Calling On Tropic Marine For Help!!!

Downfall · Dec 8, 2021

Lou Ekus said:
I'm not sure why you say "lower cost location". There is some misconception that this location in Turkey was some kind of compromise that Tropic Marin made. It is not! We expanded our manufacturing with a new facility. It just happens to be located in Turkey. After much evaluation, this was our best option and the staff there is doing a wonderful job. There are no compromises in raw material grade, manufacturing methodology or quality control protocols. Our team in Germany is in control of all processes and procedures in the same way they are in our two other facilities located in Germany.

Ok

polyppal · Dec 8, 2021

The entirety of this discussion reminds me of why I hate Internet forums

revhtree · Dec 8, 2021

While I appreciate Lou and Tropic Marin for responding to comments here I highly encourage all of you who are having issues to please use the Tropic Marin chain of customer service that they have in place. Obviously respectful comments are welcome here and Tropic Marin is welcome to respond but R2R isn't intended to be a platform to resolve customer service issues. Thanks.

ZoWhat · Dec 8, 2021

I agree with Rev and that was the point of my comments. I was just trying to hedge comments that get out of hand

2mos ago Lou spent like 20mins with me on the phone providing great info and great customer service. I was trying to cover Lou's blindside

Threads like this should be phone calls btwn two parties; the end-user and the vendor

areefer01 · Dec 8, 2021

Lou Ekus said:
Thank you for posting this picture. We are looking into this issue. It seems to be showing up in some cases and not in others. I hope we can find a cause very soon. Just to allay any fears you may have. The brown residue appears to be an iron/manganese residue that is the result of bacterial metabolization of the same. Although it is a pain to clean, it is not detrimental in any way to your corals or tank inhabitants. The answer we do not yet have, is why this seems to be showing up in some cases. This is NOT an "issue with the Turkey salt". And I have been somewhat more quite then usual, as I don't have the answers yet. Please know that we are working none stop on finding out why some are seeing this. Answers to questions like this don't always come quickly. I appreciate this additional information. Every little bit helps us.

I'm sure it has already been offered or requested but has anyone sent you their salt to test?

I'm wondering if shipping and/or transportation has anything to do with it. If nothing else you can make a quick batch of the hobbyists salt and see what it does?

Not sure if that is helping or creating more work

Never the less all the best!

Lou Ekus · Dec 8, 2021

areefer01 said:
I'm sure it has already been offered or requested but has anyone sent you their salt to test?

I'm wondering if shipping and/or transportation has anything to do with it. If nothing else you can make a quick batch of the hobbyists salt and see what it does?

Not sure if that is helping or creating more work Never the less all the best!

Yes, we have had many samples of salt sent in to us. Up until this point, we have not been able to reproduce the initial complaint. That does not mean that the complaint is not valid. Just that we have not been able to reproduce it here under our conditions. This is part of why it is taken some time for us to figure this out. But we are working on it every day.

areefer01 · Dec 8, 2021

Lou Ekus said:
Yes, we have had many samples of salt sent in to us. Up until this point, we have not been able to reproduce the initial complaint. That does not mean that the complaint is not valid. Just that we have not been able to reproduce it here under our conditions. This is part of why it is taken some time for us to figure this out. But we are working on it every day.

Thank you. All the best to you and yours and the company/team/staff, etc.

drawman · Dec 10, 2021

Glad to hear you guys are looking into this Lou. I will be reaching out as well. Hope you guys get any possible issues worked out.

Mr_Knightley · Dec 10, 2021

Could the issue potentially be seasonal? I feel like complaints of "Crud in my salt bucket" tend to wax and wane throughout the year. It could potentially be tied to a species of mold or bacteria that is more of less abundant during the northern hemisphere winter, possibly only in particular areas (such as coastal states). I know that the only brown buckets I've mixed were in the late winter-early spring, so it is possible that there's something to it. Just my two cents.

ReefCheef · Dec 10, 2021

Beck said:
I really don't care where TMP salt is made. I didn't see made in Turkey then "jump on the train of complaints". I have 4 empty buckets of TMP that was great salt. I didn't mind paying a premium price for the insurance knowing there is not an inclusion of more elements. I do have an issue when I get a new bucket and it mixes completely different. Especially after paying for the insurance. Not as clear and left "brown crud" in the bottom. Then noticed the bucket looked different and started looking into it and noticed it came from a new plant. I understand being really careful about what is mentioned about a product on the internet. It can get blasted everywhere and taken out of text. There definitely was an issue with some of the salt from the Turkey plant. It would be nice if it was acknowledged. Tropic Martin is a high quality company and should admit to an issue and take care of it.

