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. 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. We're sorry, oversized items on this page cannot be shipped by air. It will build up in your containers over time and those containers can be expensive to replace. Adding water after salt can cause a highly concentrated solution leading to some precipitation of ingredients. Brightwell is the best value for mixed and SPS reefs. Mixing Instant Ocean salt is straightforward and easy to do. This is really annoying to clean and can lead you to having to replace containers. 4. Every 4 months you would have enough salt leftover for an extra month. Testing the salinity of your Instant Ocean salt can be done using a refractometer. 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. Instant Ocean recommends letting the saltwater mix sit overnight while mixing to allow for carbon dioxide equilibrium. So think of it this way. The first thing is the anti-caking agents in the salt mix. 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. The Europeans do it again with a revolutionary probiotic salt mix. 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. These extra measures reduce the need for constant supplements and additives to replenish essential substances quickly depleted in thriving reef aquariums. From there each salt comes with precise mixing instructions to achieve the desired specific gravity. This includes the amount or quantity of elements in the salt. Fritz has a big marketing machine that sponsors a lot of YouTubers and they tend to be everywhere at the local fish stores. Top 5 Refugium Lights for Growing Chaetomorpha. What do you recommend? You are using an out of date browser. The difference is that the Reef crystals contain a higher concentration. But here is a direct quote from. 10 Best Reef Salts For Fish Tanks [Buyers Guide] - Your Aquarium Guide Instant Ocean sea salt will be cheaper to purchase versus reef crystals. If you've ever been to an aquarium, you might have experienced stingrays firsthand at a touch tank. All rights reserved. Contains extra calcium, select trace elements, and vitamins above natural seawater concentrations. Instant Ocean salt is one of those items. 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. DIVER'S DEN WYSIWYG Store - 100's of NEW Aquatic Life Added Daily! That way your parameters dont swing when you change your water. Instant Ocean Sea Salt vs. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals 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. Reef salt is the magic ingredient for your saltwater aquarium. A few corals and about 6 fish. However, it is a great aquarium salt mix for those with fish only, fish only with live rock, and soft coral dominated tanks. The of the most available and affordable salt mix. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Rated 4.6757 out of 5 stars . Thats what I will show you in this article. 2.1 1) Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt. Then there is fish only and fish only with live rock (FOWLR) setups. 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. if You have a significant population of growing stony corals, you will have to dose ALK and Ca or do heroic water changes. Ive used many brands over my 30 years in the hobby. For starters the Sea Salt is slightly cheaper than the Reef Crystals. It is affordable, easy to use, and accurate. Its first product was Instant Ocean, and its been used in large-scale hatcheries and aquariums ever since. Simply put a measured volume of water in the mixing bucket or vat, add the contents of one or more packs depending on the water volume, and you have a precise natural seawater blend. Tropic Marin 375 10 1230. Copyright 2023 Salt Tank Report. Yes I was referring to standard Instant Ocean Salt vs Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. For SPS, especially high end SPS like Acros you will need salt that is not only high quality, but also has proper QC. Instant Ocean - Ever wonder what the difference is between - Facebook You can then use these numbers to figure out how much its going to cost you each month to purchase salt for your tank. The Best Salt For Saltwater Aquariums - Reef Builder Gear Guide It may not display this or other websites correctly. This relates most to reef tank owners. 2.3 2) Instant Ocean Sea Salt For Marine Aquariums. Excludes Frozen Foods. Because water conditions at different locations vary tremendously, a commercial dechlorinator is recommended to completely neutralize any concentrations of chlorine and/or chloramines. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Since I use water changing stations, I stay away from anything that cakes. If your aquarium has been up and running for at least 6 months, we recommend Instant Ocean Sea Salt . The main advantage with Fritz Reef Pro Mix is that it mixes very fast. Reef Crystals Reef Salt Box (Makes 200 Gallons) - Instant Ocean You might have 10 gallons extra leftover from the bag which you can keep for next month. Red Sea Coral Pro 490 7 1300. It is the thing that makes the water in your aquarium salty and helps you replicate natural reef waters. So follow the parameters listed on the mixes and dose to those levels. All rights reserved. There's something about watching koi swimming slowly in a pond that just relaxes us and drowns out all the unnecessary noise in our lives. I recommend Tropic Marine Pro Reef Salt! Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt is a great way to start your marine aquarium. 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. Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the. Ive recommended Brightwell Aquatics products in the past like their Neophos and Mircobacter 7. Nicole is Reef Builders Event Manager and is responsible for running ReefStock shows in Denver and Sydney. . While it doesnt have the additional magnesium and calcium, its much more affordable, and you wont have to worry about a compromise in quality. What I feel separates NeoMarine from other salt mixes aside from their research and efforts are the parameters of the salt. Gyre vs Powerhead: Which Should You Put in Your Reef Tank? WheresTheReef 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. Stir vigorously to mix salt and water. You can also use it for reef tanks provided you add the additional amount of elements needed to meet a reef tanks requirements. 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. Softie and LPS tanks can tolerate more swings so going with a mix with a high alkalinity isnt going to hurt you. Do you need Reef Salt for LPS and SPS or just SPS? At the recommendation of one lfs, Im using Fritz (blue box), only salt he sells. Test your new water batch before adding to the tank to prevent any unwanted parameter swings. 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. The salt is collected from the Red Sea. Reef Crystals (and other reef orientated salt mixes) have higher levels or essential and trace elements that would probably benefit stony corals more. 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. What is the proper way to mix Instant Ocean salt? View full details $159.99 | / 26 in stock Add to cart Quick shop % Aquaforest . 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.. His site was created to share his knowledge and unique teaching style on a larger scale. The Best Corals for the Bottom of a Reef Tank. I usually let it mix overnight and test the salinity again because I do my water changes. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Saltwater Mix: Instant Ocean vs Reef Crystals. Im thinking of changing salt types. He swears by and only uses Reef Crystals. Want to grow your business and reach a wider audience? You will want to use at least a Refractometer along with 35 PPM calibration fluid to ensure you have the right salinity. Every batch is ICP tested. Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most carefully formulated and universally preferred sea salt in the world. Typically, a bucket of Instant Ocean Reef Crystals capable of creating 200 gallons of saltwater will run you around $60 , while the same amount of Instant Ocean Sea Salt will be a bit cheaper at around $50 Both products go on sale frequently, which is great for those of us looking to snag a good deal. Brightwell Aquatics Neomarine The Choice For Worldwide Corals, 3. Metal Detoxifier - to neutralize traces of heavy metal often present in domestic water supplies. FREE SHIPPING on qualifying aquarium supplies orders $49 and up. Hi I am a very beginner to have a SPS tank. I would recommend Brightwall for SPS if you Tropical Marine is too expensive. Customer Favorites, Marine Invertebrates - Save 25%, Popular Value Packs, Marine Invertebrates, LiveAquaria Certified Captive Grown Corals, Captive-Bred Freshwater Fish and Invertebrates. Plus, it tends to be a bit more popular, so its often easier to find locally which can save you a few extra bucks in shipping costs. What difference does ten bucks make? . Should I use Fritz, Reef Crystals or do I try to find Tropic Marin which nobody around me sells. The advantages of this packing are many: You can mix up a batch without ever having to check the salinity. No more back and forth adding salt, mixing, waiting, testing and adjusting until you get it right. lf too high, add more dechlorinated water. Any discounts on Instant Ocean: Reef Crystals? (I recommend using a refractometer). Some of them recommend tropical marine (which is pretty expensive salt) but no need the dosing. Figure a 200 gallon box of Reef Crystals is about $0.27/gal and the smaller bags are like $0.36/gal.
