instant ocean sea salt vs reef crystals

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. (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. 2389 Air Park Road, Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501. Manufacturer's Mixing Instructions: Remember: 2 Best Reef Salts For Fish Tanks | Top 10 Picks. Reef Crystals vs. Red Sea Coral Pro Salt - Reef Central Online Community The Reef Central Forums are now located at https://forums.reefcentral.com The old forum is closed to new activity. There is also mainly synthetic made salt, which tends to be very popular in Europe. 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. Adding water after salt can cause a highly concentrated solution leading to some precipitation of ingredients. For a tank that large, I imagine you are using some type of water reserve or water changing station to keep saltwater mixed to be at the ready. Salt formulas DO MATTER, and using the wrong salt could be doing more harm than good during your weekly water change. This high alkalinity mixture tests between 9.5-13 DKh . Every time I walk into the fish store to buy my critters more salt, I've always wondered what the difference between IO Sea Salt and IO Reef Crystals. Reef Crystals contains essential ocean reef elements in concentrations greater than those found in natural sea water. 4. The other issue is the evaluated alkalinity of the mix. Austin, Texas 78750. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy, The Best Salt For Saltwater Aquariums Reef Builder Gear Guide, Reef Evolution is a new salt from Aquarium Systems, Fritz Reef Pro Mix (RPM) High Alkalinity Formula, Seachem Made a Surprisingly Good 'Dual' Air Silencer, Acanthoplesiops jessicae, an Attractive New Species of Spiny Basslet from PNG, New study finds herbivore fish poo is bad for corals, Improving Carbon Dioxide and pH Management, New Coral Reef Discovered in the Galapagos, Gilmorei is the first Polylepion wrasse to be found in the Atlantic. What type of tank do you have and making sure you dose to what your salt mix is. Prices may vary slightly depending on the retailer, but both salts are usually available in 10-gallon, 50-gallon, 160-gallon, and 200-gallon options. It is affordable, easy to use, and accurate. While they are everywhere, this is not the best reef salt mix on the list. Instant Ocean reef crystals on Amazon here. The salt is a very small part of the puzzle given the small amount of major elements added by typical water changes. If your soft corals are doing fine you can stick with the salt you have. Stir vigorously to mix salt and water. 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. I started my tank with the intent of adding LPS and possibly SPS so from the get go I have been using Reef Crystals. Use an accurate hydrometer, such as the SeaTest Hydrometer full range specific gravity meter, to adjust salinity. So I was all ready to switch until I read your article. Im thinking of changing salt types. 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. So think of it this way. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt is the budget friendly reef salt for many of us with reef tanks. Saltwater aquarium hobbyists who plan on keeping corals, especially stony corals, will benefit from the added Magnesium and Calcium seen in Reef Crystals . 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. Aquarium Pumps & Filters Instant Ocean Reef Crystal Sea Salt Marine Mix, 50-Gallon, New, 3.1 out of 5 stars 2. What is the recommended specific gravity range? Test your new water batch before adding to the tank to prevent any unwanted parameter swings. The salt of choice for World Wide Corals. 2.1 Choosing salt mixes; 2.2 Use a safe water supply; 2.3 Maintaining your tank; 2.4 How much marine salt is necessary? . What is the difference between Instant Ocean sea salt and Reef Crystals? Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt is the best salt mix you can purchase for your reef tank available on the market today period. I am very confused now what the salt should I get for my tank. Instant Ocean salt is one of those items. Thats what I will show you in this article. Both are very affordable and are most times cheaper than other brands on the market. It is the thing that makes the water in your aquarium salty and helps you replicate natural reef waters. You will want to wait at least 20-30 minutes every time you have to add salt in when testing your salinity. In fact, you can look up the test results online with every salt bucket you purchase. NeoMarine has a lower Alkalinity, which is great for SPS tanks. Seachems Purigen vs MatrixCarbon: Which Is Better? This is really annoying to clean and can lead you to having to replace containers. Instant Ocean salt is available in bags, boxes, and buckets. Manage Settings Many reef salt mixes you will see on this list will have evaluated Alkalinity. Contact in dry form may cause skin or eye irritation. If you you use Reef Crystal Salt how much Coral Life is required to consume the excess nutrients that comes in that type of salt? Although the Reef crystals can be used right away, we suggest aerating the water until it achieves oxygen/carbon equilibrium. Chain stores do not carry it and you will mostly see higher end local fish stores that specialize in marine livestock carry them. 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. 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. You need a mix that's meant for saltwater aquariums. Fritz has a big marketing machine that sponsors a lot of YouTubers and they tend to be everywhere at the local fish stores. In New Aquariums: . Your cost per gallon each month would be 0.50 cents. built-in metal detoxifier goes a step farther to neutralize traces of heavy metals often . Both products have received positive feedback from hobbyists and ultimately, the choice between them comes down to personal preference. The first thing is the anti-caking agents in the salt mix. It doesnt make the #1 pick because of its price, not because of its quality. All Rights Reserved. Then there is fish only and fish only with live rock (FOWLR) setups. 