Should I just start at 1-2 ppt on the salt and work up from there? Stupid question perhaps, but is there a "brand" of salt I should be using? Where would you look to acquire the right kind of salt?
1-2ppt to start OK. If it fluctuates a bit, that's OK. You can gradually increase/decrease. Won't hurt your fish, but your biofilter may have a WT? moment if it get's a radical spike. Did that oops, but it was only baitfish.
I like Kosher salt (I make pickles) without additives. You can use "non iodized" table salt. Many others out there as well.
The only two I have used were Kosher and Sea Salt. Sea Salt is expensive.
I'm working on a WE rig right now for next spring. I'll probably end up with 5000 dead 2-3" WE