I was doing some reading for a project I am working on for a client and stumbled across something new on the SeaChem’s website. Admittedly the entire site appears to be new, at least to my fuzzy memory, but some things I am certain are different.
For one there is now a MSDS available for PhosGuard, something I had not seen in the past.
Secondly there used to be a blurb written about how some claims on the forums had said that PhosGuard released aluminum in the tank which harms Sarcophyton corals and they said they kept a tank with PhosGuard being used on it and thriving Sarcophyton. That appears to be gone and a new blurb has been posted. It appears to have been a copied statement perhaps once used in a forum where someone accused them of false advertising because the product couldn’t possibly release nothing into the water.
As soon as anything bad is said about any product on the internet that information is passed around over and over again and significantly damages the reputation of a product. I know at least several people in this club use this product and I thought they may be interested.
I wondered for a little while if they had yanked the product. It wasn’t listed under “Marine” or “Reef” on their main products page or under their “Saltwater” section. I did finally find the product after searching for it and later found it listed under “Filtration”.
I still go back and forth with my own tanks and what I recommend.(GFO vs Aluminum oxide) You hear down sides to each. GFO can be a pain to rinse and some say it appeared to bother their clams. Rummer exists about Aluminum oxide as well and it supposedly doesn’t pull as much out of the water as GFO. For time being I either rotate or us a little of each.
I have heard reference to that article, but never ready it fully myself. Good link Tim.
PVC pipes can be bad for human health and marine organisms. Carbon dust thrown directly at a coral will cause it to close up. Copper can kill any inverts of fish if used in too high a concentration, but it is in a good salt mix and used by some animals. Kalk can out right chemically burn an coral to death, but what does it contain which is harmful?
Sometimes hobbyist over analyze things they don’t really understand.
i was impressed to see that their new salt out actually has a full analysis done by an outside company for every batch of salt produced and packed up. exact numbers that can be expected from each bucket if mixed to 35ppm. downside is… they r only selling it in 225gal buckets and 1100 gal drums right now. tough to do some trial and error having to buy such a large quantity.
I have always been pretty impressed with SeaChem products. they have sound chemical systems to make things as simple as possible for the reefer. I have found Their Reps at TFP sales to be very knowlegable. When i used their stuff exclusively i had very good results without even knowing why. It took me a while to appreciate the effectiveness of their chem systems after i switched to DIY stuff. lots of trial and error on my part to get back to ground zero.
I used their aluminum oxide Phosguard for many years and never noticed any harm except maybe a little sting when first adding a new batch without rinsing. but that is the same for any phos zorber. Now i use GFO. and occasionally a really dilute solution of Lanthanum Chloride, WITH EXTREME CARE, to knock out that extra bit of Phosphate to very low levels. But thats another story in itself.
[quote=“fishguy9, post:5, topic:3671”]
i was impressed to see that their new salt out actually has a full analysis done by an outside company for every batch of salt produced and packed up. exact numbers that can be expected from each bucket if mixed to 35ppm. downside is… they r only selling it in 225gal buckets and 1100 gal drums right now. tough to do some trial and error having to buy such a large quantity.[/quote]
hey bj, i got a bucket of the aquavitro. tested at 10 dkh, which is higher than their label at 8.5. what else i really like is the per gallon price, very comparable to reefcrystals [$.43 vs $.40], and i am using about 20grams less for each 3 gallon w/c to get the same 1.0255 s.g. it is a bit too cloudy when first mixed up, which is my only issue, but in 24 hrs it’s clear as any other brand ive tried.
im glad it worked for ya paul… i know the alk was a concern of yours. ive noticed it being abnormally HOT if u get the powder on wet hands. i know salt is generally warm when first wet, but this stuff is pretty potent! lol
More heat of hydration is just an indication of how much Anhydrous salts they use, rather than the hydrated salts. Hydration is a chem reaction that releases heat when combining with the salt to make a bigger molecule. its like the difference between Dow flake(hydrated CaCl) and peladow(Anhydrous CaCl) a pound of the flake will have less calcium in it because about 23% of the bulk salt weight is now water in the crystal. anhydrous is only about 2-5% hydrated when we get it and thus more concetrated in calcium. ergo you use about 20% less for the same calcium bump.
i figure a salt mix made with hydrated salts will require more grams of the salt mix to make your target specific gravity. Hydrated salts cost a bit less because they require less processesing and have less of the salt. its like adding starch to a gravy to bulk it out.