Looking to switch from Aquaforest....

hmbrower

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Messages
296
Reaction score
183
Location
Boston, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My local fish store has been very inconsistent with inventory, and I have had it. I have thought about switching to Tropic Marin but am open to other suggestions. I am using the Reef Salt and the component 1,2,3. I predominately have a SPS tank. My current alk, cal, mag are 8.3, 490, 1480. What are you using, and what would I need to transition to that? (meaning salt and ca/alk/mg). Thanks!
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,831
Reaction score
200,073
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
I went from AF to Tropic Marin and I love tropic Marin
 

Peace River

Thrive Master
View Badges
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Messages
21,466
Reaction score
164,293
Location
USA
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
You may want to watch these BRS videos as you are considering your options:



 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,831
Reaction score
200,073
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
OP
OP
hmbrower

hmbrower

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Messages
296
Reaction score
183
Location
Boston, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Products?

Sorry for not phrasing this better. Are you using something for calc/alk/mag of theirs? I am trying to figure out all that I would need to start the transition. It looks like the balling components are dosed in 3 separate containers, and then there is another product bio-magnesium for magnesium?

@Lou Ekus ..... also because I just found this out with aquaforest.... does everything need to be dosed equally? And if yes, how do you elevate calcium and alk?
 

Kfactor

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
1,208
Reaction score
1,151
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If I could get it here in Canada I would be trying the tropic Marin . I went from io to coral pro now I’m just mixing my first batch of blue bucket the parameters are more were I want them to be
 

spartanman22

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 10, 2014
Messages
772
Reaction score
588
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Are you using the Aquaforest premixed 1+, 2+, 3+ Component system or mixing your own? I use AF products and have been mixing my own for the past year now (much cheaper than buying pre-mixed), and I've found that BRS always has reliable inventory. Amazon even used to stock it fairly well, although that has changed recently.
 
OP
OP
hmbrower

hmbrower

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Messages
296
Reaction score
183
Location
Boston, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I just started mixing it, and I can't seem to get the ALK to dissolve completely
 

JCOLE

Grower of the Small Polyps
View Badges
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Messages
4,078
Reaction score
11,016
Location
Charlotte, NC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I recently switched from IORC to Tropic Marin Pro and will never go back. The cleanliness and consistent parameters is my main focus.
 

Phil D.

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 4, 2019
Messages
1,355
Reaction score
1,440
Location
Gilbert, AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've been using 1-2-3 for years now and have found that Marine Depot consistently has it in stock. I won't switch because growth is phenomenal. I use Red Sea Pro salt also.
 

dvp95

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Messages
109
Reaction score
76
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
TM is great for mixing very very well but you will need to dose to get to what you want. I test my mix and I constantly get Alk 6.6-7, Ca ~420-435, and Mg ~1260-1300. I end up needed to supplement Alk and Mg but it mixes very well
 

Big C

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Messages
544
Reaction score
943
Location
Northwest Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I used the AF salt and mixed my own components. Had mainly softy and LPS reef. Did well but got tired of the film left behind in my mix tank.

Switched to TP Pro salt and AF components on my new build with some SPS. So far seems to be doing as well or better (color, growth) but really with the new tank to early to tell. Also added T5 hybrid.
 

madweazl

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
4,110
Reaction score
5,091
Location
Virginia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm using Tropic Marin's Balling A, B, and C along with their Bio-magnesium, A- trace, and K+ trace. This is the first set of the Tropic Marin components I've used but the alkalinity part was largely a solid block that I had to spend 20 minutes breaking apart. It was extremely difficult to mix (took forever) and it has precipitated badly in the my dosing container and in the just used to store it. I'm going to try one more box and if the same happens, I'll be abandoning Tropic Marin in favor of a traditional 2-part for those components.

49731147477_60e52910e7_h.jpg

49731147427_98df3292e6_h.jpg
 

spartanman22

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 10, 2014
Messages
772
Reaction score
588
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I just started mixing it, and I can't seem to get the ALK to dissolve completely

I've always got some undissolved alk in the bottom of my containers. I just chock it up to the formula being overly saturated with regards to Alk. On my next batch I intend to experiment a little bit. I'd like to run some analyses to determine a more appropriate mass of alk powder produce a saturated solution. I can't recall the last product I've used that didn't have some deposits after mixing. It seems to happen with all of them, and I really think its just the formulas being overly liberal with the mass amounts.
 

madweazl

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
4,110
Reaction score
5,091
Location
Virginia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've always got some undissolved alk in the bottom of my containers. I just chock it up to the formula being overly saturated with regards to Alk. On my next batch I intend to experiment a little bit. I'd like to run some analyses to determine a more appropriate mass of alk powder produce a saturated solution. I can't recall the last product I've used that didn't have some deposits after mixing. It seems to happen with all of them, and I really think its just the formulas being overly liberal with the mass amounts.

Hasn't happened with Randy's recipe or the BRS Pharmaceutical grade I've used the past four years. The Tropic Marin is a stronger solution at 2800 dKh vs 2660 dKh for Randy's "recipe 2" that is similar. I was able to get it to completely dissolve, it just took me about 45 minutes.
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,831
Reaction score
200,073
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Sorry for not phrasing this better. Are you using something for calc/alk/mag of theirs? I am trying to figure out all that I would need to start the transition. It looks like the balling components are dosed in 3 separate containers, and then there is another product bio-magnesium for magnesium?

@Lou Ekus ..... also because I just found this out with aquaforest.... does everything need to be dosed equally? And if yes, how do you elevate calcium and alk?
I have entire line. Currently I run a CA reactor and adding a zeovit reactor, so not really adding any of it other than MAG.
I add daily : AF build, coralV, Component A-B-C, energy, Kalum, and stability.
Weekly: AF Mineral salt, reef source, component strong and Bio S.
 
OP
OP
hmbrower

hmbrower

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Messages
296
Reaction score
183
Location
Boston, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Interesting... I dont think my tank is big enough for a ca reactor (reefer 350). What I am having trouble with is I just read that 1,2,3 should be dosed evenly. I am having to daily dose 192 ml of component 1, 144 of component 2, and 160 ml of component 3 to maintain parameters of 490, 8.1-8.3, and 1490.... I have been doing this for 2 years. I do have a big maxima clam that sucks up some nutrients and my tank is filled with SPS.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 27 49.1%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 29 52.7%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 10 18.2%
  • None.

    Votes: 13 23.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 5.5%
Back
Top