Hobbyists and Dealers:
Synthetic Sea Water vs. Synthetic Sea Water
The S-15™ Report™ is the first and only independent comparative assay of 15 different brands of artificial or synthetic sea salts. It was commissioned and paid for by Global Scientific Publications. GSP is not in any way affiliated with any manufacturer of sea salts. Nor, is any manufacturer of synthetic sea salts associated with Global Scientific Publications.
Global Scientific Publications is composed of concerned individual’s world wide. They wanted to know the reasons why salt water aquarium keeping has a continuing negative reputation internationally. For the first time, S-15™ Report™ is offered in MARINE AQUARIST™. The same nagging questions persist, decade after decade. Some of these questions or statements are: 1) “All my fish died. My aquarium is in the attic or garage”. 2) “My water is fine. My water is fine. All my fish died?” 3) “Are salt water aquariums more difficult to keep than freshwater?” Some realities cannot be denied. The majority of retail stores internationally promote low cost items in an effort to keep customers in the hobby. Some retailers are now in the business of selling their customers replacement fish. How many replacement fish are customers expected to purchase, without leaving the hobby?
Another reality is that marine salts that are offered at ultra low prices cannot contain proven essential elements, as the manufacturer cannot afford to include them.
Misleading and/or inaccurate packaging has continually plagued and confused the entry level marine aquarist. The result is usually failure to keep a successful marine aquarium. This contributes dramatically to the long recognized problem of animal mortality. Marine animals should live well in captivity for years (decades in some cases), not just a few months.
There has been an inescapable history of deception foisted on the buying public by some manufacturers of base products. Some hobbyists are led to believe that additives, supplements, resins, carbons, skimmers, ozone, redox, expensive electronic controllers, specialized lighting and/or complex filter systems can correct problems or deficiencies generated by inferior base products. Marine salts can be classified as a base product.
Saltwater fish and invertebrates come from the ocean. When kept in captivity, the vast majority of ocean, tropical marine and reef invertebrates are kept in some type of synthetic seawater medium. If you use a marine salt that:
It is possible that many forms of marine life simply will not adjust to such unnatural conditions.
As an aquarist, chances are you have been sold failure!
A good synthetic sea salt will at least approximate the major, minor and trace ions found in natural seawater (NSW), with lower amounts of nitrates, phosphates, silicates and ammonia. It should include a tap water dechlorinator and pH buffer (ability to mix to and maintain the proper pH). The first, and only, extensive, in depth and scientifically validated assay of 15 different brands of marine salts has been completed and the results have been compiled in the S-15™ Report™. A superior version could include a powerful pH buffer, higher amounts of calcium, sulfate and offer: iodide, iron and select trace elements that are organically bound, and include various water conditioners. The first and only, extensive, in-depth and scientifically validated assay of 15 different brands of marine salts has been completed and the results have been compiled in the S-15™ Report™ by Anresco, Inc.
Factory sealed packages of marine salts were forwarded to Anresco Inc. All samples were mixed with de-ionized water and the pH was measured one hour after hydration. Most non metals were then determined.
Liquid samples were forwarded to and evaluated by the University of Missouri, a US. Government prime contract testing laboratory, Environmental Trace Substance and Technology for testing. All salts were normalized to 3.50% solids (specific gravity of 1.026) for equal comparison. No claims are made. Only quantifiable facts are offered for unbiased and relative results. |