Tropic Marin®
manufactured by Dr. Biener Aquarientechnik, Germany
(What the manufacturer claims)
(printing on the 10 US gallon bag. Net weight 2 lbs. 12 oz.)(1)
Guarantee: This synthetic Sea Water Salt is manufactured from chemically pure salts (pharmaceutical grade) (2) . It is practically impossible to distinguish marine water made from TROPIC MARIN® from natural sea water (3) . Due to the use of solid solutions (mixed crystals), there is no precipitation of the 70 trace elements when dissolved.

Guarantee: We guarantee that this top synthetic marine salt contains the following 70 trace elements in their natural proportions
(4) : [70 elements are listed in alphabetical order].

The claim that TROPIC MARIN® is practically impossible to distinguish from natural sea water is totally false. As shown below, it is underweight, mixes to a high pH, is chronically low in major elements and contains some metals at levels much higher than NSW.

COMMENTS: 1) TROPIC MARIN® is sold underweight. 2 lbs. 12 oz. of TROPIC MARIN® salts actually makes a solution of 9.0 US gallons at SG 1.022-1.023. This package size would make 10 US gallons at SG of 1.018 at 77F. 2) It is questionable that TROPIC MARIN® is made of 100% pure or pharmaceutical grade raw materials. This could be evidenced by the number of metals found at significantly higher concentrations than NSW. 3) pH in both samples was dangerously high. So4. Sample #1 was 7% less and sample #2 was 12.2% less in sulfate than NSW. Mg. Sample #1 was 11% less and sample #2 was 7.5% less in magnesium vs. NSW. Ca. Sample #1 was 20% less and sample #1 was less 15% in calcium vs. NSW. K. Sample #1 was 20% less in potassium than NSW. Br. Sample #2 was 32% less in bromide than NSW. 4) The claim that trace elements are in their natural proportions is false. Mn. Sample #2 was had 10 times the amount of manganese vs. NSW. Pb. Sample #2 had 333 times more lead than NSW. Zn. Sample #2 had 8 times more zinc than NSW. Al. Sample #2 had 13.2 times more aluminum than NSW. Fe. Sample #2 had 4.8 times more iron than NSW.

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