Tropic Marin Pro reef Issues | Condensed Threads

[dz6t]

The test results you showed is not a good result by any means. If that is your current water in your tank, I would run activated carbon immediately and starting water change with another salt.
Depending on which ICP service you use, you should not get detectable level of copper as the hobby grade ICP test should not detect copper if copper is at the level where it should be.

 

[thrillreefer]

here is my icp I just got back of TMP system. check out the red boxes I made

2 ppb Uranium! Is this typical?

 

[Chris.sturgis]

This is my 2 cents coming from a environmental background, this is my opinion only so take it or leave it. Looking at those results (ones outlined) they are even below drinking water standards for the epa, that being said Icp tests are only as good as the quality assurance that the lab complies too. Im not sure if the typical of the shelf saltwater test kit labs have any state/federal licenses(probably not) but if you were to go to a local testing company ie (test America, eurofins, con test) they have to get certified by state and federal regulating agencies and perform QA tests to ensure compliance which makes them a much more reliable source. Unfortunately a lot of these labs are comecial use only and can be very expensive if you are not running frequent tests. Even the best labs also run into issue with samples containing high sodium chloride concentrations and require special attention. Another common issue with labs equipment is coper contamination so that is unfortunate for us, trip blanks are alway a must, be weary and pay close attention to lab qa information if you see anything out of the norm ask questions to the lab.

 

[Cpage101]

The test results you showed is not a good result by any means. If that is your current water in your tank, I would run activated carbon immediately and starting water change with another salt.
Depending on which ICP service you use, you should not get detectable level of copper as the hobby grade ICP test should not detect copper if copper is at the level where it should be.

I am running activated carbon. I just received my new bucket of brightwell neomarine which I am going to mix up and do many 20G water chances a few days apart

 

[ChrisV]

here is my icp I just got back of TMP system. check out the red boxes I made

Have you done ICP testing in the past? It would be very interesting to compare old results with new. From the photos you post your tank looks amazing.

I was just looking back at @highfive52 post from a couple of months ago that documents high levels of some of these in post RO filtered water in our area...it was an extremely alarming thread since we also drink the water. I wonder if any of this is coming from your (our?!) RODI or if this is all from TM salt.

Maybe I should leave this here:

 

[Chris.sturgis]

2 ppb Uranium! Is this typical?

Uranium is a natural occurring element and 2ppb is within range. Just looked at the lab repot that Cpage101 shared again and typically labs will show minimum detection limits but I don’t see any. No lab can detect down to 0.

 

[Cpage101]

Have you done ICP testing in the past? It would be very interesting to compare old results with new. From the photos you post your tank looks amazing.

I was just looking back at @highfive52 post from a couple of months ago that documents high levels of some of these in post RO filtered water in our area...it was an extremely alarming thread since we also drink the water. I wonder if any of this is coming from your (our?!) RODI or if this is all from TM salt.

Maybe I should leave this here:

The attached is my test result from TMP before they had a shortage. the test I posted prior is from a bucket from Germany which I never noticed but it had high amounts of Tin

back in August when I first started using this bucket

 

[ChrisV]

The attached is my test result from TMP before they had a shortage. the test I posted prior is from a bucket from Germany which I never noticed but it had high amounts of TinView attachment 172383 back in August when I first started using this bucket

Wow. That's pretty amazing. Does the ICP company share QC info? This is all very consistent with what others are seeing, but it's amazing to me that the Cadillac of salt brands has screwed up so badly. Ugh. Part of me really wants this to be some sort of machine maintenance issue from the ICP folks but it sure doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[highfive52]

Wow. That's pretty amazing. Does the ICP company share QC info? This is all very consistent with what others are seeing, but it's amazing to me that the Cadillac of salt brands has screwed up so badly. Ugh. Part of me really wants this to be some sort of machine maintenance issue from the ICP folks but it sure doesn't seem to be the case.

It's so sad. I tried and tried to blame everything on myself, it was something I did to cause this tank death NOPE, not me and TOMMORROW IS NEW SALT WATER CHANGE. The first 35g of neomarine mixing for 24 hours and then tested to adjust anything. It can only go up from here. It's killing me to wait knowing what's in my tanks. Positive vibes.

