August 2022...

 

​Final update regarding our statement regarding Tropic Marin Pro-Reef sea salt manufactured in our Turkish production facility.​

 

Dear Tropic Marine® Customer,

Now that the testing of the Tropic Marin® Pro Reef salt, produced in our manufacturing facility in Turkey is completed, we can share the results and bring the Pro Reef replacement program to an end.

We have done exhaustive testing, both chemically and biologically, of the salt batches manufactured in our facility in Turkey. The results have clearly and definitely shown, while there was a small amount of raw material that was received in our facility in Turkey that did not meet the certificate standards accompanying the product, the only impurity consisted of a small amount of insoluble clay material. This material sometimes shows up as undissolved solids when mixing. These insoluble components have been tested rigorously and been proven to have no ill effects on any aquatic life, including sensitive invertebrates like SPS corals.

We are very pleased that our testing has verified the safety of the Tropic Marin® Pro Reef salt manufactured in our facility in Turkey, despite cases of hobbyists experiencing coral decline or loss that happen to coincide with our investigation and the replacement program. In many cases we have been able to assist the hobbyists in determining and rectifying the cause of their coral decline. As is often the case, some causes of coral decline have proven elusive and gone undiagnosed.

The Tropic Marin® Pro Reef replacement program was initiated on February 1st, 2022, before our testing was conclusive as a result for our overly cautious approach in protecting our customers and the sensitive animals they keep. Now that the testing is done, and shows no ill effects, we still feel an obligation to give customers, that have not taken advantage of the replacement program yet, a chance to replace their salt if they so choose. This will continue until December 31st of this year, at which time the replacement program will terminate.

Thank you for your cooperation during our Tropic Marin® Pro Reef replacement program.

​

Your Tropic Marin® team

​

May 2022...

​

5. Update regarding our statement regarding Tropic Marin Pro-Reef sea salt manufactured

in our Turkish production facility.

 

Please watch this Video: https://youtu.be/3-f-I_sbb2w

 

March 2022...

​

4. Update regarding our statement regarding Tropic Marin Pro-Reef sea salt manufactured in our Turkish production facility.

​

We are keeping you up to date on shipping challenges and are happy to report that three containers are now on the water and an additional five are being prepared to replace Tropic Marin® Pro Reef sea salt manufactured in Turkey in 2021. As the aquatic life science company that has reliably provided premium quality products for over 50 years, Tropic Marine® is adapting to shortages of containers, delayed and canceled ships and congestion at American ports. We are doing everything we can to move the process along and solve logistical challenges. We will keep you in the loop going forward.

​

Your Tropic Marin® team

​

March 2022...

​​

3. Update regarding our statement regarding Tropic Marin Pro-Reef sea salt manufactured in our Turkish production facility.

​

The replacement program for Tropic Marin® Pro Reef sea salt manufactured in 2021 in our production facility in Turkey is now fully underground. While our ongoing testing is still showing no evidence of harmful consequences, we feel strongly that this is the best way forward considering our commitment to our customers and our community as a whole. Current supply chain hurdles are challenging. But we are taking them on and figuring out answers day by day. We appreciate your patience and your business.

​

Your Tropic Marin® team

​

February 2022...

 

2. Update regarding our  statement regarding Tropic Marin Pro-Reef sea salt manufactured in our Turkish production facility.

​

As the aquatic life science company that has reliably provided premium quality products for over 50 years, Tropic Marine® takes seriously our commitment to our customers and our community. We have moved as quickly as possible to isolate any potential issues with the product made in the facility in Turkey and have now closed that facility. Our testing thus far has yielded no evidence that the minerals linked to cloudiness or residue are harmful. But we are not waiting for more test results to take action. We are moving forward with a process to replace any Tropic Marin® Pro Reef sea salt manufactured in our former facility in Turkey and doing everything possible to ensure no problems occur in the future.

​

We care deeply about making things right and living up to the high standards we set for ourselves and for serving our customers.

