Does Fauna Marin Organic Trace elements raise Alk?

[SomeHappyFish]

It has Organic Carbon compounds ? It would be a form of carbon dosing ?

Thanks for helping.

 

[Formulator]

Possibly. Carbon dosing does not directly raise alkalinity, but it can boost nitrate consumption which does raise alkalinity. Also if the organic trace solution contains nitrates, their consumption will similarly raise alkalinity.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Aside from the nitrate effect on alk, it might also raise alk depending on what the organics actually are. For example, any fatty acid in salt firm will raise alk just as it dies in AFR or Salifert All in One.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

I contacted the support by email and asked if the product could be a carbon source or if the product contained any nitrates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I contacted the support by email and asked if the product could be a carbon source or if the product contained any nitrates.

It’s obviously a carbon source. It cannot be otherwise. The degree is the only question.

That said, I do not have confidence in getting a reliable answer since they say things that just are not true.

 

[Formulator]

It’s obviously a carbon source. It cannot be otherwise. The degree is the only question.

That said, I do not have confidence in getting a reliable answer since they say things that just are not true.

I love that we have a skeptical scientist in this community who can inform us of these false claims. Coming from the highly regulated pharma environment, its easy for me to forget they can say whatever they want on their labels! I’m curious, are there any manufacturers that you do put your trust in?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m curious, are there any manufacturers that you do put your trust in?

Yes. Generally there are three classes of companies:

1. Ones that I respect for being knowledgeable and for which I’m not aware of any misleading claims. This list is ever changing and short. ESV, Oceamo, Salifert, and Tropic Marin are in it. Might be others I’m not thinking of right now. Doesn’t mean I recommend every product from these companies, but there is a reasonable rational behind most of them.

2. Ones that I do not have any particular reason to trust or not trust. This list is pretty lengthy, and there’s a grey area between this list and those in 1 and also those in 3.

3. Ones that make claims I find troubling, which are a bit more than the usual advertising gimmicks about, say, bringing out colors in corals. This list is sadly longer than it should be. I also don’t put ones here if I think their error is a translation issue from another language. But as most of us know, there are bottom dwellers. I’d rather not list these as opposed to discuss them in particular contexts.

 

[SomeHappyFish]

Then combine these manufacturers with a good salesman and someone starting in the hobby... you get unnecessary issues in your tank and a endless buying cycle of products to fix these issues.