Just want to jump in here to give my own anecdotal experience with TM and Lou. I had 4 buckets of TMP that I used to start my new 600 gallon system. Unfortunately, the buckets were rock hard. In my own ignorance, I broke the salt up with a hammer and mixed it in the tank. Long story short, calcium precipitated into the water and left a fog in my new tank that I had spent a year and a half designing and pouring my heart and soul into. I called the phone number for Tropic Marin USA, and Lou picked up directly. I explained what happened, gave him the batch numbers on the bucket, and he walked me through how moisture/humidity getting into containers can lead to this issue. He didn't argue with me. He didn't call me a liar or try to talk me out of my frustration. He listened, explained, and then made it right. He's been with the company for 25 years, and it shows.

I feel for everyone finding residue in their mixing containers. Truthfully, the clean mix of this salt is the reason I went with TMP too. That said, Tropic Marin is a very legit company that takes a lot of pride in their products, and Lou is a great representative of the excellence they strive for. If you're having issues with a bucket of salt, I highly suggest you give Lou a call and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

ShakerBreaker · Dec 12, 2021

PeterC99 said:
Hoping someone from Tropic Marine can help your loyal customers!!! Big fan of your products, including All For Reef.

A number of your customers (including me) have recently experienced your TM Pro Reef Saltwater mix NOT mixing clean like it used to.

Now everyone is aware of the Supply Chain issues that companies have been facing lately. But what has changed in the TM Pro salt mix?

Cleaning my saltwater mixing barrel is bear. As you can see from the pictures below, I’m now getting residue from TM Pro salt, which I NEVER got before.

Just out of curiosity, have you had an ICP test done on your RO water recently? I am experiencing issues with my DI filter that I would have attributed to the salt if I had not had mine tested. I am thinking supply chain issues and I'll be changing to the BRS resin next week then running a new ICP test the week after.

Also running pro reef, 50 gallons in a mixing tank for 2 weeks, nothing brown, love it so far.

PeterC99 · Dec 12, 2021

I started this thread asking for Tropic Marine for help. Lou from TM suggested that I replicate my experience in another container and document it for Tropic Marin.

Guess what - I was NOT Able to replicate the residue building up on another container! Here are the pics when I mixed a fresh batch with TMP and three days later. Mixed clear and no residue.

ShakerBreaker · Dec 12, 2021

PeterC99 said:
I started this thread asking for Tropic Marine for help. Lou from TM suggested that I replicate my experience in another container and document it for Tropic Marin.

Guess what - I was NOT Able to replicate the residue building up on another container! Here are the pics when I mixed a fresh batch with TMP and three days later. Mixed clear and no residue.

How do you like that salinity tester? I'm still using an old marine depot refractometer and I've been eyeing them

PeterC99 · Dec 12, 2021

ShakerBreaker said:
How do you like that salinity tester? I'm still using an old marine depot refractometer and I've been eyeing them

Didn’t know how far my refractometer was off until I did an ICP test. What I thought was 35ppt turned out to be 32.3ppt. And I recalibrated often with BRS 35ppt solution.

Hanna Salinity tester helped me get results that agreed with ICP.

Lou Ekus · Dec 14, 2021

Mr_Knightley said:
Could the issue potentially be seasonal? I feel like complaints of "Crud in my salt bucket" tend to wax and wane throughout the year. It could potentially be tied to a species of mold or bacteria that is more of less abundant during the northern hemisphere winter, possibly only in particular areas (such as coastal states). I know that the only brown buckets I've mixed were in the late winter-early spring, so it is possible that there's something to it. Just my two cents.

In "some" cases this is true. But in those cases it is usually related to fresh water conditions. In many municipalities, drinking water treatments change throughout the year. This is especially true of times when seasons are transitioning. I have seen this to be the case at those times of year in regions that experience hard seasonal changes. RO/DI will mediate most of those issues. But I have seen instances when it has not. I'm not saying that is the case here. I'm just validating and clarifying your comment slightly.

Duncan62 · Dec 14, 2021

rhostam said:
I’m sure every member of this forum could provide their own anecdotes.

Is the implication that there are simply no differences of consequence between salts other than price?

Huge difference. Try Elos. You'll be impressed.

Duncan62 · Dec 14, 2021

PeterC99 said:
Hoping someone from Tropic Marine can help your loyal customers!!! Big fan of your products, including All For Reef.

A number of your customers (including me) have recently experienced your TM Pro Reef Saltwater mix NOT mixing clean like it used to.

Now everyone is aware of the Supply Chain issues that companies have been facing lately. But what has changed in the TM Pro salt mix?

Cleaning my saltwater mixing barrel is bear. As you can see from the pictures below, I’m now getting residue from TM Pro salt, which I NEVER got before.

Try Elos.

Guy317 · Dec 14, 2021

PeterC99 said:
Hoping someone from Tropic Marine can help your loyal customers!!! Big fan of your products, including All For Reef.

A number of your customers (including me) have recently experienced your TM Pro Reef Saltwater mix NOT mixing clean like it used to.

Now everyone is aware of the Supply Chain issues that companies have been facing lately. But what has changed in the TM Pro salt mix?

Cleaning my saltwater mixing barrel is bear. As you can see from the pictures below, I’m now getting residue from TM Pro salt, which I NEVER got before.

I’m having the same exact problem with there salt mix