Admirers of aquatic life and pleasure seekers who love to invest in fish tanks and aquariums for their homes, need to be aware of the maintenance protocols for keeping a fish tank. Regardless of size, fish tanks need to be maintained throughout their usage.
One of the most important things to consider is reef salt. It’s highly unlikely that you’re keeping a fish tank and not having any coral reefs inside. With that being said, you need to invest in reef salt to make sure that your corals are healthy and stimulated properly.
What is Reef Salt Used For?
Reef salt is a chemical blend of different salts, specifically designed to replicate natural reef waters. It is formulated in a manner that makes it similar to the natural reef environment, providing the water with the ideal seawater concentrations, including optimal concentrations of magnesium, strontium, and calcium, with the desired and appropriate pH level and alkalinity.
Hence, reef salt is ideal for closed aquariums or fish tanks, as it will help the aquatic life inside live in a natural environment and prosper, making it suitable for habitable living.
What is Inside Reef Salt?
As mentioned above, Reef Salt comprises of different chemical blend of salts that contain different chemical components including magnesium, potassium, bromine, calcium, barium, fluoride, iodine, and trace elements.
The purpose of the reef salt is to ensure that the fish tank has the sufficient reef salt combination, mixture, or levels, that are present in the oceans. This is to ensure that the natural environment is replicated inside a closed aquarium.
What type of Reef Salt should be used?
There are different types of reef salts available in the market. However, when we mention different types, we’re basically talking about the concentrations of reef salt.
Therefore, different aquariums or fish tanks support different kinds of reef salt concentrations, depending on the type of fish you’re housing and the reefs you have present inside the fish tank.
As a helping guide, if you have an aquarium with only fish inside and no reefs, then we’d recommend you use the instant ocean reef sea salt mix as it has a lighter concentration required for a fish-only aquarium.
On the contrary, if you’re aquarium is filled with hard corals or heavily stocked with other aquarium inventories, then the instant ocean reef crystals sea salt is an excellent choice.
What you need to make sure of is that you’re investing in reef salt. Cheating out on reef salt, which is already inexpensive, is not the way to go.
How Long Should You Wait for the Reef Salt to Mix?
It is important to take note of the mixing time for the reef salt, as you won’t get the desired result if you avoid this step.
Ideally, the best practice for mixing reef salt, when it comes to the time frame of mixing, is to keep the reef salt inside the fish tank for 8 hours at a minimum. If the fish tank is large, then we’d recommend leaving it for 24 hours, before adding your fish.
The time frame is there to ensure that the reef salt has completely dissolved in the fish tank water and is ready to go. While most salts would get fully dissolved well before this time, you need to wait between 8 to 24 hours to ensure maximum efficacy and mixing of reef salt.
Can you add Reef Salt directly into the Fish Tank?
One of the most common issues with beginner aquarium enthusiasts is that they are unaware of the basic principles of fish tank maintenance. One of the most common mistakes that they do is that they directly add reef salt to the fish tank.
You need to take note of this you should never add the reef salt to the fish tank directly. You need to first fill the aquarium or fish tank with salt water or fresh water and then add the reef salt mix to ensure that the mix is completely and fully dissolved.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. When you follow a link to purchase the products, I sometimes earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.
1. Fluval Sea A8278
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, the UK, and US
Ranking at the very top, this reef salt comes with fast-dissolving features that consist of a blend of macro and microelements. Moreover, it enables you to achieve the ideal pH level in your fish tank and it prevents coral stress amid routine water changes as well. Also, it comprises magnesium levels to stabilize the minerals for the corals for healthier growth.
Key features:
- Fast dissolving – creates a natural environment quickly.
- Achieve the ideal pH level in the water.
- Comprises of magnesium to optimize the growth of corals.
- Comes with desired calcium and strontium level for the growth and development of the coral skeletal structure.
2. Seachem 326
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
Featuring a great option for all those who are looking for reef salt for their tank, this should be it. This one comes with a blend of synthetic sea salts for marine and reef fish tanks. It comes with all the necessary elements that are required to create a natural environment in the fish tank and for better growth of the corals. It is also great for improving the alkalinity of the tank. Moreover, it is highly soluble and diffuses quickly.
Key features:
- Comes with enhanced potassium levels to create an ideal natural seawater environment
- Maintains ideal pH levels and alkalinity of the fish tank
- Dissolves quickly as it is highly soluble
- Produces more saltwater from less salt, facilitating ideal coral growth
3. Cobalt Aquatics CCS7K
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
Featuring this high end and premium quality reef salt which is sure to impress you. It comes with ideal elements for a reef aquarium. It is produced from natural marine salt which can help you imitate a natural habitat for the fishes. Also, it is made with smart particle technology that ensures excellent quality and quick absorption too.
