Dangerous Salt Mixes / Terry B

reeferx

reeferx

Member
Terry,
You said the other day that you write for FAMA.
I was wondering if you could perhaps shed some light on that trace elements article in the new FAMA.
The article states that 'several' common salt mixes contain near toxic levels of lead, cadmium and other metals.
The writer thinks that this could be connected to 'old tank syndrome' and fish sterility among other things.
He also said we shouldn't be dosing at all.
This blew me away. The reference does not state what salt mixes he is talking about. Is this true of coralife, tropic marin, etc.??
What's your take on this?
 
madd catt

madd catt

Member
The name brands of these salts will be nice to know.Does any of that artical refer to the s15 salt report.
 
reeferx

reeferx

Member
I am not sure Madd Catt.
The reference says it was from some study published in 1999, does that sound right?
I can't remember the name of it though.
Where's Terry by the way??
 
reeferx

reeferx

Member
Whoa.
I just took a look at that link. The s15 report pretty much says all the salts I have used over the years were deficient to dangerous next to natural sea water.
This is becoming quite an eye opener.
 
reeferx

reeferx

Member
Ok.
Here are the references cited in the FAMA article:
Atkinson, M. and Bingman, C. 1999. The Composition of Several Synthetic Seawater Mixes. March 1999 Aquarium Frontiers On-line.
Shimek, R.L. 2001. Reef Ecosystems, Necessary Nutrition. Aquarium Fish Magazine. 13 (2) 42-53.
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
For those interested here's one of the articles by MARLIN ATKINSON AND CRAIG BINGMAN
<a href="http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp" target="_blank">http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/features/1/default.asp</a>
 
reeferx

reeferx

Member
Thanks for getting back to me Terry and the link Broomer. I gotta read that when I have time.
Terry I subscribe to your water changing techniques myself and I used to just drip kalk and dose strontium and iodine(with the skimmer off!).
This recent article did close I believe, with don't dose at all and iodine was mentioned there for what it's worth. I thought that was really interesting. I wish he explained it a little more, esp. since it is pretty controversial.
I enjoyed your article and will take note in the future now that I know it is you! I am always blabbling about FAMA, as I have subsribed to it for years and consider it mandatory reading. Honesty and passion for the hobby are always there, even when the writing isn't, so to speak.
And I am glad they started doing product reviews in it (although I have yet to read a negative one!). Some years back, I wrote the editor and insinuated that they weren't doing reviews because of fears of backlash from the advertisers! Well, the editor did write me back to explain to this punk that that wasn't true. Heh.Heh.
Anyway, thanks again and I have a lot of homework to do, it seems, before the next round. I hope that this stuff gets fleshed out and becomes common knowledge for everyone's benefit, fish included!
 
S

sandy

Guest
Terry? What about CoralLife? Both my LFS's use it. Do you know anything about it's reputation? I can switch to instant ocean pretty easily. (I realize that it is just your opinion... but I would like to hear it).
 
krusk

krusk

Member
Did April FAMA out in the store yet? any one
I though this could save me a trip to the book store
 
S

sandy

Guest
Hi. Thanks for the response. The Calcium and Mag were "off" in what way? Too high? Too low? I only have a FOWLR and usually do not test for those. I did check calcium once and it was 500, but I add b-ionic. (Stopped adding for awhile). Thanks. Sandy
 
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