The translation
ReefHub.pl - a portal for sea lovers of the world
ReefHub.pl - a portal for sea lovers of the world
Reefhub09 / 04 / 2017Bartek StańczykChemia, AllComments
Aquarium Salt - Comparative Test
Aquarium salt - admission
Having in mind the controversy that aroused the previous test I defended myself long before the new approach to the subject. However, I have to admit that for the past two years I regularly received emails asking for further tests. And in marine aquariums, two years is a good time, and finally I decided to re-measure with the popular salts.
I was interested primarily in the changes in salinity parameters that I have studied before and salt parameters that are recent in the market. Probably again I will not satisfy everyone, but unfortunately the amount of aquarium salts available on the market far exceeds my logistical and financial capabilities, so believe me that test of thirteen salt is the absolute maximum of my organizational capabilities. The test itself is almost twice as large as the previous test, and is twice as effective. This gives a huge amount of data to elaborate, which unfortunately is very laborious, considering that I do it myself.
I hope this test will not cause as much negative controversy as it was the previous time. But I wanted to point out that I'm not affiliated with any company selling marine salts for aquaristics. Sam does not sell or I have no commission from selling any brand taking part in the test. I assure you that despite the unquestionable curiosity of the results, I do not care that the test "won" this or any other salt. I deliberately skipped the salt I use on my own, and I consider one of the better ones on the market, so as not to be blamed for bias.
This text is by no means a purely scientific study, rather an objective analysis of a subject that, by virtue of my experience, is enriched with subjective elements. As we touch on the topic of direct comparison of different products, I wanted to ensure that I made every effort to ensure that the information provided was accurate and consistent with the results. The aquarium salt test will not determine the winner or loser; Its task is to give you the information you need to make a personal decision to choose salt.
The test itself is based on similar principles and is developed according to a similar scheme to the previous test. I strongly encourage you to read the previous material (
http://reefhub.pl/test-soli-drugie-starcie/) as the descriptive part is slightly reduced in order to reduce the volume of the article.
This project is a big challenge both for logistics and for finance, so I wanted to thank the companies that provided the test salts. For all readers of this article, I invite you to shop in the following stores:
In addition to the industry sponsors, the project was assisted by a group of aquarists: Michal Urbański, Michał Trzeciak, Mateusz Kolankowski, Krzysztof Szeliga, Grzegorz Giewon, Krzysztof Drzymała, Bartłomiej Kowalewski, Marcin Grunt, Piotr Chwiałkowski, Jarosław Oleszko, Maciej Szewczyk, Tomasz Knapik, Piotr Skruch, Jacek Wala Damian Winkiel, Arnold (FunWorld), Pawel (Kroczek), and eight anonymous patrons, Piotr Szewczyk, Mariusz Ratajczak, Lukasz Chodorek, Grzegorz Górka,
Thank you for your support and trust. Thanks to you, I had the strength and patience for this project. Surprise soon.
Aquarium salt - start
Aquarium salt together with water forms the basis of the marine environment in the aquarium. It is thanks to salt, we can play in marine aquarium. Aquarium salt is the base of any supplement in the aquarium and is meant to make the marine animals we buy feel good and healthy in the aquarium. However, the topic is much more complex than many people might expect. Ideal would be to use natural sea water (NSW) from tropical regions, but it was unworkable, manufacturers had to create a mixture of different ingredients that, when dissolved in water, RODi gives a saline composition similar to NSW.
Believe me, however, that the topic is not at all simple. The salt producer must be aware of many factors, such as impurities, fragmentation, hygroscopicity, accuracy, homogeneity of components, let alone the stability of humidity and air temperature in production areas. This is followed by the manufacturer's approach to the topic of optimum brine parameters, which has a direct impact on its composition and price.
