Disappointed in BioActif

[Mental1]

Anyone else finding the parameters of the Bio Actif salt are completely off? That Alk and CA are very low? I am paying $90 a bucket for this salt and having to add baking soda. I have always used TM salt and have always had great results and stability. My ALk in my tank was down to 5! And yes I have a calcium reactor. At first I thought it was problems with my calcium reactor but then I started testing newly mixed salt and found that it was very low. Really upset with Tropic Marin. They have let me down. And yes the surface is agitated, I have added air and heat and it makes no difference. And yes the water is tested after mixing for 24 hours.

[HighlandReefer]

What are you using to test your salinity and what salinity level do you maintain?

If your salinity is lower then you think, this can result in lower alk, calcium and mag levels.

Swing arm hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate. ;)

[maysorum]

Also, do you agitate your bucket of salt before using?

[ronharel]

what is the temp. of the changing water?
it's an important parameter as well for getting the right readings

[Mental1]

I calibrated my refractometer, 1.026, when I heated the water it did not make a difference, and the alk issue was present throughout the whole bucket.

[HighlandReefer]

Did you use pure water or a proper seawater standard to calibrate with. Pure water can be off for this purpose. :)

[Mental1]

I used pure water. Even if it is off by a little bit in terms of salinity -- 6.5 is pretty low for Alk. I am mixing some right now and I will make up a salt water standard if that is needed to hear that this problem is significant and it has to do with the salt and not me! One other person in my area also found that both alk and ca were low. I have used TM for years and have never had a problem with it mixing or with parameters. Just curious if anyone else has seen the same thing.

[Neptune_Fan]

sounds like if you and someone else in your area are having the same issues that you got a bad batch in your market.

[bertoni]

Using pure water can be a fair amount off:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php

6.5 is close to natural saltwater levels, so even a 10% difference upward would put the salt in the normal range for alkalinity. What's the calcium level?

[dieselkeeper]

I had issues a month or so ago. I had 2 buckets of TM salt test bad. Alk was the same as yours. I first had problems with the pro and then the regular TM salt. I lost some corals due to my stupidity and not testing the water before using it. I always had high parameters and got lazy and stopped testing the new water, because I trusted TM salt. Bring this issue to attention to where you brought the salt from, you may be able to swap it out for some other salt.

[this is me]

Hi Sherri,
I don't use Bio-Actif but I'm having the same problem in TM-Pro. I talked with Brendon about it and he mentioned your name so I assume you bought it at the same place.
Please see my thread.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1971241
The first bucket I got test ALK at 7dKH, the second bucket I got tested 5dKH. I haven't gotten a chance to talked with Brendon on another return. It just that I'm in northern MA(closer to NH) and getting into Boston is a PITA even on the weekend. Not to mention I'm lugging this heavy bucket back and forth and up and down the stair. I'm planning to just swap out the salt with Coralife or something else.

Trust me, it's not the way you mix it. It just a bad batch. It's not too hard to mix saltwater especially you've been in this hobby for over 5 years.

[Mental1]

Nick -- Did you see my thread on BRS? I have been going back and forth with Brenden too as yes -- I bought it in the salt buy. So it sounds like it is across the board affecting all of their salt. Wow -- that's disappointing. I have always trusted TM. It also sounds like it is not just the Boston market if Dieselkeeper had an issue -- he's in LA. Yea -- I lost some corals too because you get complacent when using a supposedly good salt and a calcium reactor. But those water changes can deplete things quickly and the CA reactor can't keep up. Is there anyway to get someone from TM to respond I wonder?

[Mental1]

Oh -- I just went to your thread and saw that Hans is looking at that thread. Thanks - I will post there.