Bad batch of Instant Ocean - Page 3

Megalodon · #1 09-29-2003, 07:07 AM

Wendell, JL did have the same results as me, except they want to wait until tomorrow to test it again. I just bought it five days ago.

Right now I'm just doing a big water change with the new salt, tap water, and an hour of mixing time with powerheads. I'm assuming that the alkalinity in the salt isn't the only thing messed up so I just want to get as much of that old water out of my tank as possible. But it's so hard to get that much RO water on such short notice.

Another thing that sucks is I'm curing LR and it was in that water all week. Of course I didn't notice. Now it's really dieing off! Smelly.

I hope I'll be reimbursed somehow. But there's so much life probably dead now that you can't measure, like the little critters in my sand bed and LR.

Do you think it would have killed all the beneficial bacteria too?

Bartman · #2 09-29-2003, 05:06 PM

The IO salt bucket says, "can be used immediately after mixing", so I do. Never had a problem. I usually test Sg but nothing else before I dump it in.

Chad · #3 09-29-2003, 06:51 PM

I think if the bucket says you can use it directly after mixing then there is no doubt in my mind you should get compensation. I would do all I could to get in contact with the manufacture and I would make a good case for it.

Chad

Son Of Skyline · #4 09-29-2003, 09:06 PM

A 40% water change is huge, but besides the point. Also, I swear the last grains of IO salt are still not dissolved when I dump my new water in my tank. I've never had any problems.

I have however tested my fresh IO make up water just out of curiosity. I got pH 8.2, alk 3.5meq/L, Ca 300 or 350ppm (can't remember now). Alk through the roof is definitely not normal, tested right after mixing or whenever.

I'm not sure about compensation however. Hopefully they'll be really good about it, but you may end up with a fight on your hands to get any sort of compensation other than a replacement of your bad bucket. The 40% water change is only leverage against you if you try to get compensation for your losses. But then again it's not like I've had to contact IO for anything so for all I know it could be smooth sailing dealing with them. Just be prepared.

Good luck! Hope your tank comes back around soon

Megalodon · #5 09-30-2003, 01:07 AM

It was actually a 25% water change. The water sat for more than 24 hours. The new water water was dripped into the tank over hours.

The point is, whether you mixed the salt right away, or waited until the next day, the alkalinity was still sky high. I waited 24 hours! This could have happened to anybody.

The two test batches done aftewards, one I did, and one JL's did, showed the same problem

The mixing bucket had a thick coating of a white chalky substance all over.

The bengaii cardinal and the feather duster "came back to life" AFTER I took them out and put them in a bowl of 100% new water... using tap water, the new salt mix, and about an hour of mixing time.

I'm phoning JLs now to follow up on what they found. They think it's going to be OK by today, but they're wrong.

Megalodon · #6 09-30-2003, 01:21 AM

OK, just talked to J&Ls.

Their 24-hour test mix showed "alkalinity off the scale" too.

They have the sample of salt put aside. They said I can come pick up the bucket for testing purposes... so basically they're being good in the sense that they're giving me a free bucket of salt, albiet a defective bucket of salt.

But I guess for liability purposes, when I flat out asked them if they had defective IO salt, they said is that all they can confirm is that the salt they tested had really high alkalinity.

No other bucket from there apparently has been a problem. Even the new bucket I got from them, the same "batch", was perfect.

I'll let you know what Aquarium Systems has to say.

Skimmerking · #7 09-30-2003, 02:16 AM

Man sitting here reading the posts from everyone MAN THAT SUCKS..
i recently posted a post about switching and i had RED SEA and switched over to IO
what i did was i noticed that the salt content was low in the tank around 1.022 so i slowly dripped IO in hte tank for the next 4-5 day s to bring the salinity up to 1.025 with my dripper.
it worked for me ,...

Megalodon · #8 10-03-2003, 03:36 AM

Randy Holmes-Farley, the well-known chemist from Reef Central, will be testing this salt within eleven days.

I'll keep you all posted on his results.

ltay · #9 10-03-2003, 05:23 AM

Sorry for your loss. I have mixed mine 2 weeks in advance for 2 x 50 gallons rubber maid bought from Canadian Tire.

Megalodon · #10 10-03-2003, 04:58 PM

Two 25 gallon containers you mean? For a total of 50 gallons?

We'll see what Randy has to say but I don't think two-weeks will make this water habitable. Technically Instant Ocean is supposed to mix instantly anyway, not that’s the way I do it. 24 hours is more than enough, IMO.

The sample was mailed, and assuming the American boarder guys don’t hold it up or tear it apart, it should be to him in no more than ten days.