In sea water there are many chemical elements - almost all Mendeleev's Table. Only by copying NSW composition do we really need all the elements? Of course not. First of all, it is neither profitable nor necessary. Much more is the repetition of salt parameters - so that each bucket of the batch has the same composition of major macro and micronutrients
Aquarium salt - candidates for the throne
As I wrote earlier, there are a lot of different sea salts on the market, from which I had to choose a few to test. The basic criterion was universality on the Polish market. In the forum you made a lot of suggestions and it soon became clear that another test with six or seven solos did not come into play. Thanks to the help of your sponsors, you have managed to complete the 13 salts that took part in the test. They were (in alphabetical order):
Aquaforest Probiotic Reef Salt (AFPB)
Aquaforest Reef Salt (AFRS)
Colombo (COLOMBO)
Fauna Marin (FM)
Instant Ocean (IO)
Kent (KENT)
Living Colors (LC)
Microbe-Lift Organic Active (MLOA - in the part of the charts marked as MB OA)
Microbe-Lift Premium Reef (MLPR - part of the charts marked as MB PR)
Preis Meersalz (PR)
Reef Crystals (RC)
Red Sea Coral Pro (RSCP)
Red Sea Salt (RSS)
The Salt Seachem Reef Salt was used in the test. However, I got information from the distributor that soon a new salt will enter the market, which will replace the current one. So "old" did not make sense to test, and "new" was not available yet.
The above mentioned salts are relatively new on the Polish market are Microbe-Lift and Colombo salts. The rest are already well known in Polish marine aquariums.
Aquarium salt - measurements, procedures and results
In fact, the test itself is not too different from the previous one. From each salt I made a 10-liter salinity solution of 35ppt which was then subjected to tests that I could do under home conditions. Then I took samples that were sent to a laboratory for the measurement of 35 different elements.
Salt aquarium - performance
The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of salt needed to saline 10L of RODi water to 35ppt. The salinity was measured using a Deltec telescope refractometer. During the tests one of them crashed and despite repeated calibration, he underestimated the result by 2ppt. Unfortunately, I noticed this only after more than half of the measurements, when for sure I compared it to the second refractometer. Unfortunately the milk poured out and I decided to finish the salinity measurement on the same refractometer and then convert all the results to 35ppt. In this way any measurement error was the same for all salts. I will add that the brine temperature during the stirring was maintained at 25C.
Let's see what might affect performance differences. Of course, first of all, the moisture of the individual salts is at stake. However, I think it is of little importance in new packaging. I strongly suspect more hydration (hydration) of the main constituents of salt, eg calcium chloride. The more hydrated the compound, the more we need to use it to get the desired concentration. I already wrote about it in the previous article. Hydration is the fact that during crystallization of salt, water molecules are trapped in its crystal lattice. The more water molecules, the "salt concentration in salt" is less. For example, magnesium hexahydrate MgCl 2 x 6H 2 O contains as many as six water molecules, which together weigh more than the MgCl 2 itself. In practice, this translates into salt efficiency. In order to obtain a one molar concentration of MgCl2 solution we have to pour about 95 g of anhydrous MgCl 2 and about 203 g hexahydrate. 108g more to get the same concentration. This is the main reason why different salts have different yields. The second reason is the molar mass of the compounds used which are different in different salts. If we want to obtain a one-molar concentration of Mg2 + ions we have to weigh about 95 grams of anhydrous MgCl2 and, using magnesium sulphate, we must weigh more than 120 grams of MgSO4.
You will probably ask why in this case manufacturers do not use anhydrous substances. The answer is simple. In general, the more hydrated the compound, the less moisture it absorbs from the air, and therefore the salt is more durable and resistant to frostbite.
Aquarium salt - pH after 45 minutes of mixing
After achieving the desired salinity, each brine was mixed for 45 minutes and then subjected to pH measurement. The measurement was made using an electronic gauge AZ8686, which was checked several times a day in the control fluid.
PH is an important indicator of water quality and has a direct impact on calcification processes. The ideal pH level in the aquarium should be in the range of 8.2 - 8.4, although the result above 8 can be considered satisfactory. PH results below 7.7 are disturbing and may be the reason for free growth of the coral skeleton.
The chart shows that all tested salts gave solutions with a pH above 8. This is good because even a larger one-off change will not disturb the pH of the aquarium. Especially since in the mature tank the pH level is quickly aligned. The highest pH after 45 blends was obtained by FM salt, and the lowest salt of Preis.
