Finding a salt that is high in magnesium seems to be the most difficult task. I was using a high end salt, but the magnesium levels were still only in the 1100's, so I'm switching to Instant Ocean, which is half the cost, and just dosing magnesium. Don't be fooled by "independant" salt studies of the high end salt either, like I was. I'd contact littlesilvermax, as someone else has suggested, and get the magnesium in bulk to supplement for cheap.

Two more threads of interest from RC on the new I.O salt.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1714505

The second thread, while starting out about cost of I.O., gets into what people are finding for levels of the new production of the salt, and comments by Randy Holmes-Farley about I.O. and it's makeup.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...cium+magnesium

I tried reef Crystal's. Went back to regular IO. Myka did a cost breakdown, even if you supplimented IO with top shelf suppliment's. It still would be cheaper than the salts that have more MG/CA. And those salts, you still have to dose. Just not enough. Most salts, I think, are more made for a FOWLR tank, and if you need more MG/CA, you just gotta dose it for what your tank requires.

Since reading such a variance in levels in salt (all brands) I'm just sticking to plain old IO. I know the levels for Ca and Mg are low as do a couple of tests on each new pail, but then can easily supplement with bulk additives for probably about $5 a bucket (definitely less than $10).

I used Reef Crystals, I don't do many water changes and find dosing not a big deal or a big cost. I use Seachem dry products, very inexpensive and good quality. Red Cora is selling LittleSilverMax products, but at $5 per cup, that is way too expensive compared to Seachem.

LittleSilverMax, I would be interested in knowing what you charge for MG, St, and Calcium and how it compares to Seachem. I am always interested if it is a higher grade product or cheaper for the same stuff. Thanks...

$5/cup?? WOW.
You can search ChemMasters threads here, he's got prices, Mg is like $2.95/Lb. shipping is extra but works to about $1-$1.5/Lb depending on volume

Yeah, Kevin at Red Coral is selling by the cup, he says one cup is equal to one pound. At $5 a pound that isn't cheap. However $1-1.50 a pound is really good.

Can you tell me what is better about his products, I am very interested to hear it. And at that price I think it is even cheaper than Seachem.

Iv'e been using CM additives for a year now and love them. cheap and easy, Mix with RO, and add to high flow area, slowly in overflow works great for me. I will have to weigh it when I get home, 1 cup probibally is a LB, I wouldnt thnk Kevin would lie. I never thought about how much weight per volume before. But after paying the price for liquid CA/Mg and now the bulk crystals, I won't go back to liquid. Theres some pretty good threads on CM's products, check them out.

http://canreef.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=67

$1-1.50 a pound is the shipping cost that banditpowdercoat was quoting. You have to add that to the product cost for the total. So you're looking at $4 - 4.50/lbs to buy direct. A savings of $.50 - 1.00/lbs instead of buying it from Red Coral, which isnt a whole lot but it does add up. You may want to contact Littlesilvermax yourself to verify.

really don't want to do the math again but while ago I figured $5-10 to supplement a pail from chemicals fr littlesilvermax.

From another source, recent post here had bulk Ca at $113 for 50kg ($2.26/kg). I change about 20g a time, supplement Ca using about 1oz by volume of the Dowflake, or 33grams. For a pail (160g / 8 changes), about 0.26kg total.

Use lots more Mg about 180gram per change, 1.4kg per pail with LSM selling MG around $5/kg