1 Overview. SeaChem Reef Salt 540 10 1450. Thanks mcgyvr. Just curious as I take the next step towards adding some LPS. Reef Crystals is intended for use in a reef environment. So when it comes to choosing the salt for your aquarium, keep it simple: Instant Ocean Sea Salt for fish only environments, and Instant Ocean Reef Crystal for more complex reef based environments. Recommended Specific Gravity Range: 1.020-1.026 at 77F. What difference does ten bucks make? My tank does better with it. The main issue with the Red Sea Coral Pro is its availability. The salt is collected from the Red Sea. 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 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. If you like levels that are higher, Reef Crystals is probably an easier option for you. Its just not worth taking the losses to ship them. There are a few differences between the Instant Ocean sea salt and Reef crystals. They have created the benchmark for the industry and quality control standards. Measure specific gravity with an Instant Ocean hydrometer. Check The Facts About Instant Ocean. Wow, I learned so much about salt from reading your article. 134 g per 1 US-gallon (3.785 L) of purified water yields a specific gravity of ~1.025 g/cm3, with a pH of ~8.30 and alkalinity of ~7.5 dKH. SPS tanks need to have extremely stable levels in the aquarium and having a mix with evaluated ALK can be catastrophic as the Alkalinity levels can spike after a water change. So when it comes to choosing the salt for your aquarium, keep it simple: Instant Ocean Sea Salt for fish only environments, and Instant Ocean Reef Crystal for more complex reef based environments. WheresTheReef Read more on How to mix salt properly here. Stir vigorously to mix salt and water. Although the Reef Crystals solution may be used immediately, we suggest aerating the water until it achieves oxygen/carbon dioxide equilibrium. If you perform 2 water changes each month at 20 gallons each, you will need to make 40 gallons of saltwater each month. 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.. There are many things in the saltwater aquarium hobby that are considered to be a staple item and have been around for quite a long time. Reef Crystals scored 26 out of 100 in the S-15 Report. 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. Fritz Reef Pro Mix (RPM) High Alkalinity Formula is manufactured using only the highest quality raw materials. I seem to have a small cyano issue that I am hoping is the result of the excess nutrients in the Reef Crystals. If you have a reef tank, go with the Reef crystals. More Choices Available. Instant Ocean Top Choice For Fish Only Tanks, 7. CAUTION: REEF CRYSTALS IS NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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. Always like to learn from other reefers. That way your parameters dont swing when you change your water. The thing to get used to is measuring and dosing, as your tank grows out you will get a feel for what you need and use automated dosing, kalk, or a ca reactor. AquariaCentral.com, a division of Monster Aquaria Network, LLC. Might even consider reverting to Standard Instant Ocean if the difference in dosing is negligible at a given saturation point. Optimum effectiveness. Im not familiar with Kents salt, but I do know the former founder created Brightwell Aquatics. I always recommend to my clients that they need to dose their tank to their salt mix. He has worked on making aquarium and pond keeping approachable. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Reef Crystals (and other reef orientated salt mixes) have higher levels or essential and trace elements that would probably benefit stony corals more. Its just not the best for hard corals because of the batch consistency. All content here is available for continued discussion at the new forums. Instant Ocean Sea Salt is the most carefully formulated and universally preferred sea salt in the world. Increased alkalinity has been shown to increase the growth of SPS. That makes since and the cyano is manageable so looking to take the next step with adding some LPS. Mix Reef Crystals salt with ordinary dechlorinated water. Reef Crystals is intended for use in a reef environment. Its first product was Instant Ocean, and its been used in large-scale hatcheries and aquariums ever since. Hundreds of articles to help you with your aquarium. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. That being said, Instant Ocean Sea Salt is made for fish only tanks. There are a few main differences between the two. Red Sea Coral Pro mix contains elevated and balanced levels of thefoundation elements(Calcium, Magnesium, Bicarbonates) necessary for sustainable, accelerated coral growth. If your goal is to maximize coral growth, then Coral Pro combined with ourreef care recipeswill enhance growth up to four times their natural rate. One extra caveat is to test every single batch of salt you buy. Red Sea Coral Pro Saltis about as close as you can get from natural sea water from how they formulate their mix. Used by hobbyists, public aquariums, and research facilities. Instant Ocean is engineered to closely match natural seawater, and Reef Crystals are enriched to facilitate the. Its important to use a dedicated mixing vat for saltwater, and a calibrated refractometer to ensure you are getting the most accurate specific