Aquarium salt - KH after 45 minutes of mixing
At the end of the mixing, the KH measurement was made using the HI755 Pocket Photometer from Hanna Instruments. During the whole test, the KH test was performed twice. Once after 45 minutes brine mixing and the second time by the MarinLab lab. The time period between it is about 10 days. Triton does not offer KH measurement. KH results will be discussed below.
Aquarium salt - clarity
At the end of mixing, a black-and-white contrasting stencil was inserted into the bottom of the bucket with salt solution. The subjective assessment of clarity was made on the basis of turbidity of water over the stencil. All salt solutions were evaluated in the same place and with the same illumination possible.
I must admit that all the salons except one have fallen out of this task perfectly. All the salts except one, within 45 minutes of mixing, have clarified to satisfactory results. Only Kent's solution of salt remained milky - even after 24 hours. A few years ago I had an episode with Kent's salt, but I do not recall such a blush. Turbidity often arises as a result of strong salt drenching when the reaction between calcium ions and carbonate ions occurs on the surface of adjacent crystals. Colloidal calcium carbonate is formed which is very poorly soluble. The salt, however, was loose and looked dry. I suspect I got a defective copy.
Aquarium salt - Hygroscopicity
As it is known, salts tend to absorb moisture from the air (hygroscopicity). To thirteen identical containers I weighed 100 grams of each salt. Then after 20 hours I weighed salt again. The more hygroscopic the salt, the more it catches moisture from the air and the more it weighs. Pay attention to a few cases.
First, the heavier salt has reduced yield. We can suppose that the longer we use the data pack, the more it loses on performance.
Secondly, the rate of absorption of moisture from the air depends on many factors such as opening frequency, air humidity, temperature fluctuations etc. And I expect it to be faster at the beginning of each package than at the end. Separate studies on this subject could be useful. Thirdly, too much salt dampness can cause it to become unusable due to the chemical reactions that occur between the salt components.
During measurement, the air temperature was about 21.5C and the relative humidity was 46%.
All salts fell very similarly giving a weight gain of about 1%. The best in this respect were Living Colors and Instant Ocean; Worst Colombo. Remember, however, that there is no mention of poor quality salt here. Hygroscopicity is an inherent feature of salts, and the results obtained do not differ from those expected. The maximum weight range between the least and the most hygroscopic salt is 0.48g per 100g. Putting it on a 20kg bag we say about the loss of about 96g, that is the amount needed to salivate about 2.3L of water at 35ppt. By average, the average salt loses about 1.12% of its capacity on the packaging.
Aquarium salt - the ability to fossilize
Some disadvantageous feature of salt, which results directly from hygroscopicity is the ability to fossilize. It consists of neighboring crystals connecting their crystalline lattices to form lumps, which in extreme cases can retain the shape of the vessel in which they are located. This is, of course, an unfavorable feature that can lead to salt being useless. If the lumps of salt are easily scattered, such salt can be used further. However, if the contents of the bucket are as hard as a stone, such salt is usually thrown (or complaint).
After hygroscopic examination, all salts were gently removed from the inverted containers and aligned with each other for comparison.
Already at first glance, it can be seen that 3 salons have preserved shape molds. These are the salts: Kent, Reef Crystals and Instant Ocean. Red Sea Coral Pro and Living Colors were the most salty.
Then, using a little force, I tried to crush the "salt mills" to see how fossilized they are. Basically, apart from Instant Ocean and Kent, they all fell apart. I will add that eventually each of the salt has surrendered and scattered, although Instant Ocean, Reef Crystals and Kent, despite the flow of water, seemed damp.
Aquarium salt - element analysis
To test the chemical composition, I took samples of water from each salt and sent it to two different laboratories for an ICP-OES spectrophotometer. One sample was sent to German Triton and the other to MarinLab. I know ... I hear voices of indignation ... because it is well known that Aquaforest and MarinLab have the same owners. However, I decided to do this for several reasons. Firstly because the ICP MarinLab measurement was not the only measurement on the spectrophotometer, and with the results of the Triton lab I can easily verify them. Secondly, all the samples were sent to the lab anonymously and only I knew which number corresponds to which salt. Thirdly, this situation gave an incredible opportunity to check the reliability of the results from both laboratories and directly compare them.
