Bioactive salts?

[Fsh]

Has anyone got any experience or knowledge of Tropic Marin’s ‘Bio-Actif‘ and ‘Syn-Biotic’ salts? They claim to have bacteria populations in them to benefit bio-diversity etc. Looking to change salts, wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze with either of these. Otherwise planning to go with Tropic Marin Pro-Reef.

 

[sfairtx]

Has anyone got any experience or knowledge of Tropic Marin’s ‘Bio-Actif’ ‘Bio-Actif‘ and ‘Syn-Biotic’ salts? They claim to have bacteria populations in them to benefit bio-diversity etc. Looking to change salts, wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze with either of these. Otherwise planning to go with Tropic Marin Pro-Reef.

I have been using Bio-Actif salt for a year now. Great salt. It’s for a low nutrient system. I have certainly noticed a difference in water quality and stability. Anecdotal at best, but it’s my salt of choice.

 

[Fsh]

What differences have you noticed? What makes it lower nutrients than their Pro-Reef Salt?

 

[Awesome Dennis]

Pro reef is recommended for use with a calcium reactor.

 

[Awesome Dennis]

Bioactif has more elements and minerals, more for 2-part/kalk.

 

[Fsh]

Thanks Dennis. It’s recommend for use with a calcium reactor but it’s not a requirement is it?

I don’t have any coral yet. What do you think is my best bet? Using Bio-Actif ready for them? I like the look of Pro-Reef from tests by BRSTV. It mixed (Fully) in the shortest amount of time (6 hours), and precipitated the least one four weeks.

 

[Awesome Dennis]

I use bioactif on my system after switching from fritz(I threw out 50% of a big bag - junk) and I’m super happy with it. My tank is 100% better health wise, my corals don’t die now and my mixing barrel isn’t 3 different brown colors AND fresh salt is mixed and clear in about 30 min @76F.
I dose 2 part on my system without a calcium reactor, I would suggest the actif if you have the same plan. There is also the regular classic sea salt version if you want good plain salt and then you can switch to actif once you are ready for corals.

 

[Awesome Dennis]

Pro-Reef doesn’t have the elements/minerals and mixed alk is lower than bioactif.
Calcium reactor Isn’t necessary but recomended according to directions. When I first changed to tropic marin I ordered pro reef not realizing the reactor part but the salt was still better than the fritz I had been using so it didn’t matter but I’ve since been ordering bioactif for my tank.
I’ve been getting “great juice for my squeeze”.

 

[Awesome Dennis]

@Lou Ekus
Anything I missed or screwed up?

 

[Fsh]

Great thanks, Dennis.

Okay, so I will have corals but am waiting a couple of months for tank to stabilise.

I will be running ZEOvit. Is bio-actif worth it if I’m running ZEOvit with all the additives?

If so my thought is to start with bioactive in my weekly water changes for the next two months, or do a large water change with this salt? So that it’s ready for when coral goes in?

Thanks Dennis.

 

[Awesome Dennis]

Honestly I’m not sure which type of tropic marin would be best if your running zeovit.
Hopefully Lou will jump in as he’s the TM rep.

 

[Fsh]

Ah, amazing. Thanks, for that and thanks for the help so far!

 

[Lou Ekus]

