Type of Salt

lion_crazz

Active Member
There are definitely pros and cons of every salt.
Crystal Sea is cheap, but terrible for reef tanks. All of the levels are low.
Instant Ocean is good, but still not good as far as levels.
Oceanic has excellent calcium and magnesium levels, but the alkalinity is terrible.
Corallife is okay, but has high Lithium levels (which are bad for starfish).
Sera salt is decent with all of their levels except for calcium. It gives you 280.
Kent has very good levels as far as calcium, but the silicates are a little high.
Tropic Marin is the best, but is also the most expensive at $50.
Personally, I use Oceanic because it gives me the best levels and the poor alk is easily corrected by using dkH buffer.
 

dvincent

Member
Why not just use filtered sea water from the Seattle Aquarium , according to this link it would be the cheapest way to go, we have a similiar situation here in the San Diego with the Scripps Institute and Birch Aquarium, I'll never mix water again. Darrin
 

lion_crazz

Active Member
Originally Posted by dvincent
Why not just use filtered sea water from the Seattle Aquarium , according to this link it would be the cheapest way to go, we have a similiar situation here in the San Diego with the Scripps Institute and Birch Aquarium, I'll never mix water again. Darrin
That is a kinda cool idea but it is not available to many people. But I see that the original poster is from Seattle.
Although, I have to say, sometimes I kinda enjoy making up my own salt water and testing it and getting it just right with levels and all. It is a learning experience and it helps you understand the way your tank functions a little more.
 
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