- Joined
- Nov 7, 2012
- Location
- Toronto, Ontario
Good read by Patrick at ReefWholeSale!
Old Balling method, Balling Light method and 2 Part,
How are they similar?
Quite simply all three of these systems work on similar basic principals. Approximately equal parts by mass of calcium and alkalinity are added and each system doses to achieve ionic balance.
How do they differ?
This is where things get a bit more complicated but we will try and make it easier to understand.
Old Balling Method.
Calcium and alkalinity are added in equal proportions by mass.
Na-Cl free salt is also added in proportion to the amount of Ca and alk added.
This NaCl free salt also contains Magnesium chloride, magnesium sulphate and trace elements.
Calcium, alkalinity and NaCl free salt must be added in the same proportions.
Na-CL free salt combines with the Na and CL from the Ca and alk already added to form salt water and your salinity increases. This salinity increase would be similar in effect to using SW to top up your tank as opposed to FW. The effects are not large, but over time would be considerable and must be addressed.
To combat the salinity fluctuations, SW is removed and replaced with FW in an effective water change.
Additional magnesium supplements may be required to compensate for the consumption of magnesium by the corals.
Newer Balling Light Method
Calcium and alkalinity are added in approx equal proportions by mass but to meet the exact demands of your tank.
Magnesium solution dosed to help maintain ionic balance and to replace the magnesium consumed by the corals.
Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium can be added in varying proportions in order to meet the requirements of your specific reef system.
High purity Ca, Alk, and MG chemicals are used to ensure unwanted trace elements can enter your reef system.
Trace elements are added to the solutions and dosed in proportion required.
Overly complicated NaCl free salts are omitted.
10% weekly water changes are recommended for heavily stocked sps system with extreme dosing. But really, if you should already be doing a 10% weekly WC on a sps systemâ¦.
2 Part Method
Although the name 2 part would lead you to believe it is only 2 parts (calcium and alkalinity), revisions from its original formula have included the introduction of magnesium. There are now several revisions and recipes for 2 part that include different ratio of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate as well as different methods to prepare the alkalinity solution.
Calcium and alkalinity are added in approx equal proportions by mass but to meet the exact demands of your tank.
Magnesium solution dosed to help maintain ionic balance and to replace the magnesium consumed by the corals.
Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium can be added in varying proportions in order to meet the requirements of your specific reef system.
Lower purity Ca, Alk, and MG bulk chemicals are used and some of these impurities are thought to offset the lack of trace elements added to the Ca and Alk solution.
Overly complicated NaCl free salts are omitted.
2 Part may sound very similar to the Fauna Marin Balling light method right about now and thatâs because it is quite similar. People have referred to 2 part as a lighter version of Balling light and the primary difference between the theory behind the 2 systems revolves around the addition of the trace elements of the FM Balling Light system and the higher purity of the chemicals used by Fauna Marin in comparison to the bulk additives recommended for 2 part.
These 2 systems vary from the original Balling Method in that you can dose exactly what your tank requires according to its current consumption rate for each major element. The original older balling method requires the same proportion of ca, alk and na-cl free salts to be dosed at all time. But what happens if your tank consumes more magnesium than what comes in the prescribed salts? Now you need to dose an additional Magnesium supplement. Additional magnesium supplementation will also add more chlorides, which would in turn throw off the Na Cl balance that some claim is so critical.
Ionic Balance.
Well letâs just debunk this marketing myth right here and now.
If you are looking for a thorough read, please follow the link here:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/
This is not new info, it is from 2006 and its been known since well before then that the Balling Light method and that 2 part (with Magnesium) does not cause some catastrophic ionic imbalance. If they did, 2 part would not have grown to the most widely used dosing method in the reefing industry today. Any implications otherwise are used car salesmen fear mongering.
For those that would like to dispute that data, here is a chart from the article. This chart shows what would happen to the Ionic balance of a 50g reef system if you were to dose 41 ml / day of ca and all and the corresponding mg plus adjust salinity.
And should you wish to further dispute this data, please contact Randy Homes Farley directly, and good luck cause you are going to need it!
That being said, we do still recommend a 10% weekly water change.
We recommend a 10% weekly water change for just about any system in existence whether or not you are dosing, using calcium reactors, kalk reactors or just plane putting your tank on cruise control.
We firmly believe that water changes play a vital role in the long-term success of maintaining every healthy reef.
So why has Reef Wholesale been using the Fauna Marin Balling Light system for years now??
Quite simple, Colour!
Fauna Marin Balling Light is Super easy to dose.
Fauna Marin Balling Light has biopolymers added to their balling salts that really help your coral coloration POP!
Fauna Marin Balling Light lets you balance your parameters to the exact levels that you want!
Fauna Marin uses the highest purity elements plus all the essential trace elements to give you all the tools required to keep the nicest looking corals possible.
