Re: BRIGHTWELL NeoMarine salt   10/1/2009
Mike, do you want this posted on WWM? BobF
Re: BRIGHTWELL NeoMarine salt
Bob:
<Mike>
If you think it will boost traffic or do something beneficial for WWM folks, then go ahead and post it word for word.
<I do and will>
If posted, it will be interesting to see the response to the thread or directly to us.
If posted, please email me a link to the thread.
<Will be on the dailies of WWM today>
It was not my intent to have this posted. I simply thought you might like to see our procedure and results with this new salt.
How are things with you?
<Fair to middling>
MDP
<RMF>
BRIGHTWELL NeoMarine salts  
A simple non scientific in-house preliminary observations with test results.
Using high grade readily available consumer test kits and commercially available marine salts.
During routine marine salt quality control testing we included one package of Brightwell NeoMarine. One 50 gallon size of NeoMarine was purchased on or about 26 Sept. 2009 from a local wholesale supplier.
At the same time with the same equipment and procedure (side by side comparative testing) one 50 gallon package of BIO-SEA® Marinemix was also tested and evaluated.
Brightwell NeoMarine:
Package statements:
1) Package states "Contains USP- and ACS grade ingredients."
However no indication of which or how many of these components are present.
2) Package states "Average ionic composition of sea water prepared by dissolving 134 g of NeoMarine per 1 US gallon (3.785L) of water with 0 TDS."
"Each 134 g of NeoMarine will increase the resultant specific gravity on 1 US-gallon=2 0to ~1.025 gm/cm3."
3) Package states "Utilizes a production process that promotes particle e size uniformity and a dry, homogenous salt blend."
However simple visual evaluation revealed this to be untrue.
Procedure:
4) One factory sealed package of NeoMarine was taken into a dry room at 4% RH. Although the package claimed to be a uniform particle size homogenous salt blend. The sealed package was shaken and rotated by hand for 90 seconds. This was done to ensure the portion of the package removed for testing and evaluation would in fact be representative of the contents.
5) The package was opened with a 4 1/2" / 11cm opening just below the bottom seal on the left side of the package.. Approximately 200 grams was removed with a clean dry plastic spoon. The sample portion removed was placed into a new Ziploc® (one quart size) freezer bag and labeled.
6) The sealed Ziploc® bag was taken into our testing lab.
Exactly 928 grams (32 fluid ounces) of RO/DI water was placed into a clean transparent acrylic 2 liter graduated beaker. The temperature of the RO/DI water was 77/F / 25C.
At that point a clean RIO+® 600 submersible pump was placed into the mixing vessel. The pump was activated and the RO/DI water was allowed to swirl inside the vessel or beaker.
Exactly 33.5 grams of NeoMarine was mixed with the 928 grams (32 fluid ounces) of RO/DI water.
I.e. 928 grams / fluid ounces of RO/DI water is 1/4 of the 134 grams of salts listed on the package.
I.e. 33.5 grams of NeoMarine is 1/4 of 134 g that is stated to make 1 US gallon of salt water solution at 1.025 g/cm (specific gravity). Instructions on the package.
7) When NeoMarine was being measured with an Ohaus electronic scale, it was observed that the mixture is not of uniform particle size at stated on the package.
Thus homogeneity during mixing, packaging and particle separation during transport is highly likely. Thus not allowing the end user to benefit from the claims made on the package.
8) Within 15 minutes of mixing NeoMarine in the RO/DI water the solution was milky in appearance.
At 60 minutes the solution slowly started to clear.
At 4 hours after mixing the solution w as still very cloudy.
At 6 hours NeoMarine appeared to be a clearer solution. Ho wever when observed side by side with BIO-SEA® Marinemix hydrated at the same time, the NeoMarine was with a milky tint and the BIO-SEA® remained optically clear as it was 24 minutes after mixing.
At 8 hours NeoMarine reached it peak of clarity. However did not produce a working solution with the same level of clarity as BIO-SEA Marinemix.
