DIY Balling Method Recipe

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Going to try mixing up my own 3 part using the recipes posted by Clam Fanatic. Went off to source chemicals an my question is.

Can Magnesium sulfate a Magnesium sulfate hept

following your three part recipe and have a four part question.

I see both MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE and MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE HEXAHYDRATE . Can they be used interchangeably?

Same goes for Epsom Salts, I see MAGNESIUM SULFATE and MAGNESIUM SULFATE HEPTAHYDRATE are these interchangeable ?

Really love my tank and would rather not kill or distress everyone in it.

Thank you.

Both can be used, but they are not identical potency. The hydrate ones require a lot more material to add the same magnesium.

Usually the hydrates are cheaper for the same purity.

 

[Val Shebeko]

Both can be used, but they are not identical potency. The hydrate ones require a lot more material to add the same magnesium.

Usually the hydrates are cheaper for the same purity.

So straight up MAGNESIUM CHlORIDE and MAGNESIUM SULFATE, never mind the HEXA and the HEPTA?

And thank you very much.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So straight up MAGNESIUM CHlORIDE and MAGNESIUM SULFATE, never mind the HEXA and the HEPTA?

And thank you very much.

If adequately pure, they are fine. The hydrates just mean water in the solid crystals.

 

[Val Shebeko]

If adequately pure, they are fine. The hydrates just mean water in the solid crystals.

Thank you very much.

 

[Val Shebeko]

But of course there is always one more question, for instance the reciepe calls for 1285 grams of the hexa and with Mg Chloride being more potent how much less would be prudent to use? How is this calculated even as a rule of thumb?

Thanks again.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

But of course there is always one more question, for instance the reciepe calls for 1285 grams of the hexa and with Mg Chloride being more potent how much less would be prudent to use? How is this calculated even as a rule of thumb?

Thanks again.

The calculation involves knowing how much water is there. Easiest way is by the molecular weight of both forms

MgCl2 mw = 95.2 g/Mole
MgCl2 hexahydrate = 203.3 g/mole

Thus, it takes 95.2/203.3 =0.47 times as much of the anhydrous (not hydrated) version as the hydrate.

For the sulfate, the ratio is 0.49 for anhydrous compared to the heirahydrate.

 

[Val Shebeko]

The calculation involves knowing how much water is there. Easiest way is by the molecular weight of both forms

MgCl2 mw = 95.2 g/Mole
MgCl2 hexahydrate = 203.3 g/mole

Thus, it takes 95.2/203.3 =0.47 times as much of the anhydrous (not hydrated) version as the hydrate.

For the sulfate, the ratio is 0.49 for anhydrous compared to the heirahydrate.

Good morning,

And how do mere mortals deduce these g/mole values?

Askin’ for friend,

Thank you and I truly appreciate your taking the time.

V

 

[Miami Reef]

And how do mere mortals deduce these g/mole values?

With the atomic mass from the periodic table.

 

[Val Shebeko]

Oh, dear.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

you can also often find it by searching the name of the chemical, and molecular weight is often provided by chemical companies selling the product, or just wikipedia.

 

[GreatValueReef]

I think the ESV calcium chloride link on the first post may go somewhere unexpected...

 

[Miami Reef]

I think the ESV calcium chloride link on the first post may go somewhere unexpected...

Thank you very much. I instantly took care of it.

 

[cba191]

I haven't even gotten a fish yet. This is starting to scare the hell out of me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I haven't even gotten a fish yet. This is starting to scare the hell out of me.

There are much simpler methods, although every method has its pros and cons, and none need to be started right away.

 

[Miami Reef]

I haven't even gotten a fish yet. This is starting to scare the hell out of me.

Fish tanks don’t need this type of dosing.

You don’t need to worry about anything in this thread. You are doing fine. Make a thread about any questions and we will answer it in very simple, straightforward ways. No B.S. Just a simple and easy path to success.


There are many ways to reef. You get to choose how you want to do it. Don’t get overwhelmed by this thread. You don’t need any of it. There are MUCH easier ways to get good results.

 

[rishma]

I haven't even gotten a fish yet. This is starting to scare the hell out of me.

Agree with comments. This thread is for nerds only.

 

[Slark]

Thank for the helping post. I'm new to this, can you make it more clearly for me. For part 1: it's 500 mg CaCl2 + 3,8 lit RoDi + 50 ml tropic marin A+ trace element. For part 2: 375mg Na2CO3 + 3,8 lit RODi + 50 ml K+ trace element. For part 3 1250 mg MgCl2 + 750 mg MgSO4 + 3,8 lit ROdi, dose after finishing 1 part ? Am I get it right ?
Another question is can I double the amount of powder( for ex : 1000 g of Cacl2 to 3,8 lit + tropic marine A ) because I have a small container . Thank for reading my post.

 

[Miami Reef]

Thank for the helping post. I'm new to this, can you make it more clearly for me. For part 1: it's 500 mg CaCl2 + 3,8 lit RoDi + 50 ml tropic marin A+ trace element. For part 2: 375mg Na2CO3 + 3,8 lit RODi + 50 ml K+ trace element. For part 3 1250 mg MgCl2 + 750 mg MgSO4 + 3,8 lit ROdi, dose after finishing 1 part ? Am I get it right ?
Another question is can I double the amount of powder( for ex : 1000 g of Cacl2 to 3,8 lit + tropic marine A ) because I have a small container . Thank for reading my post.

Tropic Marin K+ is dosed with the calcium component, and A- is dosed with the alkalinity component.


I’m not seeing the Balling part reflected here, and the magnesium values don’t match the ones referenced in that thread. Are you following this specific recipe, or the alternative version that excludes Balling altogether?


You can’t double the recipe because sodium carbonate won’t fully dissolve at that concentration.

 

[Slark]

About magnesium part, I've read it at old Randy's article, about 2,5 cup MgCl2 (~ 1250g) and 1,5 cup MgSO4 (~ 750 g). So now it should be 1285g MgCl2 + 128g MgSO4 ?
And pls tell me exactly how many mililit of Tropic Marine A and K should be added to the component pls. Thank you very much .

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

About magnesium part, I've read it at old Randy's article, about 2,5 cup MgCl2 (~ 1250g) and 1,5 cup MgSO4 (~ 750 g). So now it should be 1285g MgCl2 + 128g MgSO4 ?
And pls tell me exactly how many mililit of Tropic Marine A and K should be added to the component pls. Thank you very much .

The reason for the first sentence is that when using TM Balling Part C, which supplies a lot of sulfate, you no longer need the mag part to contain excess sulfate, and the latter ratio is just the ratio of chloride to sulfate in seawater.