Proof that Oceanic Salt is BAD!!!!

[tecoral]

I dont think anyone is trying to flame anyone else. Its just that there may be a problem with this salt or may not. I have had good luck myself but no matter. Lets put this thread to bed, its not doing anyone any good and Ive not seen any good solid info either way. Being a quality control issue there will most likley never be an explanation that will content the masses, especially with so many different batches over such a long period of time.

Use whatever salt you personally feel is best for you and your tank, thats all Im sayin.

 

[Snkcraz]

I go through 2 two hundred gallon buckets a week no problems here. I mix in two rubbermaid three hundred gallon mixing tubs. Anyone need buckets in nj $38.00

 

[gatohoser]

I agree tecoral. If 10 more people came on here and said my oceanic was fine it wouldn't change a thing. If 10 more people came on here and said it caused brown slime in my bucket nor would that. Here's what should come of this thread.

1. Know that there is a possible risk of buying oceanic salt at the moment.

2. If you are feeling like it is a minor risk or not a risk at all go for it.

3. If you are extremely worried, dont buy it.

.

(that will hopefuly be the thread-ending period until oceanic responds)

 

[wmam]

Like I have said weeks ago. I am continuing to use Oceanic even though I am one who believes that it is the problem. I am trying everything to keep the algae problem under control and to see what other effects I will see by using Oceanic. I agree with the post above as far as what people should do about whether to use or not to use but disagree with the right of others to post their conscience with-out the fear of having their thoughts and what they themselves deem to be facts discontinued. Same can be said about the various threads on RC as is the different channels on TV. If you don't like what your seeing then change the channel so I suggest go to a different thread. I for one have tried to e-mail as well as call Oceanic to ask questions to no avail. I am left to only wonder why I am not getting a responce. Until we get a responce from the manufacture, there is little to nothing we can do but continue to try to find the answers ourselves and discuss them here.

 

[gatohoser]

I don't mean to say "pipe down" to everyone. I'm saying no more "mine's good", "mine's bad". Doesn't accomplish anything. As for theories i think we're pretty limited of any new ideas to explain this but hey! If you got an IDEA go ahead!

 

[scotty1234]

I kind of liked the idea of everyone who is experiencing problems with the salt to post their batch #. Maybe it was a bad batch and we can narrow it down a little by that. Mine was 3509.

 

[wmam]

scotty1234,

I wish I knew what all the batch numbers are but I buy my saltwater from a LFS and they don't believe the things that are being said so I would probally have a hard time getting that info from them. That is why I am in the process of setting my own RO/DI unit up to make my own. I hate having to be so dependent on a retailer. Never again!!!!!!!!!!

I sent you a PM on the RASOC Board but I guess you haven't seen it yet.

 

[scotty1234]

You should check out FilterDirect on Ebay if you're looking for a good unit at a better price. Personally, I wouldn't buy water from an lfs, you put yourself at their mercy. Not to mention whatever salt they decide to use (they don't tell you), and whatever sg they decide to mix it as. There are to many unstable variables there that would concern me. Just get a big container (rubbermaid trash cans work fine), a strong powerhead to circulate the water, an air stone to aerate, and you might want to use a thermometer too. You're going to end up with a lot more water, at a fraction of the cost you're paying at the lfs, and twice as good water.

 

[melev]

Unsubscribing now. If you guys have any real information, PM me.

 

[ebacon]

Marc,

Im surprised you waited this long. This thread has been dead for well over a week. The only reasoin I can justify coming back is it is kind of like a freight train wreck. You dont want to look but you just cant help yourself. (and if its a Union Pacific car headed from Mexico you might just dig up some free beer;-)

 

[chevegan]

did you try running a test with just RODI and then one with some other brand? If not you really didn't do a complete test

 

[flaunt]

I know this thread isn't really going anywhere, but I wanted to follow up by saying that I let the gallon of oceanic that I mixed up sit in the sunlight for 3 days and it never developed any algae growth or anything. The water is just very slightly discolored for some reason, which is a little odd, but not as disturbing as what happened to mojodeli's water. I just tested the calcium and alkalinity levels and found calcium to be 640-660ppm, while alkalinity was 2.80 meq/L. These levels are way out of whack. I've heard that you can raise alkalinity with baking soda, but I've never tried it. If you raise the alkalinity in that way, will it help bring down the calcium level to something more reasonable? If I could even get elevated alkalinity levels in line with the elevated calcium levels, I could just do water changes to maintain the calcium and alkalinity rather than using B-Ionic.

