I have always used IO salt but if you buy it @ the LFS around here it is $24.95 for the 50 gal mix bag and $85 for the 200 gal. When I need to get some dry goods I will order a 50 gal bag no matter if I need it or not. When I knew I was getting my 135 gal tank the LFS had Crystal Sea on sell $30 for 3 of the 50 gal mix boxes. Well I had read here (I think) people had problems with bleaching from this product. And I think well this is a FOWLR so that won't matter. Get the tank and don't really trust the stand so have to do modifications. Put that off for a while and I have to do water changes on the 29 and 55. Mix water for about 3 hours the first time ( I have used IO in 15 min. before) and still looks cloudy, think it's the look of the container put it in the tank and it is cloudy. Mix the second time for 8 hours, still cloudy.
And now the rest of the story:
Set up the 135 filled it up. Added 1 bag of salt. Skimmer cup is drilled and I have a 1 gal container hooked to it. Pulled out 1 gal of skimmate in about 9 hrs. Adjusted the skimmer. Added another bag 2 days later' another gal. Adjusted the skimmer. 3 days later Added the 1/3 bag I had left,gal in 10 hrs. The salinity was about 1.019. Broke down and ordered a 200 gal mix of IO and ate the shipping. Added enough 1 week later to bring the salinity to 1.023, and 10 hrs. later not much @ all.
So IMO I think IO must be alot cleaner and better salt.
And now the rest of the story:
Set up the 135 filled it up. Added 1 bag of salt. Skimmer cup is drilled and I have a 1 gal container hooked to it. Pulled out 1 gal of skimmate in about 9 hrs. Adjusted the skimmer. Added another bag 2 days later' another gal. Adjusted the skimmer. 3 days later Added the 1/3 bag I had left,gal in 10 hrs. The salinity was about 1.019. Broke down and ordered a 200 gal mix of IO and ate the shipping. Added enough 1 week later to bring the salinity to 1.023, and 10 hrs. later not much @ all.
So IMO I think IO must be alot cleaner and better salt.