As we are at the ICP, I will mention one more thing for you to have a full picture reading the tables below. Although the ICP-OES method is currently the best in terms of price and analytical capabilities for marine aquariums, it is struggling with certain problems that may affect the accuracy and precision of the results in seawater especially in the lowest trace elements. For macroelements, a single-pass process produces pretty good results with a relative accuracy of around 3-5% (
https://reefs.com/magazine/triton-lab-icp-oes-water-testing-154/), and az As far as I know, MarinLab does two separate measurements - for micro and macroelements. I do not know what analytical procedures and standards are used by Triton and MarinLab, but for the purposes of this test, I will accept a discrepancy of +/- 4% between the two companies. On the other hand, it is an analysis of complex solutions with unknown parameters, so there is no way to undermine or negate a result.
The significant difference between the Triton and MarinLab tests is that, for a small margin, MarinLab also makes it possible to carry out an RODi water test. This allows you to check the quality of the reverse osmosis system without buying an additional test. RODi water test may be the background to subtract from the aquarium water test results. For Triton, a separate test is required.
The results will be related to the marine water composition given by Karl K Turekian in his 1968 work "Oceans." These studies may not be the latest because they were published nearly 50 years ago, but our needs are sufficient. Another thing is, the composition of quantitative sea water depends on the salinity of the water and changes (keeping the relationship between macroelements - Diettmar Rule) from 32ppt in the Alaska Gulf area to 40ppt in the Red Sea. And even if we only consider tropical regions, the salinity will vary from 34 to 40ppt. Therefore, in order to partially facilitate the analysis of the results, I will assume that the basis for comparison will be the salinity of 35ppt (K. Turekian's work), and the results from - 3% to + 14.3% will be optimal for aquarium inhabitants. The optimum borders will be marked with two horizontal lines. I know this is not the best solution, but otherwise NSW will only have the perfect parameters and every salt tested loses it.
Aquarium Salt - Calcium Ca
Calcium, together with carbonate ions, forms the basis for building coral reefs. It is thanks to them are created skeletons of corals, shell molluscs or other limestone structures. It is not surprising that aquarists require their sea salt to have adequate levels of this element. NWM contains an average of 411mg / L.
The vast majority of the examined salt had results above natural values. Fortunately, calcium is one of those elements whose coral levels are quite tolerant. From experience I know that in the aquarium SPS corals are good at the levels of this element in the range of 380 - 480mg / L. Sole AF PB, Colombo, FM, IO and RSS meet this premise. Kent Salt showed the highest crossings, much above the optimum, and Living Colors Salt was the only salt with little calcium deficiency relative to the optimum.
Except for one salt, all results from both labs correspond to each other, assuming a margin of +/- 4% error.
Aquarium Salt - Magnesium Mg
Magnesium plays a significant role in the balance between calcium and carbonate in seawater, which is overrun by these ions. Magnesium blocks the precipitation of calcium carbonate in water. Low levels of magnesium cause calcium and carbonate "escape" from the solution.
In NSW the level of magnesium ions reaches about 1290mg / L at 35ppt salinity. As a curiosity I will add that on reefs in areas with increased salinity (M. Red, Kuwait Bay) the magnesium level can reach up to 1700mg / L (source: Water Condition & purification, January 2005). However, we will return to our optimum range from -3% to + 14.3%.
Except for the Colombo salt, all tested salts achieved at least one result in the optimum. The most similar to NSW were salts Fauna Marin (FM), Living Colors (LC), Instant Ocean (IO) and Red Sea Salt (RSS). Significant excess of magnesium levels was detected in Colombo salts. Fortunately, these are not dangerous levels.
As far as comparing ICP-OES results, you can see that all MarinLab results are lower than those from Triton. Results from four salts: AFRS, AFPB, MLOA, and MLPR from both laboratories have achieved a greater variance than previously assumed +/- 4%.
Aquarium Salt - Alkalinity KH
Alkalinity (KH) is one of the most important water parameters in a marine aquarium. Holding KH at an appropriate level has an impact on a range of processes, from controlling pH fluctuations, through probiotic filtration efficiency, to calcification efficiency of limestone. The parameter itself is quite complex and often unconcerned. For more information on alkalinity (KH) in the aquarium you will find here:
http://reefhub.pl/kh-czy-alkalicznosc-o-c-w-tym-chodzi/ Fortunately for us aquarists, alkalinity (KH) translates into A simple way for the amount of bicarbonate ions in water. They are the source of carbonates when calcifying CaCO3 calcium carbonate.
