All other salts are double the price of Instant Ocean. Is it really worth it?

[CanuckReefer]

My mostly softy tank chews up alk and calcium. I can think coraline for that. Just because one has a softy tank doesn't mean alk and calcium won't be an issue

This is interesting too.... when on TM Pro, I had coraline all over the glass, consistently scraping it, ever since switching to RC, a bit has remained on the rockwork but I get nothing on the glass whatsoever. Thus I assume not enough coraline to chew up the alk. I've heard some seed it, on a really old system worthwhile to try?

 

[ReeferSamster]

If you like IO, awesome! Use it and be happy we have choices. Use it because you like it, not because some celebrity uses it.

I apologize, I wasn't trying to convince anyone to switch salt. I'm not an IO fanboy.

The point of the thread wasn't to prove that IO is a better salt. The title of the thread was that Instant Ocean is about half the price of other salt. What are the benefits to paying (approximately) double the price? I am specifically referring to regular instant ocean, not their reef crystals. Although reef crystals is almost as cheap.

Plenty of "Tank of the Months" here and in reefcentral have used IO through the years while paying half price so Instant Ocean is clearly more than adequate for the job.

So what exactly are the benefits other salt mixes provide that justifies double the price?
I'm not talking about penny pinching. Half the price. I really want to know the concrete benefits and not marketing BS.

Adding vitamins or amino-acids advertised in other salt? Does anyone here actually believe that it is beneficial for your reef tank, especially when your skimmer will just pull that stuff out?

Higher key elements? Alk, Calc and Mag to make up for the higher levels found in other salt mixes, it is still nowhere near justifying double the price. Unless you have a tank dedicated to raising aiptasia or green hair algae, chances are you will have have to supplement any of those 3 at some point of growth for corals anyway sooner or later.

Higher trace elements? How many Tank of the Months test all the trace elements?

Having a cleaner salt mixing tank with less crud precipitates? I haven't cleaned out my salt mixing barrel in years. Made no difference to my reef tank.

Unless the salt mix tastes like beer, I don't understand why anyone would spend double the amount of money.

 

[sfin52]

This is interesting too.... when on TM Pro, I had coraline all over the glass, consistently scraping it, ever since switching to RC, a bit has remained on the rockwork but I get nothing on the glass whatsoever. Thus I assume not enough coraline to chew up the alk. I've heard some seed it, on a really old system worthwhile to try?

I use rc and if I don't scrap glass for a week its all over.

 

[Downfall]

For whatever it's worth I just ordered 2 buckets of IO for $26.05/each (that's including sales tax) from PetSmart with free shipping.

You get 35% off your first 'Autoship Order' which is PetSmart's equivalent of subscribe and save. I plan on cancelling after the first shipment.

Seemed too good to not take advantage of.

Ymmv

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

This is interesting too.... when on TM Pro, I had coraline all over the glass, consistently scraping it, ever since switching to RC, a bit has remained on the rockwork but I get nothing on the glass whatsoever. Thus I assume not enough coraline to chew up the alk. I've heard some seed it, on a really old system worthwhile to try?

I've seeded with the ARC reef stuff on my 120g, it worked. Had no Coraline last March when I started/migrated this tank, and it took off after I seeded in Sept. All my plastic is covered and the rocks are covering at a decent clip.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

For whatever it's worth I just ordered 2 buckets of IO for $26.05/each (that's including sales tax) from PetSmart with free shipping.

You get 35% off your first 'Autoship Order' which is PetSmart's equivalent of subscribe and save. I plan on cancelling after the first shipment.

Seemed too good to not take advantage of.

Ymmv

I've done that before. Had a heck of a deal on my sand last year when I started my 120.

 

[GARRIGA]

I've seeded with the ARC reef stuff on my 120g, it worked. Had no Coraline last March when I started/migrated this tank, and it took off after I seeded in Sept. All my plastic is covered and the rocks are covering at a decent clip.

How long did it take. On on week two and nothing yet. Assumed minimum six weeks. My alk and calcium are and PH over 7.9. My lights are dimmer as I’ve read that’s best to get it started although on the latter I’ve heard max light is better.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

How long did it take. On on week two and nothing yet. Assumed minimum six weeks. My alk and calcium are and PH over 7.9. My lights are dimmer as I’ve read that’s best to get it started although on the latter I’ve heard max light is better.

Give it about 8-12 weeks. It took about 2 months to really notice it. I had minimal Coraline on inverts from my 50g when I migrated over to the 120. My migrated live rock was fairly covered, but I dosed a bottle of each variety and it eventually did its thing. Iirc it was supposed to be more purchased for my tank volume, but I figured I just needed some coraline help, not dose a bare new tank. Trust me it worked!