gravity measurements. Instant Ocean® Sea Salt is the most carefully formulated and universally preferred sea salt in the world. Axolotl vs Mudpuppy: What's the Difference? By the way any links on this page that lead to products on Amazon and other stores/partners are affiliate links. Instant Ocean has been a mainstay in the industry for over 50 years. It is also the most readily available reef salt on the market so if you are in a rush or bind its very easy to get locally even from a chain pet store. This produces an all natural eco-friendly mix that is one of the best mixes in the industry. Salinity 35 ppt | Ca 400-450 ppm|Mg 1300-1400 ppm|Alkalinity10 11.5dkh. For example, lets say you buy a 200-gallon box of reef crystals for $70. Tropic Marin Pro Reef 450 8.5 1380. I began my saltwater expedition with Instant Ocean Sea Salt not realizing the amazing nature of Corals and there demands. Reef Crystals 490 13 1440. Its mostly on here because its so readily available at local fish stores and they regularly go on sale where you can purchase boxes at huge discounts. Reef salt is the magic ingredient for your saltwater aquarium. A Business Card sized reference card for the most common aquarium parameters.  Reef Crystals Reef Salt Box (Makes 200 Gallons) - Instant Ocean, $$$ Money Saver Aquarium Dry Live Rock (by the lb), HI755-26 HI772-26 Alkalinity Checker Reagent (25 Tests) - Hanna Instruments, Marco Rocks Reef Saver Premium Rock (by the lb) - Marco Rock, 1/4" Mur-lok Polyethylene BLUE RO Tubing (by the Foot), FritzPRO R.P.M. Lets talk about the main parameters that make up a reef salt mix. If you have seen his Instagram channel, you can see how incredible his tanks look. 3. The Reef formulas of salts usually have higher, calcium, magnesium,alkalinity etc. At this point, you may need to humanely euthanize your fish. FREE 1-3 day shipping on this item. Ever wonder what the difference is between Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals? Those can easily be compensated for with very, very cheap chemical additions or you can spend a bit extra and get a salt that already has those levels elevated. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals can be as high as 13, which can be disastrous to an SPS tank after a water change. The main difference between Instant Ocean Sea Salt and Reef Crystals is that Reef Crystals contain higher levels of magnesium and calcium. Formulated specially for use in reef aquariums, Reef Crystals contains essential ocean reef elements in concentrations greater than those found in natural sea water. Salinity: 35 ppt (1.0264 sg)| Ca: 430 ppm| Mg: 1290 ppm|Alkalinity: 8.0 dKH. Create listings for FREE and gain access to tools and services that can help your online aquarium business flourish. Others will be pulled from the ocean like Red Sea Salt. This is the very first statement Im going to lay out for you. This may not seem like much of a difference, but given that the added benefits of Reef Crystals make practically no difference in a fish only tank, why not save a few bucks? 2.1 1) Instant Ocean Reef Crystals Reef Salt. *FREE SHIPPING on qualifying aquatic life orders $229 and up. Instant Ocean: 400: 11: 1350: Reef Crystals . Curious as to what constitutes/tips the use of Reef Crystal Salt over say standard Sea Salt? I dont have a hardcore acro tank, but if I did I would be running Tropic Marin or AquaForest. Instant Ocean at Petsmart- I just ordered 3. These stingrays have had their barbs removed and have been acclimated to being touched, making this a safe and fun experience for both parties. We seek to promote and sell equipment that works and understand that sometimes these will be products we do not carry so we are happy to part folks in the right direction :). The cons on caking, which Fritz doesnt and it sounds as if its for beginners. I started my tank with the intent of adding LPS and possibly SPS so from the get go I have been using Reef Crystals. I hardly ever buy salt locally because all the LFSs sell Fritz or Reef Crystals. The of the most available and affordable salt mix. Advertise today. No more back and forth adding salt, mixing, waiting, testing and adjusting until you get it right. This is the main reason I stopped selling salt mixes online. 1.2 Instant Ocean Salt Review; 1.3 Bright Well Salt Review; 1.4 Aquaforest Reef Salt Review; 2 Marine Salt Buying guide. Used by hobbyists . We earn from qualifying purchases.*. Join 100,000+ Subscribers and stay up to date on education, news, sales & deals. Ive recommended Brightwell Aquatics products in the past like their Neophos and Mircobacter 7. A 25% change of aquarium water, done on a monthly basis, is recommended to maintain water quality. If you are just getting started out, you cannot go wrong with the Instant Ocean Reef Crystals salt as this will work for most reef tanks including mixed reefs. Instant Ocean sea salt is perfect for fish only and FOWLR tanks just the way it is out of the box. After all, this hobby can get rather pricey. Recommended specific gravity range: 1.020 to 1.023 at 75F. 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. In this post, well compare the similarities and differences between these two products and provide guidance on which option is best for reef tanks, newly established aquariums, and more. The main thing since Im going to assume that you are planning to do a reef tank or fish only with live rock setup is that you use RODI water made from an RODI System. Yes, fortunately many LFS around us supply Fritz because they have built a massive marketing machine promoting their products.

Cam Profile For Uniform Acceleration And Retardation, Panda Game Like Club Penguin, Upper Deck Collector's Choice Kobe Bryant, Why Do I Walk In Circles When I'm Stressed, Articles I