Let's see the results in the table.
Aquarium salt is a chemical base in the aquarium and, together with various methods of macro and micronutrient supplementation, forms the basis of the chemical environment in the aquarium. Many times in different forums I said that in my opinion, in order to create domestic reefs we have to copy what nature gives us in the tray - that is, ready NSW parameters on the reefs. Alkalinity of seawater is about 7dKH and unfortunately, none of the salts has reached this level (assuming that the MarinLab LC result is a mistake).
In my aquarium KH keeps at 7dKH and replaces 5% water per week. Striving for the stability of this parameter, I can assume that for my needs will be suitable salts with KH less than 9dKH. Then the change KH on the change will be about 0.1dKH (9 - 7 x 5% = 0.1), which should not irritate the corals. On this basis, the optimum range is 6.5 - 9dKH, and the salts contained therein are both AF, Colombo, FM and both Microbe - Lift salts.
What about salts with higher alkalinity? I wrote about it in the previous test with the salt of Red Sea Coral Pro, which is famous for its high KH. For details, I refer back to the previous test.
The next thing that caught my eye was the similarity between the results of both measurements. I do not know the method of marking KH by MarinLab, but I get two conclusions. Firstly, the KH level in the closed tube is relatively stable over time, and second, I have another proof that the HI755 photometer gives reliable results.
Exceptions in this comparison are two salts - Living Colors and Reef Crystals. In both cases, the result from MarinLab is much lower than that of Hank. Reasons can be many, so I do not even try to guess. I will just add that in the previous KH test of the Reef Crystals salt after 45 minutes of mixing has gone 12.5 dKH.
Aquarium Salt - Sodium Na
Sodium and chloride ions constitute the main regulator of salinity. In our study, however, we do not have the results of chloride concentrations, which makes it more difficult to interpret the results.
The sodium content in the seas at salinity of 35ppts reaches 10800mg / L. The graph shows that all salts have a similar level of sodium ions.
The results from both ICP-OESs correspond to the accepted error of +/- 4%.
Aquarium Salt - Potas K
Potassium ions are important for coral metabolism. More about potassium I wrote here:
http://reefhub.pl/potas-suplementacja-w-akwarium-morskim/. Let's see what potassium levels were detected in the salts tested:
The potassium level in NSW is about 400mg / L (Turekian gives 392mg / L in its work). The graph shows that most of the salt has a well balanced potassium level of 380-450mg / L. The exception is Kent salt with a highly potassium level of over 510 mg / L, and Colombo salt with levels of 340 mg / L.
Results from the Triton and MarinLab labs correspond to the assumed margin of +/- 4%
Aquarium Salt - Bromy Br
The level of bromide ions in NSW is about 67 mg / L. Unfortunately, scientists are unfortunately unaware of the role of this element in coral metabolism.
It follows from the chart that the greatest excess of bromides relative to NSW came out in Kent salts. The zero of bromide in Living Colors indicates that the producer intentionally omitted this element in balancing his salt. Not so long ago, AFPB salt also did not have bromide in its composition. The manufacturer rightly explained that bromide-free salt could be used in systems with ozone generators (ozone bromides, oxidizing to harmful bromates). I wonder if the LC salt producer justifies the lack of bromides in their salt.
Except for the salt of Preis, the results of the remaining salts from both labs correspond to each other in the accepted range.
Aquaristic Salt - Boron (Boron) B
In general, boron is not an element that needs to be carefully controlled. Scientists say that boron can be an essential nutrient for some marine organisms, but also that it can be toxic to others already with little over natural levels. It is recommended to maintain its NSW level of around 4.4mg / L, although levels below 10mg / L are generally tolerated. (
Http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/) The chart below shows that each of the tested aquarium salts fulfilled this requirement.