I run with middle/lower par on a 24" deep tank with my lights 8" above the water line (Nicrew 150's) at 100%blue and 50% white. Top of rock at about 12" below surface, par is 200-300 on average.

 

[ZoWhat]

It amazes me year after year just about any Thread comparing salt mixes and the mention of IO....is a guaranteed 200+ reply / 7+ page long thread

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

It amazes me year after year just about any Thread comparing salt mixes and the mention of IO....is a guaranteed 200+ reply 7+ page long thread

You know, it's the have and have nots, lol. Like Hatfield and McCoys!

 

[damsels are not mean]

I am sworn to never pay more for salt than reef crystals when it's discounted somewhere. Several gurus whose tanks I love use it and I have always used it without issue. Even if there are some differences with certain brands, is it worth the cost? I think not, especially if you are on a budget. I would reckon almost any tank that runs on expensive salt could have benefited from that money somewhere else.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I use rc and if I don't scrap glass for a week its all over.

It also just dawned on me... I've got two urchins a rock borer and Pincushion that tend to mow down the coraline on the rock....used to have three till a Pencil Urchin went rogue on my softies. Probably why I've got none on the glass. The rock coraline seems to come back fairly well, as I imagine they leave some behind in crevices. Going to try dosing a bit and see what happens. I'd like to get the Alk down to at least 10 or 11....I'd like to keep the 2 urchins as they do wonders on clean up otherwise.

 

[Spare time]

Ive been using red sea blue bucket for awhile now because it mixes clear for me in less than 20 minutes.Used to get it for $60-$65 for the buckets now im seeing them priced a bit higher. Might switch back to hwmarinemix as that was always a quick and clear mixer for me as well, just had to check the batch for alk every time. Live aquaria salt was ok as well, but they also increased prices and i just dont trust them anymore (bad livestock experiences)

I love the speed of red sea mixing. I haven't had access to hwmarinemix. Does it mix at about the same speed at red seas?

 

[ReeferSamster]

I love the speed of red sea mixing. I haven't had access to hwmarinemix. Does it mix at about the same speed at red seas?

Interesting, I've mixed my instant ocean (regular - not reef crystals) for about 2 hours max and it appears to totally dissolve. Does redsea salt mix faster? But I also have a 500 gph pump in the mixing barrel and i pour the salt in slowly, so that might be the reason for the speed of mixing.

 

[Spare time]

10yrs ago tropic marine was the salt of the past and was disappearing. I come back to the hobby and its popular again. Lol. Tis life
D

I blame bulk reef supply. I'm not criticizing them, but they are the biggest tropic marin promoters in the US

 

[Spare time]

Interesting, I've mixed my instant ocean (regular - not reef crystals) for about 2 hours max and it appears to totally dissolve. Does redsea salt mix faster? But I also have a 500 gph pump in the mixing barrel and i pour the salt in slowly, so that might be the reason for the speed of mixing.

I mix red sea in a 5 gallon bucket with a small pump or powerhead and it takes maybe 10-15 minutes? It is incredibly fast which I why I like it as I can only make small batches of water at a time and if I need to do a water change for an emergency or what not, I can rely on it being ready to go in minutes (outside of heating).

 

[Roli's Reef Ranch]

Just pick something that meets your water parameter goals. Choice of salt mix will neither make nor break your tank or wallet. If you're worried about $5 a month in reefing, get a goldfish in a bowl...

 

[gfox]

For whatever it's worth I just ordered 2 buckets of IO for $26.05/each (that's including sales tax) from PetSmart with free shipping.

You get 35% off your first 'Autoship Order' which is PetSmart's equivalent of subscribe and save. I plan on cancelling after the first shipment.

Seemed too good to not take advantage of.

Ymmv

Any problem of getting out after first shipment?

 

[sfin52]

Interesting, I've mixed my instant ocean (regular - not reef crystals) for about 2 hours max and it appears to totally dissolve. Does redsea salt mix faster? But I also have a 500 gph pump in the mixing barrel and i pour the salt in slowly, so that might be the reason for the speed of mixing.

I'm running 2 1200 maxi jets in my 40g barrel rc fully mixed in about 2 hours

 

[ReeferSamster]

I blame bulk reef supply. I'm not criticizing them, but they are the biggest tropic marin promoters in the US

Yea. You have to be cautious about retailers doing reviews for brand names. They will have a bias for brands with higher velocity and/or better profit margin. I trust users review more than I trust retailers. Or gurus like @Dana Riddle or @Randy Holmes-Farley