Companies continue to develop and market new salts on a regular basis with many claims about their salt mixes. E.S.V. is latest company to develop a specialty salt. The B-ionic Salt mix is a multi-part mix consisting of four parts, two dry mixes and two liquid solutions. The dry mixes consists of dry “ultra-low heavy metal” Sodium Chloride and “USP grade” Magnesium Sulfate. The trace elements, calcium, and carbonates are pre-dissolved in highly concentrated component liquid solutions. These dry and liquid components can easily be measured for any size batch of synthetic seawater. E.S.V. states that provided the base RO/DI water is properly oxygenated, this salt mix can be added to the aquarium in 10 minutes.

The Plan

• Mix salt according to directions in 15 gallon batches in Brute container using power head to mix
• Measure components in grams using digital scale
• Mix salt to Salinity of 1.026
• Measure parameters for freshly made salt after hour and utilize with water changes
• Monitor and track coral health and tank water parameters. Using ELOS test kits to measure Ca, KH, Mg, pH and Lamote to measure NO3-, and Hanna Low Range Photometer to measure PO4 unless otherwise noted.

Goals

The following are goals to determine success:

• On demand salt mixing with little lead time
• Mix clear and eliminate the white-yellow film build up which occurs from many other salt mixes after mixing
• Maintain water parameters in acceptable ranges
• Minimal to zero increase in active time mixing salt
• Stable to improved coral health

Hypothesis

Based on claims from E.S.V., Bionic Seawater System Salt Mix mixes clear in 10 minutes and can be used at that time as long as RO/DO is properly oxygenated prior to mixing. This enables on demand mixing with little lead time to use in normal maintenance or emergency situations when water is needed quickly.

Their claims also indicate unnecessary heavy metals included in larger amounts in many other specialty salt mixes and are questionable for long term coral health are limited. This will lead to better long term tank inhabitant health as these elements do not build up over time.

Observations and Information

• 2010/05/23 — Began using salt mix as primary salt mix. LFS provided 25g system kit to use.
• 2010/05/23 — Made 20 gal batch at 1.026 specific gravity.
• 2010/05/23 — Notes and Observations for initial batch:
  • Mixed clear in 10 minutes as claimed.
  • Relatively speaking, it did not take any more active time to mix the components together as conducted my normal water parameters measurements while waiting for each component to mix properly before adding next.
  • Salinity measured at 1.024 specific gravity (34 ppt) which attribute to not take the time to accurately measure the RO/DI water. To correct, made small hyper salinity batch to get to the desired 1.026. Their instructions do indicate mixes to 1.0235 specific gravity and to use 8% less RO/DI water to achieve higher salinity in range of 37 ppt.
  • After mixing for a hour to aerate, measured parameters: Temp 80 F, KH 10 dKH, Ca 550 ppm, Mg 1450 ppm, NA2 1.026.
  • Completed major water change (20 gal of 24 gal): Polyps of all corals seen extending polyps within 10 minutes with no sliming or stress for predominately SPS / LPS tank..
• 2010/06/09 — Salt residue ring around top of tank is different. It is a clear salt ring versus white ring which I have always had in past.
• 2010/06/09 — Purchased 200 gal System Kit from LFS.
• 2010/06/09 — Made 15 gal batch at 1.026 specific gravity.
• 2010/06/09 — Notes and Observations for batch:
  • Mixed clear with no problems
  • After mixing for a 24 hours, measured parameters: Temp 85 F (pumps heated it), pH 8.2, KH 10 dKH, Ca 550 ppm, Mg 1450 ppm, NA2 1.026, Ammonia/Nitrates 0.0, PO4 0.05 ppm*.
  • Completed water change (10 gal of 24 gal): Polyps of all corals seen extending polyps within 10 minutes with no sliming or stress for predominately SPS / LPS tank.
  • Completed water change (5 gal of 5 gal): No sliming or stress for Zoa tank.
• 2010/07/03 — Made 20 gal batch at 1.027 specific gravity.
• 2010/07/05 — Notes and Observations for batch:
  • Mixed clear with no problems
  • Parameters: Temp 80 F, KH 9.5 dKH, Ca 550 ppm, Mg 1300 ppm, NA2 1.027, PO4 0.11 ppm, K 400 ppm*.
  • Completed water change (8 gal of 24 gal): Polyps of all corals seen extending polyps within 10 minutes with no sliming or stress for predominately SPS / LPS tank.
  • Completed water change (5 gal of 5 gal): No sliming or stress for Zoa tank.

*Using ELOS Alk, Ca, and Mg test kits along with Lamotte Nitrate test kit, Hanna Low Resolution Phosphate Photometer (accuracy ±0.04 mg/L, ±4% of reading), and Korallen Zucht Potassium test kit unless otherwise noted.

Conclusions

To be determined as experiment is still in progress.

DISCLAIMER: Your results may very as each system is very different from another. For my tank parameters and environment, this was my observations and conclusion. This was not a controlled experiment so there is a potential for a very large margin of error.

FTC regulations require that we inform you that we were given this product for review, but our opinion of a product is never affected by how we acquire them. We did buy additional quantity from LFS after first sample.

References

Adams, Jake. “B-ionic Seawater System is a microbatch salt mix that is perfect for nano reefers, large tanks too.” Reef Builders. 14 January 2010. http://reefbuilders.com/…/. Accessed 14 January 2010.

Adams, Jake. “Product Review: B-Ionic Seawater is Good to the Last Drop.” Advanced Aquarist Online Magazine. May 2010. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/5/review. Accessed 20 June 2010.

“ESV B Ionic Seawater System – a truly unique salt mix.” Premium Aquatics Blog. 03 December 2009. http://blog.premiumaquatics.com/…. Accessed 20 June 2010.

Michael, Eric. “New B-Ionic Seawater System, A Custom Seawater Mix That’s Ready to Use in 10 Minutes.” Glassbox Design. 04 December 2009. http://glassbox-design.com/2009/b-ionic-seawater-system-salt-mix/. Accessed 04 December 2009.

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