WIN FREE SALT MIX!!! The Great Salt Give A Way, sponsored by Aqua Craft!

[bigkai]

Got mine last week and thank you for the extra calibration fluid. I mixed up 10 gallons and used it to do my water change for the weekend ever thing seems to realy like it thank you aqua craft and reef2reef

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[Flyride95]

I have received mine in the mail. Thank you so much aquacraft and for the recalibration fluid. I will be posting next week with how it does.

 

[ebushrow]

I haven't received mine yet but still on the lookout!

 

[Dsdaley77]

Maybe I missed it on the website and/or here, but what does this stuff measure at when mixed?
Alk, Cal, Mag, PH, salinity etc

Thanks, I didn't win any but very curious about this product and the possibility to upgrade my salt mix.


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KEEP CALM AND REEF ON!!

 

[KSzegi]

Here is a link to some tests that were done by R2R members......

[h=3]Marine salt test #1[/h]

 

[bigkai]

Its odd lol how everyone comes up with different test results

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[dcfluegel]

Received care package from Aqua Craft, including salt and recalibration fluid - thanks, Aqua Craft - will post follow up with some results after using the salt...

 

[Emac909]

I got my salt last Friday but I have been so busy with work and family I haven't been able to test it. Thank you to aqua craft and R2R.

 

[Dsdaley77]

So what's the deal with test kits, what should a hobbyists course of action be concerning testing and maintaining consistent prameters?


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KEEP CALM AND REEF ON!!

 

[bigkai]

So what's the deal with test kits, what should a hobbyists course of action be concerning testing and maintaining consistent prameters?


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KEEP CALM AND REEF ON!!

Good question??

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[Dsdaley77]

It seems to me we need to either demand consistent test solutions or put them out of business all together and buy probes (perfect world, yeah I know) It's kinda a strange situation. The only way to change it is to get to someone (internally) powerful who cares, or stop buying the kits all together..... But we all know that will never happen.
I put this in the same category as overpriced "one polyp" frags and the people that sell them. We all want it to change but if any of us actually boycotted the companies some greedy unethical person is still gonna buy it Rock and a hard place I tell ya


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KEEP CALM AND REEF ON!!

 

[revhtree]

It seems to me we need to either demand consistent test solutions or put them out of business all together and buy probes (perfect world, yeah I know) It's kinda a strange situation. The only way to change it is to get to someone (internally) powerful who cares, or stop buying the kits all together..... But we all know that will never happen.
I put this in the same category as overpriced "one polyp" frags and the people that sell them. We all want it to change but if any of us actually boycotted the companies some greedy unethical person is still gonna buy it Rock and a hard place I tell ya


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So You Can
KEEP CALM AND REEF ON!!

Keep calm and reef on! HA! Sorry had too.

 

[Eienna]

I won't be trying it for a bit. I lost the cycle and have to get it back before I go changing salts. I'll let you know what happens when I try it, though.

 

[House]

Patiently waiting for mine still... hopefully it arrives soon though, I'm excited

 

[Aqua Craft]

Dsdaley, Test kits.... same brand of test kits...... same liquid sample sent to 12+ reef aquarium keepers..... different results..... in some cases, really different test results.

"...put them out of business..." -- Not a bad idea. -- This is what I think... Any item: aquarium, household, automotive, medical, etc. -- If a product does not perform as advertised or as expected, it should be returned to the place of purchase.

If purchasers of suspected defective goods simply voice their dissatisfaction and demand their purchase price be refunded (not accept a replacement item of the same brand).... Sooner than later, producers of suspect goods will either have to "clean up their act"....or..... "dry up."

It is painfully obvious that some aquarium grade test kits are anything but: a) consistent. b) accurate. c) reliable.

We spent some time and money to send out identical samples of an unnamed marine salt to 12+ R2R hobbyists. The results posted were not a surprise to us. We already know the game! Upon becoming an R2R sponsor, we had to spend time and money to get some basic industry information out to interested and/or better home marine aquarium keepers.

We do not make test kits for one simple reason. The cost of a decent aquarium grade test kit will be rejected in a price driven market.

Makers of aquarium products are not competing with a competitive brand. They are competing with the price of another brand.

E.g. Brand A (any item) cannot be successful in the market if it cost more than brand B. -- Brand B has set the price point or price standard for this type of item.

