What brands of alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium are you using?

[Tegridy Reef]

A newb question relating to this Dosing ? Do you dose in the DT or the sump? If sumop, which chamber?

sump if u get stuff that's not mixed on corals

 

[ddwatson]

A newb question relating to this Dosing ? Do you dose in the DT or the sump? If sumop, which chamber?

Sump, by the return so the flow will circulate it well.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

A newb question relating to this Dosing ? Do you dose in the DT or the sump? If sumop, which chamber?

You can add it anywhere you want, and people add it in many different places depending on the system, but the things to keep in mind are that:

1. You do not want high concentrations (before it mixes in well) to interact with important organisms.
2. You want to add it to a place with good flow/mixing/turbulence to cause it to mix in fast to keep it from causing local precipitation of calcium carbonate

I would not add it directly upstream of GFO, since GFO also encourages precipitation of calcium carbonate.

 

[acesfull44]

You can add it anywhere you want, and people add it in many different places depending on the system, but the things to keep in mind are that:

1. You do not want high concentrations (before it mixes in well) to interact with important organisms.
2. You want to add it to a place with good flow/mixing/turbulence to cause it to mix in fast to keep it from causing local precipitation of calcium carbonate

I would not add it directly upstream of GFO, since GFO also encourages precipitation of calcium carbonate.

Ok to add it to the part of my sump that has Cheato in it? I have a power head in there.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok to add it to the part of my sump that has Cheato in it? I have a power head in there.

It is not just the local turbulance, but the flow through. I'd worry the pH may stress the chaeto if the flow through the refugium does not flush it out reasonably rapidly (or the dosing is not slow like dropwise).

 

[MoneyMike1987]

I went from BRS to ME and hated it. Switching back.

 

[Nick92515]

Esv b-ionic. Super convenient if your not dosing much.

 

[becks]

what do all the the three part dosing packages contain from Redsea, triton etc as I image they are virtually the same.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

Red sea all around. Though the calcium contains strontium (which I think it wiser than not; even if it's accidental integration (Randy )) I am considering creating a comparison chart to find the cheaper mag/alk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I went from BRS to ME and hated it. Switching back.

What was the problem?

 

[RobBaglieri]

I am currently using the Red Sea liquids. It seems expensive in the long run. I will probably switch to BRS when I run out of Red Sea.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'll probably switch to the BRS supplements.

I know that one of the 3 Red Sea supplements has strontium in it. Do any of the 3 BRS supplements have strontium in it?

Thanks for any info or help.


Allen

There will be some as a contaminant, but not as much as methods that intentionally add it.

IMO, it is not important, but if you use BRS calcium, and want to maintin strontium, you might need a specific supplement if it appears to drop.

 

[hawkinsrgk]

BRS for calcium, soda ash and kalkwasser
Mag flake for mag chloride. Going to switch to something else once this batch is gone. Don't like BRS mag chloride either

 

[JimWelsh]

Don't like BRS mag chloride either

What don't you like about it?

 

[gamedog53]

Been using Reef Grow products for some time now. I like the fact there is an online calculator that tells you exactly how much your tank requires based on the test kit results. Plus Justin always answers any questions that may arise quickly.

 

[redfishbluefish]

........... Don't like BRS mag chloride either

What don't you like about it?

I don't get it either???? Magnesium Chloride is Magnesium Chloride is Magnesium Chloride. I'm curious as well....what's the issue???

 

[BillyTheGoat]

BRS

 

[Lou Ekus]

This is Lou Ekus from Tropic Marin. I feel compelled to add an entry to this thread. My apologies for the “commercial” sound of my entry. It is not meant primarily as such.

It is very interesting to me that this discussion is so active with no mention of the difference between the so called “three part systems” for dosing Ca and alkalinity that include only Mg in the part three or Mg plus a few trace elements and the true three part Balling Method. It is important to note that the standard two part methods increase the percentage of sodium chloride in the water column in relation to the rest of the components of sea water. This is not resolved by just adding Mg. When using a two-part additive, where the part A is calcium chloride and the part B is sodium carbonate/bicarbonate, it is necessary to offset/balance the residual sodium chloride created by the part A and B with the addition of complete sodium chloride free sea salt mixture. This mixture consists of all components of sea water, minus the calcium and alkalinity, not just Mg and a trace element or two. This method is what is known as the Balling Method. Here is a link to a video explanation:



The addition of supplemental Mg is done separately, as well as any supplementary trace element addition. The ionic imbalance created by the two part or (or three part with the part 3 being only Mg) must be addressed and has not been part of this discussion. That is the reason for my post.

There are a few products in the marketplace that will supplement calcium and alkalinity without this ionic imbalance of the residual sodium chloride created. Tropic Marin makes some of them, but this entry is not a sales pitch. But if you are using a part A and B that is calcium chloride and sodium carbonate/bicarbonate, there is nothing you can do to prevent the formation of “left over” sodium chloride after the calcium and carbonates are consumed. That sodium chloride creates the imbalance if it is not offset by the addition of the sodium chloride free sea salt I have mentioned.

In the spirit of full disclosure, Hans-Werner Balling, the originator of the Balling Method was hired by Tropic Marin in 2001. He is currently the Head of R&D and Product Management in the Tropic Marin lab in Germany. Tropic Marin is the only company in the world that makes “Balling” salts in his exact formula under his supervision.

 

[hawkinsrgk]

What don't you like about it?

Hi Jim
It clumps together and gets kinda oily. The last three batches that I have gotten have been like that. It's has been really difficult to get it in a gallon jug

The reason that I don't care for Dow flake is that seems the have impurities in it that settle to the bottom of the jug. I put the vinyl tubing a little off the bottom and pour it out when it gets low

 

[JMacedo]

After years of using a Calcium Reactor I finally moved on. The only proper methods I know... Hans Werner's Balling Method or Claude Schumacher's Fauna Marin Balling Light. Went with the latter.