The Balling DIY supplement recipe utilize a 1:1:1 dosing ratio to maintain proper alkalinity. For instance, if you require 50 mL of the alkalinity solution, you should also add 50 mL of Calcium and Balling.
Alkalinity (Choose One) :
Option 1: Converting Baking Soda (Sodium bicarbonate) into Soda Ash (Sodium carbonate) at home:
Spread 594 grams (approximately two ¼ cups) of
Baking Soda on a baking tray. Heat in an oven at 300°F for one hour. This process drives off water and carbon dioxide; overheating is not a concern. Dissolve the resulting solid in enough water to make 1 gallon total of Soda Ash.
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If you purchased pre-made Soda Ash, it is 375g per gallon.
Option 2: Sodium Hydroxide (Lye)
Add 283 grams of food-grade sodium hydroxide to 1 gallon of fresh water. It will get quite warm. Make sure it doesn't soften your container. This solution will contain about 1,900 meq/L of alkalinity (5,300 dKH). There is no alkalinity additive that has a greater pH boost than hydroxides.
BE CAREFUL WITH THIS SOLUTION: IT HAS A pH ABOVE 14. Do not get it in your eyes or on your skin. Keep all reef chemicals, especially this alk part, in a way that children or pets cannot access them.
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*You can add Tropic Marin A- Trace Elements to either Alkalinity part.
Calcium:
Dissolve 500 grams (about 2 ½ cups) of calcium chloride dihydrate (such as
Dowflake 77-80% calcium chloride or
ESV calcium chloride; see below for substitutes and sources) in enough water to make 1 gallon of total volume. You can dissolve it in about ½ gallon of water, and then pour that into the 1 gallon container and fill it to the top with more freshwater. This solution has about 37,000 ppm calcium.
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Note: If you use an anhydrous or monohydrate calcium chloride (such as
Dow Mini-Pellets, Kent's Turbo Calcium, Prestone Driveway Heat or
Peladow Calcium Chloride), then you should use about 20% (1/5) less solid calcium chloride by volume to make the recipe. Note that the solution will get quite hot when dissolving anhydrous calcium chloride. See the section on substitutions for further information.
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*You can add Tropic Marin K+ Trace Elements to the Calcium part.
Balling Method (Choose One) :
Option 1: Tropic Marin Balling Part C
Dissolve 182 grams (about seven scoops) in enough RO/DI or purified water to make one gallon total volume.
Tropic Marin’s instructions are for concentrations 50% weaker, so I’ve appropriately doubled it to equal 1:1:1 dosing.
Option 2: Aquaforest Mineral Salt
Dissolve 189 grams in enough RO/DI or purified water to make one gallon total volume.
Aquaforest’s instructions are for solutions 50% weaker, so I’ve appropriately doubled it to equal 1:1:1 dosing.
Magnesium 10:1 Ratio:
Dissolve 7¼ cups (1,285g) of magnesium chloride hexahydrate and 3/4 cups (128g) of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate) in enough water to make one gallon.
Dosing Instructions for Magnesium:
Dose at 5.4% of the volume used for the other parts. For every gallon of other solutions used, add 203 mL of the magnesium mix.
Update 3/8/25
You can add this magnesium part (203mL) into the Balling Part. It will dissolve, which makes this a true three-part.
We must supplement the extra magnesium because The Balling Method only has enough to offset ionic imbalance, not consumption.
The 10:1 ratio is the chloride-to-sulfate ratio of normal seawater, which is necessary for this recipe.
If anyone has further questions, please feel free to ask in this thread.
