Combi-San Analysis
A study on aquarium foods conducted by Dr. Ron Shimek included an elemental analysis of the trace element supplement Combi-San by Two Little Fishies. Dr. Shimeks results did not come close to what the "guaranteed analysis" printed on the bottle stated. So, we took on the task of obtaining an independent analysis to determine if the "guaranteed analysis" was incorrect or if there might have been some flaw in the procedure that gave Dr. Shimek bad results.
Here are the results from a local lab (Northern Analytical Laboratories, Inc., Merrimack, NH). The test performed was an "Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry".
As can be seen, our results match closely with Dr. Shimek's.
The "TLF Claim" numbers are from the "guaranteed analysis" printed on the bottle.
All the amounts shown here are in parts per million (ppm).
| Element | Shimek | Inland Reef | TLF Claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 0.12 | <0.05 | - |
| Antimony | <0.06 | <0.01 | - |
| Arsenic | <0.06 | <0.01 | - |
| Barium | 0.00 | <0.01 | 12.00 |
| Beryllium | 0.00 | <0.1 | - |
| Boron | 1.60 | 2.00 | 56.00 |
| Bromine | not tested | <0.01 | 58.00 |
| Cadmium | 0.00 | <0.01 | - |
| Calcium | 1.50 | 1.00 | - |
| Chromium | 0.06 | 0.10 | - |
| Cobalt | 0.02 | 0.03 | 35.00 |
| Copper | 0.11 | 0.10 | 28.00 |
| Iodide | 14.00 | 35.00 | 54.00 |
| Iron | 23.00 | 22.00 | 1115.00 |
| Lead | <0.06 | <0.01 | - |
| Lithium | <0.03 | <0.1 | 16.00 |
| Magnesium | <0.29 | 1.00 | - |
| Manganese | 18.00 | 20.00 | 830.00 |
| Mercury | <0.06 | <0.01 | - |
| Molybdenum | 0.24 | 0.85 | 26.00 |
| Nickel | 0.15 | 0.15 | - |
| Phosphorus | 1.80 | <0.5 | - |
| Potassium | 7.90 | 8.60 | 56.00 |
| Selenium | <0.06 | <0.01 | 16.00 |
| Silicon | 2.00 | <0.5 | - |
| Silver | <0.06 | <0.01 | - |
| Sodium | 26.00 | 19.00 | - |
| Strontium | 0.01 | <0.01 | 48.00 |
| Sulfur | 27.00 | 2.50 | - |
| Thallium | <0.06 | <0.01 | - |
| Tin | 0.60 | <0.01 | - |
| Titanium | <0.01 | <0.01 | - |
| Vanadium | <0.03 | <0.01 | 18.00 |
| Yttrium | 0.00 | <0.01 | - |
| Zinc | 5.80 | 4.80 | 62.00 |
It should be noted that Two Little Fishies was never the manufacturer of CombiSan. The product is made in concentrated form in Switzerland and then diluted according to the original manufacturer's instructions, bottled and distributed by Two Little Fishies.
Unable to alter the basic formula, Two Little Fishies has since changed the labeling to read simply "Contains trace elements."
May 2008 Advanced Aquarist is Now Available
International Marine Aquarium Conference '08