Bad batch of Instant Ocean

[Van down by the river]

I think you just got a rare bad bucket.
My sympathies to you.
I've mixed many thousands of gallons over the last 13 years. I've never had any problems.

I've used KENT and IO...if I remember correctly, they are quite comparable and may even be manufactured at the same facilities.

For all the people that say Kent is better than IO, I doubt that there is much difference.
Are they made at the same factory? Yes, this is true, Kent is manufactured by IO. per personal communication from various IO reps.

The salt is processed with all the same major elements. Kent supplies the minor trace elements to IO for final mixing. The idea is that there can be no conflict of interest in salt recipes on behalf of IO, if they don't know the exact final mix Kent uses. So they may even be the same.

[Jack]

I'm thinking maybe there was a concentration of buffer in the few cups that you used...?

I'm on my 5th bucket of IO and have never had a problem with it or my reef tank.

It might be an idea to do smaller more frequent water changes in the future

[robbyville]

There's an interesting link on Reef Central that Meg started. Apparently he is not the only one with this problem. One of the folks also sent a sample to Randy of RC, with some extremely interesting results!

What I find so darn strange is the apparent randomness of people's problems. Based upon megadolon's posts I purchased the same salt within a day or two of his and have not had any problems...weird!

You don't have to read the entire 5 pages but here is a link to the last one!

Happy reading,

Rob

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...75#post1833275

[smokinreefer]

i have a 30 gallon waterchange ready to go right now...
my IO pail is just about empty...
i gotta go get another bucket...
*crosses fingers*

[Megalodon]

Randy Holmes-Farley tested my salt today.

His results: Water clear at first, then very cloudy, dKH of 37. Thomas on RC had salt with a dKH of 95! Then the pH of the solution rapidily begins falling below 7.7 as hours of mixing progress.

I want everyone who has had the same experience to please come forward either on this thread or the one on RC. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...17#post1857017

Bob from Aquarium Systems phoned me today to express his empathy over the bad batch. He wants samples from everyone affected:

Bob Studt
1-800-822-1100 Ext. 22

Aquarium Systems
8141 Tyler Bvld.
Mentor, Ohio
11060
Att. Bob

[Acro]

Well, certainly sounds like Aquarium Systems is having some major quality control issues. With all the talk I figured I better check. I havn't got it were the mixed salt heavily clouds the water but have on occassion noticed were it would seem like calcium pricipation on the sides of my mixing pail. With this test (done twice) I measured a dkh of 32. I have used some of the bucket already with no visual ill effects. With this bucket the most I've changed is 20 gal on a system containing about 180 gallons total water volume. So I'm sure many others have had issues but have not noticed. Very disappointing to hear. I would strongly encurage everyone on this board to at least measure the alk of newly mixed salt. I havn't read the whole threads either here or RC but would expect this to be a larger concern on small systems. Non the less a concern Aquarium Systems better resolve. Please post your results.

[Samw]

And this was the clearer of the 2 mixes that he mixed.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=251507

I'm seriously thinking of trying Aquacraft now. A number of people at nanoreef.com has been getting good results. I like the fact that Aquacraft puts batch ids on every bag of salt and they keep a sample of each batch at their lab for QC purposes.

[Dorkel Marine 1]

My present bag of I0 salt got all hard and crusty while I was on holidays. Could this just be from the open air getting to it. And if so is it safe. My first response is it should be ok. I aerate mine for about 24 hrs. before I do my monthly waterchange. Its a little scary because my two small tanks are starting to look like reef tanks and everything is going so well. I suppose I should get an ALK test kit and start checking. Or am I being a little paranoid.

George

[Samw]

George, if you've opened the bag and used the salt already with no problems, there's nothing to worry about. Do you seal your bag with elastics? If not, then moisture getting in could probably cause the salt to cake up. Not an issue.