Salt, what do you prefer? - Salt poll

R

Richard

Premium Member
[I got mine from aquaticecosystems. I think
it was around 98 bucks for 2 boxes shipped.
When did premium aquatics start to carry it?]
 
[funny thing, I Aquatic Ecosytems through email and they offered to send me a 50gallon sample free of charge. I like it so far, just wish someone local would carry it.]
 
[Hawaiian Marine is by far the best salt on the market. It disolves darn near instantly and leaves NO residue in the bottom of your bucket. 8.5 ph out of the box in RO water with 400calcium and NO nitrates or phosphates. I have tested many different salts over the years and not all live up to what they claim. It wins hands down.

Only problem is that people dont want to pay the price for it. I buy it in 300 gal. boxes which makes it better.

That is something I will never understand about alot of people and the salt they buy. The quality of ingredients is what dictates most of the price of a salt.

They will spend 100's and 100's of $'s on there aquariums and the animals for it and not spend 5-10$'s more to get a high quality salt for those animals. I don't get it.

Sorry, I'll get off my soap box now.]
 
[So where do you buy it, and what does it cost? Include shipping if you are going that route.

I'm a Kent Sea Salt user for a long time now.]
 
[I would like to start by saying that the fact that I started my first salt water tank in 1973 does not in any way mean to imply that I am any kind of expert. In fact I consider myself an EXTREME NOOB in the reef. Also remember that this was a LONG time ago. My memory is far from perfect.
In the mid 70's I worked in both retail (aquarium) and wholesale pet supply. The only two marine mixes available at the time (to my knowledge) were Instant Ocean and Hawaiian Marine. They were both 2 part mixes. (Bag of salt with a small bottle of liquid trace elements in the bag. I was able to use the name of the wholesale company to visit the Hawaiian Marine showroom in Houston. (Don't know if the showroom still exists, but it was impressive at the time.)

Finally to my point. When I decided to try a reef setup I read everything I could (On the Internet) about which salt mix to use. I can't quote threads or which online articles I read but they were fairly consistent about some things.
They all seemed to agree that Instant Ocean was fine for fish but it never even made the top 3 or 4 for reef. It was for this reason I was surpised to see Instant Ocean with so many votes.
The next point is I don't even remember Hawaiin Marine even being tested in ANY of the studies. I am not saying that it is not the best mix on the planet (It may be). I hvae used it myself, but I haven't seen a bag for years. I am surprised that it wouldn't be in any of the evaluations I read.
Where can you get it and how much? Do you know of any "studies" (independent) that compare it to others.
This is not to say your opinion is not worth anything.
Sorry this got long again.]
 
[It is a surprise to me that I would get such a response to my post , so I will help to clairify where I am coming from on my position about salt.

I also worked in the industry from 86-98. During that period of time I was afforded the opportunity to use just about every salt on the market. So I used and tested all that I came in contact with. Now, My testing is by far NOT lab standard but real world use. I too have seen many "studies" done on salts and always wondered why it was never on the list.

I came to this conclusion, Either it was so out of the mainstream that they thought that no one would care that it was on the list or that they did not want it on the list because it made the others not look as good.

You decide which.

Either way, I knew in my heart that I was giving my animals in my stores and my home the best that I could give them.

I had people in the business tell me i was crazy for spending that kind of money on salt for the animals in my stores when every other store was using the cheapest thing around to lower there overhead. But I never had alot of complaints about the quality of my animals or the problems that can happen when they get home to peoples aquariums.

We all know that stress is the reason fish and corals die. It comes from all kinds of different things. Water quality being #1 on the list. My goal has always been to get it as close to the ocean as i can and for me....Hawiian Marine did it.

So in a nut shell, I have NO scientific backing at all. I just know from real world experience over a 15+ yr. span what results I experienced.

Where everyone can get it? Thats up to the store near you. The wholesaler that is based in houston still carries it as far as I know, so any store can get it. Ask them and see there response.

I'm just a guy who has always told people what i have learned from my experiences and let them make there own choices. Hoping to guide them to something they could be proud of having in there homes.

I lost alot of that passion for the hobby from all the hypocrisy I had to deal with the last year I was in the business. Friends in the club are trying to help me get back to that passion I use to have.

Thanks for the questions.
Scott]
 
[Yes I think it is that good, It is also as hard to get as Southdown, but I do bring it in for myself and some friends.]
 
[According to their shipping chart, it would be about $15 for shipping to our zone. So, total for 150 gallon bag of this salt is $48 salt + $15 S&H = $63 (about $0.42 per gallon)

Last time I looked, a 200 gallon bucket for Instant Ocean at a LFS was approx. $65 + tax (approx $70 total -- about $0.35 per gallon).

I would be willing to pay the above price for the Hawaiian mix if it is really that much better. I will probably give it a try after I finish the bucket I am currently using.]
 
[They only carry instant ocean....
Where did you get free shipping? I didn't see it on their site. Am I blind? (Which could very much be the case :oops: )]
 
[Hey Jose,

I read the other post and am VERY familiar with Aquacraft brand of products and the "S-15" report. I sold aquacraft salts in the last store I managed along with other products of theres and was very happy with there product line but be aware that the report was generated at there expense and for there marketing.

Marine Enviroment and Bio-Sea are both very good salts. I used them as backups when I would run out of HM. But there other 2 salts are about average to everyone else.

As far as crystal sea- marinemix goes. I found it to be what I use to call a "hot" salt. I have seen it burn the slime coats right off fish. They would sluff off there coat in a matter of minutes. I have seen Coral life salt do this too. Both of these are very low on my list.

Things change and so do companies. Maybe Crystal Sea has finally got it right and fixed there mix. I don't know. Not taking a chance myself.

Scott]
 
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