Just Ran Tests on the New CaribSea Sea-Pure Purified Seawater

HowardW · #1 12/26/2007, 01:46 PM

Ok, I purchased a 2.2g jug from my local Pet Smart and the larger 4.4g jug from a local pet shop that now carries it, as I wanted to have 2 different samples of this product to test purchased from different locations. Note this water is advertised as simply natural seawater that is purified to the highest standards.

For starters, the water in the 2.2g jug was crystal clear however the water from the larger jug had a very distinct yellowish tint.

Tested the pH and alk on both samples using both my Seachem and API kits and the pH on both samples was very low and didn't even change the color of the samples meaning it was below 7.7 for both.

Then tested the alk on both samples and it was also very low at 5.6 dKH on both samples. I also tested the SG and they tested at 1.025 for the small jug and 1.0255 on the large jug with my refracto.

I then tested about a week old batch of made up water using my Seachem Reef Salt at 1.026 and also a sample from one of my tanks just to make sure both test kits were working ok and those pH and alk results came out fine and as expected.

No need to do any further testing on the CaribSea water IMO, and I'm very disappointed with those results. I will contact CaribSea via email to see what they have to say about this.

Boomer · #2 12/26/2007, 02:16 PM

There is nothing wrong with those numbers as far as it being NSW /say. There are lots of reefs that run 34 ppt. However, the pH sucks and may really be a storage /filtering issue and picking up CO2. The low Alk may also be do to the same issue.

Mike O'Brien · #3 12/26/2007, 03:09 PM

I've collected water off the coast of MA, and it was worse than that. The SG was low and with that, so was everything else. I would tend to think that the water from tropical waters would have better numbers, but I doubt they would be quite as high as most run their tanks.

HowardW · #4 12/26/2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boomer
There is nothing wrong with those numbers as far as it being NSW /say. There are lots of reefs that run 34 ppt. However, the pH sucks and may really be a storage /filtering issue and picking up CO2. The low Alk may also be do to the same issue.

The SG didn't really concern me at all, it was the very low pH and alk along with the distinct yellowish tint to the water in the 4.4g jug. I will try aerating one of the jugs for several hrs. and then recheck the pH and alk.

Boomer · #5 12/26/2007, 06:03 PM

I forgot Howard but I would suspect the yellow is organics for some reason.

oct2274 · #6 12/26/2007, 07:25 PM

i would think the lack of oxygen in the container you got it in would be a good reason for low ph. Have you tried oxygenating the water? As far as the alk i do not know how lack of oxygen would effect that or if oxygenation would help at all.

bertoni · #7 12/26/2007, 07:54 PM

Oxygenation won't affect pH, but aeration can drive off excess CO₂ that is lowering the pH.

oct2274 · #8 12/26/2007, 08:19 PM

sorry, that is what i meant by oxygenation hehe, meant to say aeration........blah

HowardW · #9 12/27/2007, 11:44 AM

Update: Ok, I strongly aerated the 2.2g jug of CaribSea water for about 12 hrs. and then rechecked the Ph and alk. this morning using both test kits again.

The pH is still unchanged and the sample remained clear with zero color change, and the alk is also basically unchanged.

Boomer · #10 12/27/2007, 12:19 PM

Well, then you did not aerate long enough, have high room air CO2 or there was not a strong enough aeration, becasue at that pH and Alk there is crap load of CO2. Aeration will not change the AlK at all, only the pH.

HowardW · #11 12/27/2007, 09:02 PM

I dunno Boomer, I heavily aerated that small jug with a powerful air pump in a room with open windows for over 12 hrs. I'll try it again though for another 24 hrs. and recheck.

Boomer · #12 12/27/2007, 10:58 PM

The only way Howard that can not happen and do as you said, is if a Trisma Buffer was added to the water. And ain't know way they are doing that, at least for a pH of 7.7. Also what was your water temp of the sample ?

Maybe you need to check your pH meter or test kit

HowardW · #13 12/28/2007, 12:30 AM

Water temp on both CaribSea samples was right around 75F.

I'm confident both the Seachem and API pH test kits are accurate as spot checks on other known samples come out as expected. I'm going to heavily aerate for another 24 hrs. with the air pump out on the window ledge sucking in fresh air, but I think that CaribSea seawater is just defective.

Boomer · #14 12/28/2007, 01:03 AM

with the air pump out on the window ledge sucking in fresh air

Your out side air in Aurora is 75 F. I think not

More like 26 F

Cold air will drive in more CO2. You now warm it up in the house and now it is still low from the high room air CO2. The water HAS to be outside for this test, to equalibrate with the atmosphere

HowardW · #15 12/30/2007, 01:34 PM

Well I've now been heavily aerating the 2.2g jug of CaribSea seawater for a couple days and will let it go for a whole week and see what happens.

Billybeau1 · #16 12/30/2007, 05:03 PM

Howard, Howard, Howard

Boomer, Boomer, Boomer.

I wish I had more to say.

HowardW · #17 12/31/2007, 11:41 AM

Well I decided to call the CaribSea 800 technical assistance number and explained my problem with both jugs of their water including the low pH, low alk, and slight yellow tint to the water, and he was very pleasant and said he suspected that organics in the water was lowering the pH and apologized and said they would send me out a couple replacement jugs.