Triton and MarinLab spectrophotometers differ in the majority of salts, making it difficult to identify the best salts, but by average, we find that both the Aquaforest, Instant Ocean and Red Sea Coral Pro salts are within a preset optimum of boron content of 4.2-5mg / L. . The remaining salts do not exhibit dangerous concentrations of boron if they are not too far from optimal values. Producers Colombo and Kent have determined that their salts will only have minimal amounts of this element.
Aquarium Salt - Stront Sr.
The level of strontium in NSW according to Turekian is 8.1 mg / L, and the recommended level of this element in the aquarium should be within 5-15mg / L (
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/). Higher concentrations of strontium ions may be toxic to some animals.
The content of strontium ions in any salt does not raise any objections. All the results showed its level near the optimum.
As for the comparison of the results, you can see again the tendency in which Triton gives all the results higher than those of MarinLab. The results are comparable, although most saline splits between results are above +/- 4%
Aquarium Salt - Sulfur S
In NSW the level of sulfate is about 2700mg / L and the sulfur level is about 900mg / L. Looking at the molar mass of sulfates (96g / mol) and sulfur (32g / mol) it is easy to see that almost all sulfur in NSW comes from sulfates. Its levels are not, however, particularly important for marine organisms. We can find here the relation to the sulfur cycle in nature and its different levels of oxidation by optional bacteria in DSB SO4 <S. This is not something we have to control. Older versions of Balling's methods have suggested the use of magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) but this could lead to sulphate accumulation in a system where there is little consumption of it.
In most salts tested the sulfur (sulfate) results oscillate near the NSW optimum. The exception is the Colombo salt, in which the level of sulfur (sulphate) has been reduced by about 50%. This is not alarming, as the consumption of sulfate in the aquarium is negligible.
The results from both labs are similar, with the exception of Microbelift salts and Red Sea Salt. Again Triton's results are higher than MarinLab.
Aquarium Salt - Silicon Si
For starters we will deal with silicon, which is often blamed for the problem of diatom. It must be borne in mind that the ICP method shows total silicon from different compounds, whether they are biologically active or not. The silicon in ICP results may come from silica SiO2, which is a component of sand or glass. This is a generalization, but this type of silicon compounds is harmless to us, just as dangerous as sand or glass in an aquarium. It is enough, however, that sand will float in the water, and ICP will show elevated levels of silicon.
Another situation is with SiO44 silicates. These compounds, as soluble, may be the direct cause of diatom blooms. Unfortunately, in our study we are not able to determine these compounds, so we need to approach the result silicon carefully. But diatoms are important organisms from a biological point of view. It is estimated that 24% of the natural production of oxygen and 25% of organic matter in the oceans comes from diatoms (Wikipedia).
In NSW the level of silicon is about 2.9mg / L. According to results from MarinLab, all salts showed multiple levels of silicon in the salts tested. Best in this respect is the FM salt, and the worst is the Colombo salt, which according to the Triton test is the only salt in which silicon is detected. However, as I wrote above, I recommend to approach these results carefully because the silicon detected may come from non-dangerous and insoluble silica varieties.
Trace and toxic elements
Below we will look at a group of elements commonly referred to as micronutrients. Some of them are biologically important from the point of view of supplementation, and some, because of their toxicity, are highly undesirable in water.
Let's take a look at the table below. All the results I have referred to the table with the composition of sea water. Since most of the trace elements (vanadium, zinc, nickel, etc.) are not necessary for supplementation in a marine aquarium, and what is needed (iodine, iron) can be relatively easily dispensed. That's why all the results below the NSW levels were marked in green, all with an overrun of 14.3% in orange and over 14.3% in red. For the right I reported the result of the RO test used to produce salts and the level of the element in NSW.
Looking at the above results, we have to analyze them through the potential imperfections in the ICP-OES method in determining seawater components. We also need to keep in mind that we have results from two different laboratories, probably using other devices and calibration procedures.
This is perfectly evident in the case of silicon (Figure 18) and copper, which, according to Triton, is not present in any of the saline solutions tested, and according to MarinLab, is found in all - even in my RODi water. This would suggest another detection threshold (LOD) or conservative measurement in both laboratories. I have no way of saying which results are correct. Probably the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
On the other hand, many of the trace elements contained in salts may be present as contaminants of major constituents rather than as deliberate supplementation. In this situation, salts with higher macroelement concentrations may show the presence of some micronutrients.