 

[highfive52]

2 ppb Uranium! Is this typical?

No

 

[ChrisV]

It's so sad. I tried and tried to blame everything on myself, it was something I did to cause this tank death NOPE, not me and TOMMORROW IS NEW SALT WATER CHANGE. The first 35g of neomarine mixing for 24 hours and then tested to adjust anything. It can only go up from here. It's killing me to wait knowing what's in my tanks. Positive vibes.

I wonder if bulk reef will stop pushing this product so hard.

Good luck with your recovery.

 

[dz6t]

This is my 2 cents coming from a environmental background, this is my opinion only so take it or leave it. Looking at those results (ones outlined) they are even below drinking water standards for the epa, that being said Icp tests are only as good as the quality assurance that the lab complies too. Im not sure if the typical of the shelf saltwater test kit labs have any state/federal licenses(probably not) but if you were to go to a local testing company ie (test America, eurofins, con test) they have to get certified by state and federal regulating agencies and perform QA tests to ensure compliance which makes them a much more reliable source. Unfortunately a lot of these labs are comecial use only and can be very expensive if you are not running frequent tests. Even the best labs also run into issue with samples containing high sodium chloride concentrations and require special attention. Another common issue with labs equipment is coper contamination so that is unfortunate for us, trip blanks are alway a must, be weary and pay close attention to lab qa information if you see anything out of the norm ask questions to the lab.

Very well said, that is why I am only looking at certain metals and ignore the most. For ICP test for saltwater aquarium, data for several metal especially copper are carefully handled as those are most sensitive to reef hobbyists. I will take it as a grain of salt for Uranium data.

 

[dz6t]

Uranium is a natural occurring element and 2ppb is within range. Just looked at the lab repot that Cpage101 shared again and typically labs will show minimum detection limits but I don’t see any. No lab can detect down to 0.

For elements that below their detection limits, all 3 hobbyists grade ICP test companies will show 0.

 

[Chris.sturgis]

For elements that below their detection limits, all 3 hobbyists grade ICP test companies will show 0.

Thanks for the clarification. If I were these testing companies I would report out the minimum detection limit. These are typically reported out as less than the minimum detection, they are shown as Non Detect ND < (whatever the minimum detection limit is).

 

[highfive52]

WARNING FYI: Neomarine salt mixed to 6.5 dkh at 1.026. I truly believe we need to begin testing our new water. Safety first. Not a big ordeal to fix. But Glad I'm checking and rechecking. Don't want any issues. Been at this since 5 am. Blowing thru tests, super ocd after what's gone gone on. GONE ARE THE DAYS SALT MIXES TO THEIR SPECS. Mixing till 11 and then retesting all parameters in new mixed.

 

[PSU4ME]

Ouch. If I’m making a guess, which I am, the clay impurity messed up the calibration on their trace element additions….. it’s what people won’t catch or test for.

 

[ChrisV]

Ouch. If I’m making a guess, which I am, the clay impurity messed up the calibration on their trace element additions….. it’s what people won’t catch or test for.

That kind of a slip up is the thing we're trying to avoid when we pay the tropic marin premium for salt. Incredibly discouraging. Blah. Will we ever be able to trust them again?

 

[dz6t]

According to TM, they couldn’t reproduce the clay issue.

 

[dz6t]

Pro Reef salt from Turkey

I purchased them from BRS and they are from Turkey, so I am not sure where you get that BRS only carries from Germany. I have not switched as of yet, and, may not do so now. I think an earlier post said BRS was only going to sell the German produced salt going forward after TM’s announcement...

www.reef2reef.com

Post #509

 

[Cpage101]

WARNING FYI: Neomarine salt mixed to 6.5 dkh at 1.026. I truly believe we need to begin testing our new water. Safety first. Not a big ordeal to fix. But Glad I'm checking and rechecking. Don't want any issues. Been at this since 5 am. Blowing thru tests, super ocd after what's gone gone on. GONE ARE THE DAYS SALT MIXES TO THEIR SPECS. Mixing till 11 and then retesting all parameters in new mixed.

I always test alk now TMP mixes at 6.6 dkh when checked with hannah