AFR vs. Carbo-Calc vs. Bio-Calc vs. Re-mineral?

[VR28man]

So I'm looking at TM's website and find the following products and they seem to be fairly similar?

- Biocalcium is a dry mix of sodium bicarbonate/carbonate and calcium chloride, plus Mg and some amount of K and trace elements (but not as much as AFR?). This is meant to be added dry.

- Carbo-calcium: calcium formate - put this in your tank to supplement KH and Ca. Can be added to top off RODI water in a manner similar to the dosing of kalkwasser

- All-For-Reef: carbo-calcium and Mg and A- Elements and K+ elements, in liquid form. Can also be dosed with top of RODI water.

- Re-mineral marine - a different additive meant specifically for RODI top-off water. it adds "Calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium salts, bicarbonate and carbonate, trace elements". It's unclear to me how this differs from AfR, save for it being meant specifically for RODI top off water.

Thanks!

 

[Hans-Werner]

Re-Mineral Marine is quite a different product. It adds more magnesium than calcium to keep the calcium and bicarbonate in solution. So it is not well suited to compensate for calcium carbonate formation.

Bio-Calcium is a dry mix of the Balling salts, the salts used for the Balling method, calcium chloride, sodium bicarbonate/carbonate and sodium chloride free sea salt, no additional trace elements for coral growth, the same advantages and disadvantages as the Balling method, except that the calcium and alkalinity ratio is fixed since it is premixed.

Carbo-Calcium is calcium formate, this is correct. It only adds calcium and alkalinity (precursors), no trace elements for coral growth. In contrast to Bio-Calcium and Original Balling it does not increase the salinity.

All-For-Reef is Carbo-Calcium with magnesium and K+ and A- Elements, the additional trace elements for corals growth. It balances the complete mineral consumption in many tanks quite well and may be used as only product for the complete calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and trace elements supply.

 

[VR28man]

Thank you, Dr. Balling!!!!

What, then is the suggested use for Re-Mineral Marine?

 

[Reefahholic]

Re-Mineral Marine is quite a different product. It adds more magnesium than calcium to keep the calcium and bicarbonate in solution. So it is not well suited to compensate for calcium carbonate formation.

Bio-Calcium is a dry mix of the Balling salts, the salts used for the Balling method, calcium chloride, sodium bicarbonate/carbonate and sodium chloride free sea salt, no additional trace elements for coral growth, the same advantages and disadvantages as the Balling method, except that the calcium and alkalinity ratio is fixed since it is premixed.

Carbo-Calcium is calcium formate, this is correct. It only adds calcium and alkalinity (precursors), no trace elements for coral growth. In contrast to Bio-Calcium and Original Balling it does not increase the salinity.

All-For-Reef is Carbo-Calcium with magnesium and K+ and A- Elements, the additional trace elements for corals growth. It balances the complete mineral consumption in many tanks quite well and may be used as only product for the complete calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and trace elements supply.

Does AFR and Carbo-Calcium have the same exact potency?

 

[Hans-Werner]

Yes, AFR and Carbo-Calcium have the same potency regarding calcium and alkalinity. The difference in quantities dissolved to 1 liter solution is the other elements like magnesium, strontium etc. in AFR.