 

[BIGGUN]

I am using Oceanic and am almost done with a 200 gal bucket. The ease of mixing is nice, and the raised Ca is a plus in my eyes.
I am using it in my 90 gal reef and my 45 gal seahorse tank.

The problem I'm having is in keeping the Alk up. Freshly mixed it seems to be around 7. I buffer it up with part 2 ofrecipe1 of Randy's 2 part to get it to 12. The Ca is good, the PH is then a little high (8.4ish). Then do my water changes with it. In the system I have to add about 100 ml of part 2 and 50-60 ml of part 1 daily to keep the Alk at 11-12 and the Ca at 450-480. If I miss a day the Ca still tests good but the Alk will dive to 7-8.

This seems extreme to me and is a problem that I didn't encounter with IO or Reef Crystals. Not to mention the Alk & PH fluctuation just in a 24 hr period between administering the additives. This constant slight swing has put a strain on my corals as they don't seem to be thriving as they once were.

As for the algea/slime thing my sand bed almost pulses with color , from pure white for a few days to redish brown for a few days and back again. This happens in both tanks. It can be explained as having to much of a bio load in my reef as I am heavy on the fish side. But My seahorse tank hardly has a HUGE load with 3 feeding station trained erectus, some snails, and a few peppermint shrimp. This wasn't occurring with the other salts but it isn't a major issue now as it is so slight.

All in all I think I will go back to IO. Supplementing Ca when mixing new salt is a small price to pay to have my alk and PH stable again.

Kevin

 

[selgado]

Well looks like I spoke to soon. I chimed in my .02 that I have been using oceanic problem free for 1 year. I'm nearing the bottom of a 200 gallon bucket mix and guess what, anyone?... anyone? That's right! slime algae starting to form on the tips of my sps. Heavier than usual brown algae on the glass. Brown gunk in my mixing bucket - this time I let it mix for a week before doing a water change. Usually I only let it mix for 24 hours max and never see brown gunk. Like alot of people, I hesitate to crucify oceanic but, I have changed nothing about my system. 1 year ago I changed from IO to oceanic, but that was it.

 

[Reefmaniac1]

I may be switching salts before long...I'll finish out the bucket I'm using but I don't think that I'll be replacing it with another Oceanic. Might be time to go back to Reef Crystals.

 

[woowoodengy]

just more fuel for the fire (inferno) lol

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=4528645#post4528645

 

[flaunt]

I got some IO several days ago and measured the CA and Alk. The CA was around 340ppm and the Alk was like 5.9 meq/L or thereabouts (recalling from memory since I don't have the numbers in front of me right now). The Oceanic had a CA level of about 650 and Alk of 2.8 meq/L. I figured out that if I use 75% IO and 25% Oceanic, the resulting mix should be CA ~500 and Alk ~4.something. Both values are on the high end but are in proportion according to Randy's Calcium and Alkalinity Balance Chart, which I've been using for awhile. I figure if I do water changes with the new mix at an interval yet to be determined, I won't need to dose B-Ionic anymore. Plus, I'm spreading the "bad salt" risk between two salts rather than just one. I did the first water change (13%) the other day.

 

[ebacon]

Sounds like an awfull lot of work for such a simple return.

 

[jkapit]

My tropic marine salt arrived today. Hopefully in a few weeks the brown slime is gone!

 

[MiddletonMark]

Plus, I'm spreading the "bad salt" risk between two salts rather than just one.

But you also are adding the `bad parts' of two salts instead of one, too.

It's not a crazy idea, I did it for a while with pretty good success [and nice #'s] ... but was too much of a pain I thought and I went back to IO, now RC [which tests quite good from my bag with Ca425, Alk 10.5 dKh, Mag 1350]. But that's with the `new style' bag ... tested a friend's new RC ASW the other day [old bag style?] that had a Mag of 1100

Just my experience on it ...