Tropic Marine BIO-ACTIF Salt?

I am using TM Bio-actif on a 20g with excellent results with no skimmer, only chaeto on a reverse photo period.
My 2ft cube loves it too .


meep said:
Ok . Im about to start using tropic-marin salts in my biocube 8 . I dont have a skimmer but i am running a turf scrubber . I recently contacted tropic marin about bio-actif salt and received an answer very quickly . I am curious to hear other opinions on the subject . Is skimming necessary ? perhaps ill get a box of reef-actif and a box of pro reef and mix them in 1-3 ratio to see how it goes . One thing i love about 8 gallons .. I can get the best salt w/o spending a fortune . Does anyone here think a turf scrubber would remove the type of thing a skimmer would after adding bio-actif salt ?
Click to expand...
 
From another thread.

Toddrtrex said:
I tried it, and stopped using it after 3 weeks (( went back to my normal TM Pro )). While I don't have any real proof, I have a very very strong feeling that switching to that salt was the reason I lost 2 (( just lost the second one last night )) of my Haddonis. One, was new to one of my tanks for about a week when I started using it, 3 weeks later it was dead. In hindsight it took a turn for the worse when I started using it. The other Haddoni in that tank looked off, but had been established and was able to recover.

In my other tank, I lost my blue one last night. I had stopped using the salt 3 weeks ago, but the damage was already done. I had had that anemone for 4+ years, and had been a bit fickle for the last year (( after a stress induced spawning event )). I have another Haddoni in that tank, that like above looked off but seems to be getting better.

After talking to Randy in another thread is seems that the increased bacteria is too much for a new/stressed anemone to handle. And I have a feeling that if I had continued to use that salt my other 3 would have seen the same fate.

In my 75 (( which had the first one that died )), I have done large water changes (( with TM Pro )) and things are back to normal. In fact I was able to get another red Haddoni a week ago and it is settling in very nicely.

I should note that I didn't see any change in any of my SPS, but did notice increased growth in my algae (( both macro and nuisance )). IMO, the salt isn't worth it.
Click to expand...

I should add, that I did notice increased waste in my skimmer cups.
 
TMP was about 310 ppm I believe.

I'm skeptical. I expect most big name quality salt mixes are reasonably close to 400 ppm potassium or maybe higher if they intentionally boost it. If you got that data from the AWT salt test, I would not rely on it. I believe they may have a problem with potassium testing, giving numbers that are often if not always too low.
 
I was looking into this salt as well I was using Red sea pro but it used to leave a slim coating on everything (on the pumps heaters) but was trying to justify $200 for a 750L bucket I have a 400L system so it should last a while but it does look like it is a great salt.
I was also looing at running th NP bio pellets and seeing if anybody is having issues using the bio pellets and TM bio actif salt together

Cheers

Rob
 
2nd day on this salt and the first thing to note is the clarity in my water. will update after 3 water changes
 
I've been using TMP Bio Actif salt for two months and stopped vinegar and vodka additions since I was getting a few patches of cyano and my skimmate production has been higher than when I had been dosing vinegar (with kalk) and vodka before switching to this salt (was a long time user of Reef Crystals). I have noticed a change in my acro colors, all of the Acropora have noticeably deeper colors. Frankly, however, I don't know if this can be attributed to the salt. Whenever I get a new toy, be it a skimmer, reactor, or expensive salt, I tend to give the tank more attention. I've been skimming wetter and more consistently (thanks to having replaced my meshwheel with a Red Demon pinwheel) and have been doing more frequent water changes (probably "wanting" to see an effect from the salt - a dangerous mindset for objective observation). It is a very tricky thing to attribute improvements in one's system when you start looking for them, and (subconciously) want to justify having spent what to most seem ridiculous $$$s. About the only thing I can say with reasonable confidence about this salt is that there is indeed some additive that supports bacterial growth (for all I know it could be sucrose), and that at the least it does not impair my system. The only way to truly test it is to run identical, parallel systems changing one parameter at a time, and none of us (not even manufacturers apparently - though this could be a great marketing angle) can do this. When enough users switch to this salt, then perhaps some reliable conclusions can be drawn. But in the meantime, I'm going to continue using this salt as I am pleased with my Acropora colors and all of the other livestock is doing as well as before the salt switch.
 
@ 1.026 i got these, anyone else get a low mg? i tested with salifert

ca - 460
dkh - 7
mg - 1280
ph - 8.3
 
I'm mixing up 20 gallons right now, should be doing a water change tomorrow.... I'm hoping to get some decent results, although I wont hold my breath until a second or third water change.... :beer:
 
sarathai said:
I was looking into this salt as well I was using Red sea pro but it used to leave a slim coating on everything (on the pumps heaters) but was trying to justify $200 for a 750L bucket I have a 400L system so it should last a while but it does look like it is a great salt.
I was also looing at running th NP bio pellets and seeing if anybody is having issues using the bio pellets and TM bio actif salt together

Cheers

Rob
Click to expand...

I am using NP bio pellets and using TM bio actif together and have been doing so since Jan.2010 and have not encountered any issues as of today. One thing I had to do was dial my skimmer down because it was skimming like crazy, I meant to the point of over running.
 
I am into my second bucket and consistently test 1380 to 1420 on mg .
[ Salifert and Elos ]
I always roll the bucket on it's side really well before using the salt just to be sure it is uniformly mixed.
Have you tested another batch yet to see if it still comes up low ?
I have found all parameters to be spot on every time.

nikesb said:
@ 1.026 i got these, anyone else get a low mg? i tested with salifert

ca - 460
dkh - 7
mg - 1280
ph - 8.3
Click to expand...
 
I've got a bucket on the way too. I've started cutting back on the vinegar dosing just to avoid having too much organics in the water, not sure if that is necessary or not though.
 
smsreefer said:
I am into my second bucket and consistently test 1380 to 1420 on mg .
[ Salifert and Elos ]
I always roll the bucket on it's side really well before using the salt just to be sure it is uniformly mixed.
Have you tested another batch yet to see if it still comes up low ?
I have found all parameters to be spot on every time.
Click to expand...

the first time i tested a week ago i had 1440, so i will make sure to shake the box before i make water, thanks
 
soulsigma said:
I am using NP bio pellets and using TM bio actif together and have been doing so since Jan.2010 and have not encountered any issues as of today. One thing I had to do was dial my skimmer down because it was skimming like crazy, I meant to the point of over running.
Click to expand...

Brilliant Thanks mate
I should be getting the pellets shortly.

Cheers

Rob
 
badonkadonk said:
I have noticed a change in my acro colors, all of the Acropora have noticeably deeper colors. Frankly, however, I don't know if this can be attributed to the salt. Whenever I get a new toy, be it a skimmer, reactor, or expensive salt, I tend to give the tank more attention. ... (probably "wanting" to see an effect from the salt - a dangerous mindset for objective observation). It is a very tricky thing to attribute improvements in one's system when you start looking for them, and (subconciously) want to justify having spent what to most seem ridiculous $$$s.
Click to expand...

Great points!
How many times have we read "My ______ has never looked better!"
:worried:

I think we'd all love to see a bit more of a scientific testing of this (with decent controls), with some before/after observations (pictures).
 
well i havent changed anything else in my tank and there is a noticeable difference in some of my sps, not all though. i just finished my second week. im experiencing clumping sand, anyone else getting this?
 
Did a 20 percent water change yesterday.

Noticeable difference in several LPS colonies that I have never noticed after a water change using other salts (IO, TM Pro, Coralife).

Much better polyp extension on a few Favia.
One Lobo was feeding during the day. Never saw that before.

No other changes to the system.

Just my observations.
 
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