MN Aquariums reef

MNAquariums

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My 80 gal system (64gal display).

20260928_221320_88382E41-9AD9-457D-BDE9-ABD3C395605F.png
 
Beautiful system, thank you for sharing!
 
One issue has presented itself lately, and that is a clear trend of rising boron.

I run a hybrid balling solution that I have tailored myself, using additives from different brands—mainly for cost effectiveness, but also to adapt everything as closely as possible to my specific system.

Here are the boron ICP readings from 06‑17‑2026 and my latest from 08‑17‑2026.

Since the earlier one, I have slightly lowered my salinity and continued my regular 5% weekly water changes, but the trend is still clear. All other elements look fine and nothing raises major flags, but boron made me try to find the cause.

I suspect that using a modified Aquaforest balling method with mineral salt, combined with Fauna Marin Trace 1–3, is causing an overlap—particularly Trace 1, which contains potassium, strontium, boron, selenium, rubidium, vanadium and fluorine.

I have now significantly reduced the dose of Trace 1, performed a 10% water change and will do another 10% water change next week.

I will soon send in another ICP to check if boron has stabilized or if the level slowly drifts back down. This raises another question, of course: will there be a deficiency of the other elements in Trace 1? And if so, is it chemically reasonable to obtain these specific elements, make a blend in RO water and put it on a dosing pump to create a continuous, easier‑to‑manage trace solution?



boron 1.png

Boron 2.png
 
Very beautiful reef. How old is it? I am moving into more of a mixed reef in my 1 yr old 75g. I did not move my rbta however. I started with 1 and probably had 30 when I transferred from my 56g! 🤪
 
Very beautiful reef. How old is it? I am moving into more of a mixed reef in my 1 yr old 75g. I did not move my rbta however. I started with 1 and probably had 30 when I transferred from my 56g! 🤪
Thank you, has been running about 2 years, som corals transfered from a old one.
I noticed later that the BTA had actually split into 3 so will have to see where they end up. Slightly concerned about the acroporas 😅
 

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