My remarks:
The single results of selenium in salt ML PR (Triton) and antimony in RC salt (MarinLab) - personally I would not bother with them.
Sole Microbe-Lift has exceeded the tin confirmed by both laboratories.
Except for the Preis and AF PB salts, in all other salts, at least one result is outside the optimal level of NSW
Lit is most crossed in Kent salt. The remaining salts hold optimum lithium levels or slightly exceeded levels (RSCP)
Spore excess zinc was detected in the French IO and RC salts
All tested salts showed significant levels of manganese overruns. Salt Preis is best here. The interesting fact is that in the previous test AFRS salt was the only salt with zero levels of manganese.
Iodine halved the results of both labs. Most of Triton's results indicated that this element exceeded ten of 13 salts tested. MarinLab pointed out that he was only in three salons. The RC, IO and Preis salts were the worst, with the highest crossing.
Iron also colored the table in red. The highest exceedances were detected in FM and RC salts. In Colombo, Kent and RSCP (MarinLab) salts, this element does not show any excess levels.
The bar showed several transgressions in eight of the tested salt - in salt Preis, twenty-two times. The other two were on the edge of the optimum, while both the Aquaforest and Fauna Marin had little suitable levels of this element. It is worth noting that MarinLab has detected small amounts of RODi water bar. The problem was that they were higher then later detected in AF and FM salts.
Phosphate levels in NSW depend on many factors such as season, depth, currents, distance from the estuary. E.Borneman in his book gives the average PO4 concentration as 0.13 mg / L. In other studies, I have found information on phosphates in the Philippines that oscillate between 0.001 and 0.08mg / L. Due to the fact that we generally aim for the lowest PO4 level in water, I have adopted a reference level of 0.05mg / L (
http://pubs.sciepub.com/jas/4/1/1/). This level satisfies all tested salts, with ICP again with MarinLab becoming more sensitive to the tested parameter from ICP from Triton.
Aquarium Salt - Summary
Since aquaristic aquarium has become a popular hobby, aquarists can choose from many brands. Although the above test does not exhaust all the salts available on the Polish market, it gives an interesting picture of the thirteen selected for the test. First of all, the results are a confirmation of the general opinion that there is no perfect salt. Some are better at these parameters, others in others. This would suggest that a good idea would be to change the salt every few months.
By taking this test, I had to accept certain assessment and reference criteria. I decided that it would be best to compare the brine to NSW. This does not mean, however, that the increased performance of some parameters disqualify the given salt, because on the Internet you can find beautiful tanks on each of the salt tested.
Before I go into the summary of individual salts, I would like to once again thank all those who helped with this project and the commercial sponsors. Thanks to them this test has come to fruition. For all readers of this article, I invite you to shop in the following stores:
The above test was conducted ad hoc and although I went to him honestly, it is not a typical scientific test, I do not have a laboratory and I just could not go wrong. I hope, however, that the information collected will be useful to you and will help you make the decision when buying salt.
Aquaforest AFPB - Salt of the native producer, which hit the Polish market. It gets worse in terms of performance, which compensates for the fact that chemically it is probably one of the more refined of all tested salts. By averaging ICP results from both laboratories there are no disturbing surges, and in the trace elements table this salt falls as one of the better ones. Aquaforest Probiotic Salt is promoted as a salt containing probiotic bacteria and nutrient to them.
Aquaforest AFRS - the second salt of our producer, differing mainly in that it contains no probiotics. In terms of composition of trace elements, it was slightly worse than its twin. From the point of view of macroelements it is a bit richer from it. This is one of the salts I also tested in the previous test. It is clear that the salt composition has changed. This is illustrated by the sulfur content, Strontium Sr, and Mangan Mn. In the previous test, it was the only salt in which no trace of this element was detected. As you can see today, all the salts tested have clearly exceeded this element.