I will try to clear up some of the misunderstandings in this thread. But I encourage any of you that would like more information about these salts to call me in the office at 413-367-0101. There are so many points that are being batted around here. I'm not sure I will be able to hit all of them in a post.
1) Bio Actif System salt and the Syn-Biotic Salt both contain dormant bacterial components. Some of these are nitrifying, de-nitrifying, and purple bacteria. In case purple bacteria is new to your understanding, it is responsible for the metabolization of very toxic hydrogen sulfide (a byproduct of anaerobic activity) to the less toxic sulfur and sulfates.
2) Bio Actif System salt is not specifically designed for low nutrient systems. It can certainly be used in that situation, but is also very helpful in systems that are not specifically low nutrient.
3) The only reason that the package states that Pro-Reef salt is recommended for use with calcium rectors, is that in some cases of very long term usage of calcium rectors, the system will experience a very slow and gradual rise in alkalinity. The fact that Pro-Reef is our lowest alkalinity salt version, makes it most appropriate for that application. It is not primarily designed for that, and it is a very "fine" point. I wish we would take that off the label. It is very often proven to be confusing for aquarists. Natural sea water average alkalinity is about 6.5 dkh. Pro-Reef salt is generally in the 7-8 dkh range. This is optimum for some species of corals. But that is the only relation to calcium reactors.
4) Bio-Actif System salt does NOT have more elements and minerals in it. It is not specifically related to 2 part addition. The label does not say that. So I'm not sure where that is coming from. All Tropic Marin salt version have the same amount of the same NSW 70 trace elements in them. The Bio Actif System salt, the Sy-Biotic Salt AND the Pro-Reef ALL have the exact same amount of calcium and magnesium in them. The Bio Actif System salt and the Syn-Biotic salts both have one additional point of dkh in the formula, but are otherwise exactly the same mineral parameters as the Pro-Reef salt.
5) For a zeovit system, I would use the Pro-Reef salt, not the Bio-Actif System salt.
6) Pro-Reef DOES NOT have less mineral or trace elements than Bio-Actif System Salt or Syn-Biotic salt.
7) A calcium reactor is NOT "recommended" for using any of our salts. It's just that the Pro-Reef salt, with its lower alkalinity, is most appropriate in systems that might have some influencing factor for raising the alkalinity.

I hope this information is helpful and clears up some of the misunderstandings. But, once again, typing is not my forte. So the best way to get the most detailed information is to just give me a call in the office and talk it through.

 

[Fsh]

Very helpful, thank you Lou!

 

[sfairtx]

I will try to clear up some of the misunderstandings in this thread. But I encourage any of you that would like more information about these salts to call me in the office at 413-367-0101. There are so many points that are being batted around here. I'm not sure I will be able to hit all of them in a post.
1) Bio Actif System salt and the Syn-Biotic Salt both contain dormant bacterial components. Some of these are nitrifying, de-nitrifying, and purple bacteria. In case purple bacteria is new to your understanding, it is responsible for the metabolization of very toxic hydrogen sulfide (a byproduct of anaerobic activity) to the less toxic sulfur and sulfates.
2) Bio Actif System salt is not specifically designed for low nutrient systems. It can certainly be used in that situation, but is also very helpful in systems that are not specifically low nutrient.
3) The only reason that the package states that Pro-Reef salt is recommended for use with calcium rectors, is that in some cases of very long term usage of calcium rectors, the system will experience a very slow and gradual rise in alkalinity. The fact that Pro-Reef is our lowest alkalinity salt version, makes it most appropriate for that application. It is not primarily designed for that, and it is a very "fine" point. I wish we would take that off the label. It is very often proven to be confusing for aquarists. Natural sea water average alkalinity is about 6.5 dkh. Pro-Reef salt is generally in the 7-8 dkh range. This is optimum for some species of corals. But that is the only relation to calcium reactors.
4) Bio-Actif System salt does NOT have more elements and minerals in it. It is not specifically related to 2 part addition. The label does not say that. So I'm not sure where that is coming from. All Tropic Marin salt version have the same amount of the same NSW 70 trace elements in them. The Bio Actif System salt, the Sy-Biotic Salt AND the Pro-Reef ALL have the exact same amount of calcium and magnesium in them. The Bio Actif System salt and the Syn-Biotic salts both have one additional point of dkh in the formula, but are otherwise exactly the same mineral parameters as the Pro-Reef salt.
5) For a zeovit system, I would use the Pro-Reef salt, not the Bio-Actif System salt.
6) Pro-Reef DOES NOT have less mineral or trace elements than Bio-Actif System Salt or Syn-Biotic salt.
7) A calcium reactor is NOT "recommended" for using any of our salts. It's just that the Pro-Reef salt, with its lower alkalinity, is most appropriate in systems that might have some influencing factor for raising the alkalinity.

I hope this information is helpful and clears up some of the misunderstandings. But, once again, typing is not my forte. So the best way to get the most detailed information is to just give me a call in the office and talk it through.

Thanks for clarifying!