For far too long, price had been the over riding factor for the vast majority of products. Product quality & integrity has not been an issue.

We (Aqua Craft Products) was ready to start a series of projects on R2R. Project #1 was to send out the same batch of dry marine salts to 12+ hobbyists and ask for their results (from mixing to testing for various ions).

As we expected all liked the way the salt mix sample mixed into a clear solution, without residue.... However, the majority of posted test results for: Ca, Alk. & Mg were more than +/- 10%.

We then mixed one 50 gallon size package of BIO-SEA, with RI/DI water, to a SG of 1.025-1.026 and allowed it to mix for 4 days. I personally hand bottled 16 bottles, labeled them, sent to the same 12+ individuals that received the dry salts (at that time, the brand of salt was not identified). Several 16 oz. bottles of this same sample have been retained in our lab.

Again, test results with more than allowable variations, posted right here on R2R.

In one of my posts regarding this initial marine salt test, I indicated what brands of test kits we use, and for what tests.

Most R2R hobbyists that participated in Project #1 used (more or less) the same brand of test kits.

For most of our in house water testing, we use LaMotte kits for testing Ca, Alk. & Mg. LaMotte test kits are not the most user friendly kits on the market. At first they appear to be more expensive than other brands of test kits.

However: a) The cost of the LaMotte test kit for "hardness" that includes Ca, Alk. (hardness) & Mg, when compared to three test kits of other brands is actually lower in total cost.

b) We exercise careful use of LaMotte test kits. We test for: Ca, Alk, Mg, K, So4). Then note a liquid test sample results. We then send the same liquid sample to an independent laboratory for testing the same ions. -- LaMotte test kits are +/- 3% from results from Curtis & Tompkins laboratory in Berkeley, Calif.

No, Aqua Craft Products, nor myself has any vested interest in LaMotte. Nor do we sell or resell this brand of test kit.

Everything... marine salts, paint, automobiles, etc. -- We all get what we pay for. -- In many instances, it is easier to gain market share sales with a low cost item associated with massive advertising efforts, both in print and electronically Vs. gaining market share with the simple, honest facts that reflect an items product integrity.

If... if we posted on R2R that we would be sending out samples of one of our marine salt brands (BIO-SEA), I think we would have had less response, plus someone, somewhere would have posted that we "doctored" samples sent to unsuspecting folks when we asked for their assistance.

After the initial test results from individuals mixing factory sealed & untampered packages of the same batch of BIO-SEA, we saw the great differences in simple test results. -- As stated, we then sent out liquid (premixed) samples of the same solution. Again, great variation in simple test results.

The 18 packages of BIO-SEA that were sent to R2R drawing winners were all taken from the same batch of mixed chemistry. We already know the following will be posted: a) The salts mixed very quickly into a clear solution. b) The solution did not heat up. c) There was no residue in the mixing bucket, vat or container. d) Test results (if provided by all 18 reef keepers) will vary +/- 10%++. e). Captive marine pets respond better than the use of their current marine salt.

If anyone has any questions about this specific topic (that are not covered, discussed, answered, etc.) on our web site: www.aquacraft.net please ask in this thread.

I wish to give personal thanks to R2R for giving Aqua Craft Products a platform that will allow better marine aquarium keepers to realize the opportunity to start at "ground zero" and realize some items that were once considered satisfactory... are now shown to be unsatisfactory. Then gain the essential appreciation that "satisfactory" is simply not good enough ... especially when live animals are our responsibiity and the reality that superior items will yield superior results.

Thank you. MDP

 

[House]

Anyone else still waiting to recieve their salt? Or am I the only one? lol

 

[skinz78]

Have you contacted Aqua Craft?

 

[bkhunt]

Did a 15g water change and got some bunch of red slime but can not say if it was from salt change. Mixed up the rest with some RC to do another WC tomorrow. Have not noticed any spikes in levels just the usual all DIY and cal buffer. Will post again after WC tomorrow.


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[House]

Have you contacted Aqua Craft?

I have not yet. I didn't know when it was mailed or when it should have arrived. Figured it may have gotten held up in the mail, but not exactly sure, that's why I asked if I was the last one.

 

[Jake1]

I got my salt and used it awhile back. I have to say I liked it alot. My corals loved it and see a pretty good amount of growth. I did five 10 gal wc with it.