If the proof is in the pudding, these corals be pudding!
Old Balling method, Balling Light method and 2 Part,
How are they similar?
Quite simply all three of these systems work on similar basic principals. Approximately equal parts by mass of calcium and alkalinity are added and each system doses to achieve ionic balance.
How do they differ?
This is where things get a bit more complicated but we will try and make it easier to understand.
Old Balling Method.
Calcium and alkalinity are added in equal proportions by mass.
Na-Cl free salt is also added in proportion to the amount of Ca and alk added.
This NaCl free salt also contains Magnesium chloride, magnesium sulphate and trace elements.
Calcium, alkalinity and NaCl free salt must be added in the same proportions.
Na-CL free salt combines with the Na and CL from the Ca and alk already added to form salt water and your salinity increases. This salinity increase would be similar in effect to using SW to top up your tank as opposed to FW. The effects are not large, but over time would be considerable and must be addressed.
To combat the salinity fluctuations, SW is removed and replaced with FW in an effective water change.
Additional magnesium supplements may be required to compensate for the consumption of magnesium by the corals.
Newer Balling Light Method
Calcium and alkalinity are added in approx equal proportions by mass but to meet the exact demands of your tank.
Magnesium solution dosed to help maintain ionic balance and to replace the magnesium consumed by the corals.
Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium can be added in varying proportions in order to meet the requirements of your specific reef system.
High purity Ca, Alk, and MG chemicals are used to ensure unwanted trace elements can enter your reef system.
Trace elements are added to the solutions and dosed in proportion required.
Overly complicated NaCl free salts are omitted.
10% weekly water changes are recommended for heavily stocked sps system with extreme dosing. But really, if you should already be doing a 10% weekly WC on a sps systemâ¦.
2 Part Method
Although the name 2 part would lead you to believe it is only 2 parts (calcium and alkalinity), revisions from its original formula have included the introduction of magnesium. There are now several revisions and recipes for 2 part that include different ratio of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate as well as different methods to prepare the alkalinity solution.
Calcium and alkalinity are added in approx equal proportions by mass but to meet the exact demands of your tank.
Magnesium solution dosed to help maintain ionic balance and to replace the magnesium consumed by the corals.
Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium can be added in varying proportions in order to meet the requirements of your specific reef system.
Lower purity Ca, Alk, and MG bulk chemicals are used and some of these impurities are thought to offset the lack of trace elements added to the Ca and Alk solution.
Overly complicated NaCl free salts are omitted.
2 Part may sound very similar to the Fauna Marin Balling light method right about now and thatâs because it is quite similar. People have referred to 2 part as a lighter version of Balling light and the primary difference between the theory behind the 2 systems revolves around the addition of the trace elements of the FM Balling Light system and the higher purity of the chemicals used by Fauna Marin in comparison to the bulk additives recommended for 2 part.
These 2 systems vary from the original Balling Method in that you can dose exactly what your tank requires according to its current consumption rate for each major element. The original older balling method requires the same proportion of ca, alk and na-cl free salts to be dosed at all time. But what happens if your tank consumes more magnesium than what comes in the prescribed salts? Now you need to dose an additional Magnesium supplement. Additional magnesium supplementation will also add more chlorides, which would in turn throw off the Na Cl balance that some claim is so critical.
Ionic Balance.
Well letâs just debunk this marketing myth right here and now.
If you are looking for a thorough read, please follow the link here:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/
This is not new info, it is from 2006 and its been known since well before then that the Balling Light method and that 2 part (with Magnesium) does not cause some catastrophic ionic imbalance. If they did, 2 part would not have grown to the most widely used dosing method in the reefing industry today. Any implications otherwise are used car salesmen fear mongering.
For those that would like to dispute that data, here is a chart from the article. This chart shows what would happen to the Ionic balance of a 50g reef system if you were to dose 41 ml / day of ca and all and the corresponding mg plus adjust salinity.
And should you wish to further dispute this data, please contact Randy Homes Farley directly, and good luck cause you are going to need it!
That being said, we do still recommend a 10% weekly water change.
We recommend a 10% weekly water change for just about any system in existence whether or not you are dosing, using calcium reactors, kalk reactors or just plane putting your tank on cruise control.
We firmly believe that water changes play a vital role in the long-term success of maintaining every healthy reef.
So why has Reef Wholesale been using the Fauna Marin Balling Light system for years now??
Quite simple, Colour!
Fauna Marin Balling Light is Super easy to dose.
Fauna Marin Balling Light has biopolymers added to their balling salts that really help your coral coloration POP!
Fauna Marin Balling Light lets you balance your parameters to the exact levels that you want!
Fauna Marin uses the highest purity elements plus all the essential trace elements to give you all the tools required to keep the nicest looking corals possible.
If the proof is in the pudding, these corals be pudding!