 

[Hecticdude]

Thanks Lou, I have a 5 month old mixed reef tank. Was using IO reef Crystals from day one.
Bought The Bio Actif and did my first 10% water change today with it. I will let everyone know how it goes.
75gl With 30 gl sump. Refugium and Eishopp 200s scimmer.
Parameters 1 hr after water change.
Temp 78F
Salinity 1.024
PH 8.2
Alk 7.1
Cal 466
Mag1400
Phosphate 0.02
Nitrate 1

 

[GabeM]

Thanks Lou, I have a 5 month old mixed reef tank. Was using IO reef Crystals from day one.
Bought The Bio Actif and did my first 10% water change today with it. I will let everyone know how it goes.
75gl With 30 gl sump. Refugium and Eishopp 200s scimmer.
Parameters 1 hr after water change.
Temp 78F
Salinity 1.024
PH 8.2
Alk 7.1
Cal 466
Mag1400
Phosphate 0.02
Nitrate 1

Out of curiosity how are you supplementing alkalinity and calcium?

 

[Hecticdude]

B Ionic 2 part

 

[CMMorgan]

I will try to clear up some of the misunderstandings in this thread. But I encourage any of you that would like more information about these salts to call me in the office at 413-367-0101. There are so many points that are being batted around here. I'm not sure I will be able to hit all of them in a post.
1) Bio Actif System salt and the Syn-Biotic Salt both contain dormant bacterial components. Some of these are nitrifying, de-nitrifying, and purple bacteria. In case purple bacteria is new to your understanding, it is responsible for the metabolization of very toxic hydrogen sulfide (a byproduct of anaerobic activity) to the less toxic sulfur and sulfates.
2) Bio Actif System salt is not specifically designed for low nutrient systems. It can certainly be used in that situation, but is also very helpful in systems that are not specifically low nutrient.
3) The only reason that the package states that Pro-Reef salt is recommended for use with calcium rectors, is that in some cases of very long term usage of calcium rectors, the system will experience a very slow and gradual rise in alkalinity. The fact that Pro-Reef is our lowest alkalinity salt version, makes it most appropriate for that application. It is not primarily designed for that, and it is a very "fine" point. I wish we would take that off the label. It is very often proven to be confusing for aquarists. Natural sea water average alkalinity is about 6.5 dkh. Pro-Reef salt is generally in the 7-8 dkh range. This is optimum for some species of corals. But that is the only relation to calcium reactors.
4) Bio-Actif System salt does NOT have more elements and minerals in it. It is not specifically related to 2 part addition. The label does not say that. So I'm not sure where that is coming from. All Tropic Marin salt version have the same amount of the same NSW 70 trace elements in them. The Bio Actif System salt, the Sy-Biotic Salt AND the Pro-Reef ALL have the exact same amount of calcium and magnesium in them. The Bio Actif System salt and the Syn-Biotic salts both have one additional point of dkh in the formula, but are otherwise exactly the same mineral parameters as the Pro-Reef salt.
5) For a zeovit system, I would use the Pro-Reef salt, not the Bio-Actif System salt.
6) Pro-Reef DOES NOT have less mineral or trace elements than Bio-Actif System Salt or Syn-Biotic salt.
7) A calcium reactor is NOT "recommended" for using any of our salts. It's just that the Pro-Reef salt, with its lower alkalinity, is most appropriate in systems that might have some influencing factor for raising the alkalinity.

I hope this information is helpful and clears up some of the misunderstandings. But, once again, typing is not my forte. So the best way to get the most detailed information is to just give me a call in the office and talk it through.

@Lou Ekus Great information, Thanks!! I am switching from a 90 gallon to a 127 gallon as soon as the new tank arrives. I'm going with new live sand (hoping TBS reopens soon) and transferring my existing rock, livestock and macro. The existing system is running higher than it should on nitrates... about 20. I'm planning on about 2/3 of new salt water mixed with 1/3 of the existing. The Syn-Biotic seems a good fit for getting a new tank up and running. If there is something in my rock that may be driving those nirtates, hopefully this can help seed some beneficial bacteria to help remedy the issue. Is my logic sound? Appreciate the feedback. Happy New Year!