Reef nutrition

Check your Reef Crystals Salt!

Mr. Ugly

Past President
Manufacturer has confirmed low Ca and Mg levels.

I'll contact them and DF&S to see if there are any other problems with the salt.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1285879

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1270094

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1265348

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1274357
 
FWI saw, the low levels aren't dangerously low, just low yeah? If that's right, I am not going to worry too much about the 3 buckets I have left. :D

Did you send in a sample?
 
Quadruple checking with new test kits before I send the salt in.

I think I saw 900ppm Mg on some tests I did with Seachem the other day.

I like the Seachem Reefstatus Mg test, btw. First time to use them. More work, but the design of the test should give better results than Salifert or Elos.
 
checked my ca with elos kit and it was 350. I called DR fostersmith and informed them and they are sending me some ca supplements. but they want a sample of my reef crystal salt for giving me the ca supplements. FYI
 
As they should. The potential for abuse is HUGE here.
 
Just sent them an email. Tested my bucket, bought from Drs. back in late May 2007, and had low Ca and Mg levels. Thought it wouldn't affect me due to the order date, but guess not.
 
From what I know, The people that makes reefcrystal is working out a deal with dr Foster and smith to make this right so I think if you bought reef crystal because you thought it has the right level of cal and mag for your tank then you are entitle to get it replaced for free. If you can prove that you bought it then you can have it replaced, their is no such thing as people abusing anything. They are lucky that they are not getting sue
 
Sued over what? They make no claims and as such don't have to really offer any exchange (no claim, no liability). Now that wouldn't be good business, but legally they have no reason to send anyone squat.

The law doesn't give a hoot about consumer ignorance, which they would deem as being the case if one brought such a suit forth. Just because you thought something was claimed does not entitle you to sue a manufacturer over your false assumptions thankfully.

You so miss read my comment and did not apply what I said to the poster above me of which I was replying to ;) Dudley said they required a sample to be sent back, hence my comment "As they should. The potential for abuse is huge". With no sample any Joe Schmoe could get a bucket sent to him.
 
Yup. I applaud them for taking the initiative to correct for it. I'm sending them couple cups of salt once I get the return label for testing.
 
I just tested my new bucket I just opened. 900 mag (salifert), 300 calcium (salifert), and 9 kH. @ 1.025 salinity with a calibrated refractometer.
 
[quote author=iani link=topic=2773.msg29608#msg29608 date=1199987881]
I just tested my new bucket I just opened. 900 mag (salifert), 300 calcium (salifert), and 9 kH. @ 1.025 salinity with a calibrated refractometer.
[/quote]

Ah... ok, so not just me then... especially on the Mg. That *is* dangerously low on Mg.

Especially dangerous for the folks that had been ok all along relying on just water changes for maintaining levels.

If you don't take the chem geek approach, and your corals don't look happy, the first thing you do is do a big water change :(

I've lost blastos and other LPS when Mg got down that far before.
 
900ppm MG @ 1.025 is only off by like 200ppm though, right? Should be at around 1280ppm @ 1.0264 (35ppm) to be NSW levels.
 
GRes, here is the statement on their website:

"Enriched formulation. Optimum effectiveness. Formulated specially for use in reef aquariums, Reef Crystals contains essential ocean reef elements in concentrations greater than those found in natural sea water: - Extra Calcium to help ensure the growth of large and small polyp stony corals as well as coralline algae; - Extra Trace Elements to provide an additional measure of vital nutrients; - Extra Vitamins to ensure vigorous growth and survival of corals, anemones and other invertebrates in a captive environment; - Metal Detoxifier - to neutralize traces of heavy metal often present in domestic water supplies."



This means its false advertising if those elements are grossly lower than NSW would you agree ? They promise you all of these extra stuff so you would spend more money to go buy the reef crystal instead of the IO and then find out that the elements are much lower then they claimed then that can be ground for a law suit. Some people can potentialy loose some expensive corals out of this. Not to mention the large bussinesses.
 
Well, I didn't even go by what their ads say. I went by what I used to measure from RC, and at least from January through November of 2006, there were buckets going out with low Mg and Ca, and some of the most recent buckets look to be at 900ppm Mg which is really good for killing blastos, cynarinas, and euphyllids.
 
[quote author=northbay-reefer link=topic=2773.msg29645#msg29645 date=1200009116]
GRes, here is the statement on their website:

"Enriched formulation. Optimum effectiveness. Formulated specially for use in reef aquariums, Reef Crystals contains essential ocean reef elements in concentrations greater than those found in natural sea water: - Extra Calcium to help ensure the growth of large and small polyp stony corals as well as coralline algae; - Extra Trace Elements to provide an additional measure of vital nutrients; - Extra Vitamins to ensure vigorous growth and survival of corals, anemones and other invertebrates in a captive environment; - Metal Detoxifier - to neutralize traces of heavy metal often present in domestic water supplies."



This means its false advertising if those elements are grossly lower than NSW would you agree ? [/quote]

Not necessarily. Its only false advertising if they were doing it on purpose. So far it seems they are addressing the issue. :D

They promise you all of these extra stuff so you would spend more money to go buy the reef crystal instead of the IO and then find out that the elements are much lower then they claimed then that can be ground for a law suit. Some people can potentialy loose some expensive corals out of this. Not to mention the large bussinesses.

A suit would only be credible if you could show they did it on purpose. You seem to be supposing nefarious intent, but I haven't seen anything that points to this just being a mistake. :D
 
It would seem like Aquarium Systems should have at least been a little more careful in testing their product before packaging and sending it to their distributers. How hard is it to perform a test on each batch to ensure QC. I applaud dr foster and smith to their handling of the situation. But I don't know if I can trust Aquarium Systems for putting out salt that never should have seen the light of day. They shouldn't have to address the issue because it shouldn't have happened in the first place. What about negligence on the part of Aquarium Systems, I'm sure some blame can be placed there.
 
Rich, as long as they are taking care of the problem then that is fine, but intent and doing things on purpose is just a measure of the degree of the crime :D I am standing with Iani on this one "negligent" :D :D
 
Back
Top