RED SEA'S
PREMIUM SALTS

Why are so many hobbyists successful with Red Sea’s premium salts?

The answer lies in a combination of a rich natural ingredient, scientific innovation based on three decades of research, and uncompromising responsibility.

The source of our salt comes from the Red Sea, a protected inlet of the Indian Ocean lying between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. This is one of the most barren regions on earth, but beneath the blue waters is an unusual oasis of living creatures, reefs, and coral formations. Our premium salts are made from sodium chloride harvested from the living coral reef itself – resulting in an unparalleled homogeneity of all trace elements in every single grain.

Thanks to our long-term ongoing research on the needs of corals, we have discovered that natural seawater is simply not enough to maintain a stable artificial reef environment. Aquariums lack the vast replenishing resources of the ocean, thereby requiring an elemental boost on our end. Furthermore, our research has shown that only a very specific ratio between the foundation elements will provide sustained growth and a healthy coral skeleton. We therefore formulate both our salts in accordance to these ratios, with balanced and elevated levels of the foundation elements.

Our strict ICP-tested quality control adds the final touch, guaranteeing a homogeneity and continuity from one salt mix to the next.

How we harvest our salts:

The pristine water of the Red Sea is transferred through several shallow ponds, undergoing a natural evaporation process under the desert sun. In the first pond, the seawater reduces its natural salinity level from 40 ppt to approx. 250 ppt, removing all the calcium and metal residuals.

The evaporation continues in subsequent ponds, leading to the precipitation of sodium chloride, leaving other ions such as magnesium and potassium in a concentrated brine. During the final stage of the evaporation process, the sodium chloride is washed and dried, removing all remaining organic and inorganic impurities.

The result is immaculate white crystals of sodium chloride, comprising 45 of the elements naturally present in the Red Sea water. This element-enriched sodium chloride, free from excessive levels of heavy metals or organics, makes up over 72% of the contents of Red Sea Salts, delivering a level of homogeneity that is nearly impossible to match through artificial means.

Some more interesting facts:

Skeletogenesis

Corals build approximately 90% of their skeleton by combining calcium and carbonate ions from the water to form aragonite (CaCO₃). The rest of the skeleton is made up of magnesite (MgCO₃), strontianite (SrCO₃), calcite (a more brittle crystal structure of CaCO₃), CaF₂ and other minor and trace minerals. The foundation elements complement each other in the formation of corals skeleton. However, if not available in the correct ratio, one of them will quickly become the limiting factor of healthy coral growth.

Accelerated coral growth

Corals need to invest energy in transporting the elements necessary for skeletal growth from the surrounding water through their soft tissue. Elevated levels of the foundation elements create a more positive ionic pressure, making this process much more efficient (less energy required per gram of skeleton). Therefore balanced, elevated levels of the foundation elements will result in accelerated coral growth rates.

The effects of unbalanced foundation elements

In low levels of Mg_²+ and/or Sr_²+ coral skeleton will develop with a higher proportion of calcite, making it more brittle and more susceptible to damage, as low magnesium or high calcium levels may lead to alkalinity drops. High Alkalinity with calcium at saturation levels will cause precipitation, leading to low calcium levels.