What is a good product to make artificial seawater, that is easy to use and
can be used buy a moron like me. I want to use it for seahorses, I live in
Perth Western Australia and am desperate to find something, that isn't going
to cost me an arm and leg, I'm am married with three children and we survive
on a disability pension, we do not have very much disposable income.

I on the other hand am going to stear you away from natural sea water, while it is cheaper
to start, seahorses are prone to bacterial infections and parasites that are not as easy
to remove as the more normal reef fish, while you can still go down that road, you will
want to do a few things before using the water, including keeping it in a dark container
for 4~6 weeks. that and a UV steralizer wouldnt be a bad addition, though if you move
around your holding water just a UV light will do the job but MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that
no one will ever see that light, the cost of a UV light in the correct spectrum and half
descent wattage will only run about $6usd when we buy UV steralizers for tanks they dont
use the cheapest bulb, or even the best bulb, they are required to work in confines you
wont be required to work with. though as a reminder I am sugesting you stay away from NSW

Is there no general consensus on the best product?????

no there is no such thing as a general consensus of a best seasalt mix, so pick the
cheapest for where you are, buy it, and sit back and watch the seahorses , the end
reality is if you buy any sea salt mix, they will do just fine for seahorses, maybee not
the best for certain corals, but seahorses will do fine.

I want to set this up for my family as a special present, because they do
without so much.

as for budget concerns if you havent started may I suggest dwarf seahorses, there much
easier to care for, and require much smaller tanks, I dont know of availability in
austrailia, but they are much cheaper here also at bout $6/12(WC/CB) each course that is
in USD.

I need some help as no-one I have spoken too can offer the right knowledge
without putting down the information, someone else has told me.

unfortunately no one can tell you something, without risking "putting down the
information, someone else has told me" because you havent told us what that someone said,
that someone might have very well given you acurate data, that people in the US cant
consider for there own use.

HTH

--
richard reynolds