A Sybon refractometer was calibrated with Aqua Craft Products® Refractometer Calibration Solution to 35 ppt. / SG 1.026.
9) The specific gravity of NeoMarine mixed to specific gravity 1.025/1.026 / 35 ppt.
10) Testing of solutions were made with in-date LaMotte and Elos brand test kits.
LaMotte for calcium and magnesium. Elos for calcium, KH and pH.
11) NeoMarine package states: Magnesium 1288 ppm. Calcium 413 ppm.
Test results for NeoMarine Precision salt blend were as follows:
NeoMarine Calcium 516 ppm. Magnesium 1300 ppm. dKH 5.5. (lower than natural sea water) pH far above 8.5 or over the limit of the Elos pH test kit.
NeoMarine mixed with an unidentifiable odor. This odor was present t after 24 hours.
Test results for BIO-SEA® Marinemix.
35.6 grams of BIO-SEA salts into 928 grams (32 fluid ounces) of RO/DI water. At 77F/ 25C
Specific gravity 1.025-1.026 / 35 ppt.
Solution cleared within 15 minutes., Solution was optically clear in about 24 minutes.
Calcium 408-414 ppm. Magnesium 1300 ppm. KH 8.25. pH 8.4.
BIO-SEA® Marinemix mixed without odor or incident within minutes.
MDP's Professional observations:
With total or near total anhydrous marine salt mixtures, water clarity, chemical or ionic stability, unexpected temperature increases and the inability to perform satisfactorily as a bio assay formulation is compromised in favor of a drier finished product.
At 2 hours of mixing, a new Ziploc® one gallon size freezer bag was placed or draped over both 2 liter test beakers (one each with NeoMarine & BIO-SEA®, as they were side by side). This was done to limit evaporation n and to prevent the possibility of outside contamination. Within 10 minutes a heavy condensation developed on the bottom portion of the bag that covered NeoMarine beaker. The condensation persisted for 8+ hours until the RIO®+ 600 pumps were turn off.
The condensation is the result of a temperature inversion. The temperature of the originally mixed solutions that was 77F / 25C. This temperature should have dropped to the ambient room temp of 69.8F / 21C. However the temperature of the NeoMarine increased to 82.40F / 280C. This can be attributed NeoMarine being made with anhydrous or near anhydrous raw materials
At 6 hours with covered beakers, the NeoMarine reached a temperature of 86F / 30C.
At 8 hours both samples (NeoMarine & BIO-SEA®) began to increase temperature. This was due to using a RIO®+ 600 pump in one quart of water heating up the solutions. At 8+ hours the RIO®+ 600 pumps were unplugged and temperatures were allowed to reach ambient temperature equilibrium.
At 8 hours with the RIO®+ 600 pump running condensation on the bottom side of the Ziploc® bag increased over the NeoMarine beaker. No condensation was present at anytime with the BIO-SEA® beaker.
At 8 hours water clarity of NeoMarine was al most as clear as the BIO-SEA® Marinemix.
This is an indication that NeoMarine=2 0might demonstrate an increased aquarium evaporation rate with standard filtration.
Marine salts utilizing specially selected grades of ingredients (anhydrous and in combination with special hydrate ingredients) traditionally produce an optically clear working solution that is bio assay successful. Vs. totally or nearly total anhydrous mixtures of chemistry destined for use as synthetic sea water.
30 Sept. 2009.
Aqua Craft Products®
22960 Bernhardt. St.
Hayward, CA 94545
Consumer tel: 510-785-3939. Business tel: 510-264-1500. Fax: 510-264-1501.
Lab. report compiled and signed off by Lele Nguyen laboratory technician.
Lab. procedure and test results reviewed and signed off by Michael Del Prete CEO.
If you have any questions about this informal evaluation and test results, or you wish us to test other brands of marine salts, please advise.
Cheers. MDP