Any one know just what exactly is in CombiSan??

[phillips]

I would really like to know if anyone out there knows what is in the Combisan trace element solution.

After I added my first animals to my new reef tank (those little yellow zooanthid polyps, Parazoanthus sp.??), I began dosing w/ trace element solution since the little guys didn't look too happy in their new tank. I started out w/ the Kent Marine stuff, which made them look worse, and then switched to Combisan which the little guys loved. And I mean they really loved it. Both the yellow polyps and the Sargassum which had been growing for a few weeks were both glowing 24 hours later. And I've been using Combisan ever since.

Now that I've decided to go the skimmerless route (well ok, my skimmer's Rio 600 pump died after 4 months, and I haven't replaced it yet, and everything is looking better w/o the skimmer running anyway), I am wondering if adding the stuff actually supplies my tank with any useful stuff? Anyone know of any analyses done on this stuff?? Or the Kent Marine trace element solution?

 

[liquid]

Here ya go:

http://www.inlandreef.com/analysis.html

Shane

 

[phillips]

Shane, Thanks for the link.

Looks like this Combisan stuff is pretty bogus stuff. Did TLF think no one was going to analyze their product??

 

[liquid]

Supposedly, since that analysis was performed they were supposed to have done some work on the product. MattM or MickAv8r here on the board might be able to give you more information on that. Also, try doing a search for CombiSan on the General Reefkeeping Discussion to turn up more information. I know we've discussed this a couple times over the year if I remember right...

http://www.reefs.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=search&search_forum=1

Shane

 

[MattM]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Phillips:
<strong>Did TLF think no one was going to analyze their product??</strong><hr></blockquote>

We've discussed this with Julian Sprung of TLF. Even they didn't analyze it until after Dr. Shimek and Inland Reef did their analyses.

You see, the product is produced by Peter Wilkens in Switzerland and TLF only dilutes it to Wilkens spec, packages, and distrubutes it. The analysis that was printed on the bottle was provided to TLF by Wilkens and they never had reason to doubt it.

Since the formula is controlled by Wilkens, all TLF could do in response was to remove the erroneous analysis from the package. Although I suspest a lot of teeth gnashing has gone on between Sprung and Wilkens - TLF took the brunt of the abuse from Wilkens screw-up.

FWIW, there are many anecdotal cases like yours of corals doing very well with Combi-San, despite or maybe because of the fact that there is very little in it. There is mounting evidence that most, if not all of us overdose our tanks with trace elements.

 

[phillips]

Maybe my little yellow polyps needed just a little more iodide??

 

[Russ1]

Matt,
The only thing I put in my reef is food and my arm! Oh, I forgot to say just a little light! Russ