​

The replacement process:

The procedure is now in place to enable customers to seek replacement of Tropic Marin® Pro Reef sea salt manufactured in our production facility in Turkey, packaged in 100-gallon and 160-gallon boxes and in 200-gallon buckets. The salt produced at our facility in Turkey can be identified from our other manufacturing sites, as follows: A label on the front of the 100-gallon and 160-gallon boxes states Manufactured in Turkey under the authority of Tropic Marin AG The 200-gallon buckets have this statement as well on the side of the bucket.

​

Customers should return to their retailer with a receipt of purchase, a picture of the label that shows the statement mentioned above, and a lot number of the product to be replaced. It is not necessary to return the actual product to the retailer. Lot numbers on boxes are located on the side of the box, printed on a small paper label. A similar label is located on the bottom of the buckets. Lot numbers are requested but not mandatory. If you acquired your product from an online source, please contact that source directly for the replacement.

​

Your retailer may not have the replacement product immediately available at the time of your return. Please know that we are doing everything in our power to move as much German-made replacement product over to the US as quickly as possible. However, due to current shipping constraints, it may take as long as 2 months or more for replacements to arrive from Germany. We appreciate and are extremely grateful for your continued patience while we navigate the logistics of this very complex situation.

​

Your Tropic Marin® team

​

​

February 2022...

 

Update regarding our statement regarding Tropic Marin Pro-Reef sea salt manufactured in our Turkish production facility.

​

We have confirmed that the issue described in our January 27th only impacts certain batches of Tropic Marin Pro-Reef sea salt manufactured in our Turkish production facility packaged in 100-gallon and 160-gallon boxes and in 200-gallon buckets. The salt produced at our Turkish facility can be identified from our other manufacturing sites, as follows:  A label on the front of the 100-gallon and 160-gallon potentially affected boxes states,“Manufactured in Turkey under the authority of Tropic Marin AG”. The 200-gallon buckets have this statement as well on the side of the bucket. We believe the impacted product from our Turkish facility started arriving in the US in April of 2021 and have been sold from then until the current time.  We are diligently working to narrow this down further to specific batch numbers.

​

For the current time, all new salt shipments from Tropic Marin to the US market, will come from one of our German manufacturing facilities. We apologize to anyone who may have received anything but the best from us. We are working on implementing a plan with your retailers, and our distributors, to address the replacement of affected product and will provide updates as soon as practicable.

​

We will do our best to post updates as soon as we have new information. Please check our website for authorized updates directly from Tropic Marin.

​

Your Tropic Marine team

​

January 2022...

 

Statement on current supply of Tropic Marin Pro-Reef sea salt from our Turkish production facility.

​

Tropical Marin stands for the highest quality in seawater animal husbandry. Regrettably, in the last few days we have received several complaints that some of our Tropic Marin Pro Reef Sea salt, produced in our Turkish facility, did not meet our exacting optical standards. Our investigation into these complaints has revealed that limited batches of Tropic Marin Pro Reef sea salt may contain a small amount of an insoluble clay mineral impurity that may impact our exacting optical quality standards, resulting in cloudiness, film and/or yellowish or brownish residue in the water.

 

Importantly, we have no evidence that these insoluble clay minerals, causing the cloudiness, are harmful to the animals. Please note that this notice only applies to Tropic Marin Pro Reef sea salt blended in our facility in Turkey and that the mineral impurity has not been observed in Tropic Marin Pro Reef sea salt produced in our German facilities or in any of our other products.

 

In addition to our own investigations, we have commissioned an in-depth analysis from an external laboratory to verify our findings.  As a precautionary measure, we have decided to interrupt the production and distribution of Tropic Marin Pro Reef salts, blended in our facility in Turkey, until further notice. Again, this is purely a precautionary measure and has no impact on it Tropic Marin Pro Reef sea salt produced elsewhere.

We deeply regret any inconvenience this has caused.

 

Your Tropic Marine team