy the Reef Crystals to save the time and hassle of deciding which one to purchase? KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. Might even consider reverting to Standard Instant Ocean if the difference in dosing is negligible at a given saturation point. If you keep clams or SPS, you're going to need to dose regardless. But lets go further into the question. 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. We're sorry, oversized items on this page cannot be shipped by air. 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. Have you tested your water parameters or your water after its been mixed to see if you are getting high phosphates or nitrates? You are using an out of date browser. Wow, I learned so much about salt from reading your article. If you have a reef tank, go with the Reef crystals. Use cup of salt for each U.S gallon of water. Guide to Buying The Best Marine Salt For Reef Tank