Salt question, not a poll. Sorry.
 

First off, Brad, I really tried to make this a salt poll but the dagnabit feature doesn't work on my phone. I am so, so sorry. Kien, I would not have forgot about you either.

I've been using Fluval Sea salt for the past year and have just ran out. As a consideration for living in the North, the closest retailer has a bucket of IO for a mere $143 clams. I just can't bring myself to pay that for IO.

Please tell me fluffy unicorn stories about how IO really isn't that bad and that Fluval Sea is novelty for inconsistency. By all means, if you have another suggestion, I am all ears as I will be in a major centre in a month spending copious amounts on Boxing week sales.

Thanks in advance.

Of the two, I'd be using IO. Nothing wrong with it other than a bit inconsistent, but a quick test for Ca/alk will tell you where the bucket sits. Fluval, IMO, is way too high in Ca and not worth the money.
Once you're in the city, pick up a bunch of IO. It's a good mainstay salt that you won't go wrong with.

IO is good, why do you pay $140 for a bucket?
You could get 10 buckets shipped to where you are by greyhound possibly(not sure if they go to your area)
I guess were lucky we pay $35 for a bucket.

If you search for the previous 10 salt polls, you will in fact see that the majority of people use IO. 'Kien' apparently comes in as a close second though.

About the essential minerals.....is it a good idea to dose your NSW with CA/MG/ALK before adding it to your display tank? Sorry for getting off topic but I was going to post a new thread but saw "Salt" in the title and decided to post a newb question.

This is indeed a very common practice. A lot of people add trace elements to IO. In fact, a lot of people will add trace elements to other salt brands as well.

The other alternative is to add these trace elements straight into your main tank via dosing containers and a dosing pump.

I usually dose after a few hours of a wc to see what the whole water column is. This way I don't need to test DT and WC water.

+1 for this. Plus my salt is pretty high quality so I don't normal need to add anything besides a little magnesium. I will snow my tank after a WC to help with clarity and it gives a little boost to trace elements.

Which snow. :)

There is this thing called "freight" that the retailer keeps trying to explain to me. This "freight" is not only based upon space but also weight and unfortunately on the freight side of things, we don't add feathers to our water. Being a novelty item means no bulk discounts either.

That and the fact that they have us by the short and curlies up here.:cry:

Air freight is not cheap and I would still have to drive two hours to the airport. So that $20 frag becomes $75 by the time it reached my tank.

So yes, you are VERY fortunate to live where you do. The sheer selection and ability to trade frags makes me bawl on a daily basis.