What Sea Salt Mix Do You Use?

[steelhealr]

Searched this out and there was an old post with the results erased. It never hurts for newcomers to see stuff rehashed. So, feel free to post what sea salt you use.

I started off with Oceanic since it was stacked all over the lfs. I had trouble with alkalinity, as this is it's purported weakness. It was great with calcium levels. So, I tried the 'hot' sea salt, Tropic Marin and didn't see any improvement (couldn't stand the paper box it comes in). Switched over finally to Reef Crystals and I've been very pleased with it. It reportedly has good levels of magnesium which can help with alkalinity. Seemed to work for me. SH

 

[Navarre]

Natural Sea Water for me

 

[Mr Miagi]

Natural Sea Water for me

Me two! Collected from Victor Harbour! Other than that, RO/tap water for top ups.

 

[crazyelece]

IO recommended when I first set up and I haven't changed. As I am just moving from FOWLR to reef though I may start to use another brand if IO doesn't cut it.

 

[Fish Fingers]

NSW all the way

 

[steelhealr]

Well....I think it's pretty impressive that many of you 'down under' and 'across the pond' can use NSW. Can you answer a few questions for ALL of us:

1) how rural are you and body of water do you use?

2) how do you get the water home?

3) do you treat your seawater before adding it into your tank?

My curiosity? Here is a map of where I live....a rather large island.....I don't think anyone here would be comfortable putting this in their tank even tho' our beaches are considered clean. What do you all think? SH

 

[Opcn]

reef crystals, so I don't have to dose trace eliments, I just have to do lots of water changes, but I get DI distilled water for free (I know, who ever heard of di distilled before)

 

[steelhealr]

Distilled water is fine for your tank if you don't mind purchasing the water and carrying it home. I have used it many times when I didn't have the time to connect my RO/DI filter. I checked the distilled water with a TDS meter and it read 0-1, virturally pure. SH

 

[Fish Fingers]

1) How rural are you and body of water do you use? I live in brisbane, about an hour away form the coast. I use the pacific ocean.

2) How do you get the water home? In plastic 20L jerry cans. I usually get about 60L a week.

3) Do you treat your seawater before adding it into your tank? Nope, just stick it straight in, never had any problems.

 

[Salt Freak]

I use reef crystals. to and when I checked the RO/DI units water on theTDS it was 0-3 so i would say its just about as pure as distilled by the way have exact same unit as you do steelhear.

 

[steelhealr]

Fish fingers....do you collect it near the beach ..or..out on a boat? I don't think collecting any sw near a beach would be safe near me.....suntan lotion, doody diapers, cheese doodles, boat disposal/fuel, etc. SH

 

[Fish Fingers]

I collect it on the beach as far as I can go out when the tide coming in. With the tide coming in all the gunk is up close to the shore and I collect it early in the morning when no one is around .

 

[Navarre]

I do the same. I collect of a pier that is very deep water. I make sure the tide is incoming and collect just before high tide. I dont collect in the summer months however due to the reasons that SH has given. The area nearby is busier in the summer months so i dont get water here at this time.

 

[CutieWitBooty]

I use Redsea because i buy premixed SW from my LFS, sometimes i got to another LFS that uses Tropic Marin, so i guess it's moslty mixed. When i had my bigger bowfront i would mix the SW myself and i used IO then.

 

[petey Z]

SH,
i live in westport, ct which is across from long island.
are u talking about collecting from the sound or from the atlantic ?