Which salt mix? Choice of 2

[MarineDream]

Hi there
Since I’m likely to have a nano tank, I will be buying premixed salted RO water from one of two nearby LFS.
The question is, which one.

One LFS uses Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt. The other (further away) uses Instant Ocean.

Ideally I’d prefer to choose the closer option (also cheaper by 5p a litre) but if it’s no good I’m prepared to travel and pay more to get it right.

Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of either brand?
I’m aware some of these are down to personal taste but for a nano reef tank that will only keep soft corals or possibly one or two sps if I feel brave, which would be better?
For instance I’ve heard that Tropic marin has the higher calcium content which would be better for corals but I don’t know if that’s true.

Any advice would be great

 

[DaveK]

... I will be buying premixed salted RO water ...

The correct answer here is "false". Get the gear you need to make your own RO/DI water and mix your own salt.

The big problem with using the LFS is that you have no control over the quality of the water being used or the actual salt being used. You never know when they might skimp on things or do it incorrectly. More that a few people have had problems because the LFS used tap water or a low grade salt or didn't mix it correctly.

About all you'll need is a basic RO/DI unit, a small powerhead and a 5 gal bucket. Long term this will be less expensive and a lot less work compated to lugging water from your LFS store.

 

[Uncle99]

Salt is Salt
Some mix higher in the range (like RS Pro)
Some lower (like IO)

Pick what you like

Yup, make your own RO,

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Here a good read...

A Simple RO/DI hookup anyone can do...

Our LFS (local fish stores) here sell sw (saltwater) and plain ro/di at a much cheaper price... can you just buy plain ro/di and mix the salt in yourself, is so I use Red Sea Coral Pro - another option

 

[chickenjohn]

one salt is as good as the other, the only differences being levels of calcium, alk, etc.
Always buy salt that is closest to the parameters of your tank or the params you want to run at.
Lets say you run your tank at 8 dkh, there is no point buying red sea coral pro or any other salt which mixes at 11-12dkh.
Buy a salt that mixes at 8 dkh.
Know your params first then buy matching salt.

 

[chickenjohn]

Also definitely make your own saltwater, you have control of what you are putting in your tank.
LFS here in the UK are notorious for their ro water not to be 0 tds, in fact I don't know of one yet that produces 0 tds ro water

 

[DaveK]

On your choice of salt. Most salts today are fine, but this was not always the case. There are still a few bargain salts out there, and it's possible to have issues with them. One dead giveaway that your using an inferior salt is that when you mix it all the readings for SG, pH, alkalinity, and calcium should be within normal ranges. If you see something way off, either hi or low, consider another brand.

Once and awhile, you do find that a bad batch of salt made it to market and gives a lot of people problems. While rare, it can occur, so as least do the tests when you first use a new bag or box of salt.

If you look around the net, you will find several tests of salt. Most of them, if not all of them use incorrect methods to mix and rate the salts. Just a word of warning here.

 

[saintsreturn]

I concur with all that was said above. One of the most overwhelming things i dealt with in the beginning was setting up an RODI system and mixing myself. After some research i bought and went about it. Ill never look back. Home mixing is the only way to go!