I agree up to a point that things are perhaps too easy nowadays, enabling some ‘aquarists’ to get a tank and put this and that on it, read some instructions maybe, fill it with seawater and lo and behold….it might even work. However, on the other hand if instructions are followed carefully and the aquarist researches properly this is a good thing. However, that’s not the fella you’re talking about, he’s the one who gets it now and if something dies replace it, no problem. Sad.

I have to admit that I don’t quite understand what you mean by ‘work your aqua environment up to a hardy saltwater tank’. If the seawater parameters are correct and lighting also, then livestock loss should be minimised. Additionally, if livestock chosen is known to be hardy it should be less likely to die in a good marine environment.

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Thanks for the comments – all welcome.

I’m not sure on the disagreement – I stated that the seawater is number one priority, and hence the salt mix used is of very great importance. Some aquarists swear by one brand, others another. Some agree on what’s good, others disagree.

What is of major importance is that the seawater is maintained at high quality, and that means using a high quality salt. If we are to believe the information put before us, then the type of fresh water we use and the type of aquarium system we run are variables that require ‘adjusted’ conditions. Your quite right, some mixes require supplementation in this or that, subject to the system demands.

For example, Instant Ocean mixes quickly but leaves a strange residue behind, even while mixed in RO water. It also has a lot of other non-salt particles.

Reef Crystals, the step up from instant ocean mixes much clearer and has fewer residues left behind.

Then comparing this to Tropic Marin salt, TM mixes much faster and clearer than RC.