Colombo - is a relatively new salt on the Polish market. With optimal KH and Ca, a lot of magnesium would suggest that this salt is ideal for calcium reactors because many cartridges suffer from deficiency of this element. The manufacturer decided to lower the sulphate level to NSW and almost completely eliminated Boron B. This is the only salt in which both ICPs showed silicon Si content, but the test itself is not able to show whether it comes from undesired silicon compounds. This salt works very well in the micronutrient table and is one of the two tested salts that have shown very low levels of iron. This allows the salt to be particularly good for the yellow SPS.
Fauna Marin - FM - German producer's salt generally regarded as very good but too expensive on our market. It has good performance and almost perfectly fits into the optima macroelements. It also got the lowest level of silicon Si. Table of micronutrients shows that it is quite pure salt, however, has one of the largest iron Fe exceedances among the respondents.
Instant Ocean - IO - is a French salt of quite good reputation in Poland. Historically it is considered as a poorer salt, recommended for less demanding reef systems. Indeed most macronutrients results are at the lower limit of the optimum. In the table of micronutrients with high levels of iodine I and Zn zinc, it ranks in the second half of the stakes. Very good performance, however, has a very high tendency to frost under the influence of moisture. By using this salt, it is important to remember to seal the bucket tightly. It's strange that the manufacturer does not pack the salt in an extra bag just pouring it loosely into the bucket.
Kent - known for years on the Polish salt market, though not particularly popular. In the study, the biggest occupation was the lack of clarity and lottery in composition of macronutrients and micronutrients. On the one hand high calcium exceeds Ca and potassium K, and on the other almost no boron B. It is at the largest exceedances of lithium Li and manganese Mn and near almost undetectable iron Fe shows a mess in the balance of salt. There is also great susceptibility to fossilization. Maybe it's just an unlucky series, but the results give you some idea.
Living Colors - LC - is a relatively new but popular salt in the Polish market. The macro results qualify this salt to the poor, because most of them are located near the bottom of the optimum. Only boron B exceeded. This is the only salt that is practically devoid of bromides, which is recommended for systems with intensive ozone. It is a salt that is perfectly loose and not susceptible to fossils. In this respect, it was probably the best of the tested salt.
Microbe Lift Organic Active - MBOA - Analysis of macroelements of this salt came out very well with most parameters lying around the optimum. It is a little worse for this salt in terms of micronutrients. Both Microbe Lift salts were the only ones showing tin contamination with Sn and slight zinc zinc overruns. Unfortunately I was not able to find any information what bioactive ingredients are called "Organic Active".
Microbe Lift Premium Salt - MBPR - is the second salt of the Microbe Lift stable. The word "twin" ideally fits here, because the results of both salts are very similar. Both macro and microelements. Triton has detected Se selenium in this salt, but I suspect this is a measurement error. Wonder why the manufacturer decided to release two lines of salt, since both came out similarly? It looks like the difference really lies in the magical "Organic Active". Either way, both Microbe Lift salons have shown themselves very interesting
The results of the Preis salt showed quite high levels of KH and Ca, whereas the deficiency of Br and Boron bromide B. The salt showed one of the lower Si silicon levels but obtained the highest concentrations of iodine I and barium Ba of all tested salts, among which had the lowest manganese Mn and Aluminum Al. Salt showed considerable resistance to fossilization.
Reef Crystals - RC - is the salt of the same manufacturer as Instant Ocean. In Poland it is more rich. Indeed most macronutrient results show higher values than IO salt. RC salt also presents numerous micronutrient levels. It tends to fossilize, but even then, it's quite easy to crumble.
Red Sea Coral Pro - RSCP - is a salt with historically high levels of Ca, Mg and KH triads, but as long as calcium and magnesium lie in the optimum area, KH's RSCP salt reaches the highest levels of salt tested. This is part of the Red Sea program, but those planning to switch to this salt should consider its gradual implementation and familiarize themselves with the Red Sea method. Salt exhibits good resistance to fossilization. In the table of micronutrients, it was quite decent. Despite some red fields, most of them are small crossings.
Red Sea Salt - RSS- is Red Sea's twin salt, due to the color of the bucket often referred to as the Red Sea Blue (as opposed to the black salt bucket RSCP). Most macronutrients results in perfect fit. The results of trace elements do not differ too much from their twin salts. It is worth mentioning that both Red Sea salts achieved the best performance in grams at 35ppt.