Key features:
- Premium quality and highly soluble
- Made up of natural marine salt and with smart particle technology
- Great for coral reef aquarium
- Contains ideal nutrients for the fishes and corals
4. ATM Aquarium 870317001100
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
Presenting you an option that’s also worth exploring, this one is a keeper. It is known to be the purest form of reef salt that contains no moisture or any added chemicals. It is free of contaminants. It is highly efficient as it has a blend of more elements than the others, hence it is deemed as more nutritious. Also, it is clean and will leave no residue. It can help you create the ideal environment in your fish tank.
Key features:
- Pure and nutritious for the fishes and corals
- Consists of no added chemicals, contaminants, or moisture
- Comprises of more blends than other salts
- Ensures no residue is left
5. Brightwell Aquatics NMAR50
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
Another great option for you to explore in terms of reef salt would be this one by BrightWell. This reef salt comes with accurate blend which makes it great for reef, as well as other marine aquariums too. It replicates the elements of natural seawater and contains food grade ingredients only. Hence it is free from toxins and moisture. It is worth noting that it is made in USA, hence guarantees excellent quality.
Key features:
- Very good brand reputation
- Great blend that is nutritious and beneficial to create a natural environment
- Free from toxins as it consists of food grade ingredients only
- Made in USA – promises premium quality
6. Red Sea ARE11220
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
If you’re still not impressed by any of the above mentioned reef salt options, then this one should be your go-to. Made by the well reputable company, promising excellence in terms of quality and reliability, this salt contains of the ideal salt mix which facilitates healthy growth and vitality of the corals and fishes. It is packed with nutrients like calcium, magnesium and other carbonates.
Key features:
- Well reputed and good brand
- Reliable quality and consists of ideal salt mix
- Improves coral health and vitality
- Consists of nutrients which boost coral health and improves their skeletal structure
7. Instant Ocean 200582
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
Featuring another great option for all those who are still on a look out for better reef salt, this one’s a keeper. It comes with a special formula that comprises of reef elements and extra calcium which improves coral health. It also detoxifies metals and neutralizes traces of heavy metals found in tap water. Besides that, it is nitrate and phosphate free, hence it is safe to use too!
Key features:
- Comprises of essential reef elements which create a natural environment
- Comes with extra calcium and vital nutrients which are great for coral health and growth
- It detoxifies metals which are found in tap water
- Free from chemicals like nitrate and phosphate
8. Fritz Aquatics 80243
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
Here’s a great pick that will be hard to ignore, if you are an aquarium freak. This reef salt comes with professional marine salt mix that is ideal for reef and fishes. It consists of all the major elements that are ideal for healthy growth and vitality of the corals and fishes. It also has extra calcium potassium, as well as magnesium levels, which again, is a plus point.
Key features:
- Free from chemicals like ammonia, nitrate and phosphate
- Made up of professional marine salt mix that is ideal for reef tanks
- Consists of all the major and minor elements required in reef salt
- Comes with extra nutrients like potassium, calcium and magnesium
9. HW Wiegant
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
This reef salt comes with food grade material that is safe for fish tanks and is designed with the idea of keeping your reef in best shape. This not only ensures beauty of your fish tank, but also the health of the corals. Besides that, it is free from harmful chemicals and from nitrates, silicates and phosphates. Also, it is great for modern reef aquariums too.
Key features:
- Keeps your coral reefs in best shape
- Promotes healthy growth of the corals
- Comes with nutrient packed formula that is ideal for modern reef aquariums
- Free from silicates, nitrates, and phosphate
10. Tropic Marin ATM10581
Quick view on Amazon
Available in: Australia, Canada, UK and US
Last, but not the least, this reef salt comes with a generous amount and pharmaceutical grade sea salt components which make it ideal for a modern reef tank. Also, it maintains the pH levels of the water and remains consistent over a long period of time. It is free from toxins and promotes the healthy growth of the corals.
Key features:
- Consists of the ideal blend of salt mixes that is ideal for the growth of the corals and fishes
- Generous amount and great packaging
- Free from toxins like nitrate
- Remains consistent over a period
Conclusion
If you’re keeping a Reef aquarium, rather than a general one, then you may have to invest in reef-friendly products too. One of those products includes Reef Salt. This is because the health of corals is very much dependent on the kind of environment that you can create for them to enable them to grow optimally.
Moreover, not only will your coral reefs thrive in the environment, but the nutrient-packed features of reef salt will make them develop better skeletal structures too. That in turn, can make your aquarium look beautiful as your coral reefs are likely to become more vibrant with colors.
