"Balling Method" for supplementing

Boomer

Reef Sanctuary's Mr. Wizard
Well Claude, I like good people and you and Heinz are good people. I also had G. Alexander here, the ZEOvit master. And I think he is a great guy also.
 

hma

Well-Known Member
Hi Boomer

here also:) Thats nice :)
Just read the articles but most of them i just known in german

Busy ? it is ok its summertime so it´s a little bit more quite



Sorry ;-) to hma

Wollte nicht hier rein zum Werbung machen.Wie sind denn die Regeln hier in Bezug auf Werbung ?

Viele Grüsse :)


my last statement to this topic in german -

Claude, das ist doch keine Werbung, das war eine Frage von fatman und anderen. Alles weitere per PM morgen. Uebrigens, ich mache die ganze Zeit schon mehr oder weniger Werbung für Fauna Marin. ;)



btw ...thank's Boomer, but as you already know .... sometimes I'm a "Bad Boy" too :scram:
 

fatman

Has been struck by the ban stick
Fatman

You have to look at the grade of chemicals from Fisher and the GHL is a very nice unit.

Which I Did. Reagent, USP/EP, Extra pure, USP/FCC, certified ACS. I did not base things merely on lowest prices. However I did not always pick the best grade available or the prices would have probably been triple those finally calculated. The only industrial grade chemicals are the calcium chloride and the Mag flake (whose prices are estimated). Surely the Epsom salt and baking soda need not be a reagent or analytical grade either. Fisher really does offer all that many lesser grades unless you are buying very large amounts. They do have a peculiar Educational grade available. There were a few choices between a couple of thousand dollars versus a couple of hundred. I did not consider looking for all industrial grade chemicals. That would seem a bit absurd, especially considering the toxicity of some of these trace elements. I did however chose only quality materials from a source known for providing quality chemicals and elements. My only real disturbance was the quantity that must be bought when often the quantity needed is so small. Well, the thought of spending $500 on around just 8 pounds of granules and powder can draw up the sphincter muscle just a bit also.:happywalk
 

Boomer

Reef Sanctuary's Mr. Wizard
Yah Fatman, some of that stuff is pricey. One thing about high grades is you always know what you are getting and what the uwanted are bieng added to the tank. Just think what the cost would be if was Ultra-Pure Grade @ 99.9 % :lol: Or worse yet NIST cert.
 

fatman

Has been struck by the ban stick
I think looking at those prices would be a too puckering experience. I am definitely going tolook at the chemicals in the labs at the University in a different light from now on as it is. However, considering the huge anmounts of trace element prepertions that couldbe made and what the retailers charge for their smll bottles of very dilute trace elements the costs involved are not really all that bad.
 

Craig Manoukian

Well-Known Member
However, considering the huge anmounts of trace element prepertions that couldbe made and what the retailers charge for their smll bottles of very dilute trace elements the costs involved are not really all that bad.

Very good point, you usually get what you pay for. Vaue is not always congruent with cost.
 

Dentoid

Smile Maker
PREMIUM
I finally got my Balling rolling! After taking several months to gather the supplies, Heinz has been helping me with the finer points of this method.

Here is my pump. The GrosTech III NG.

DSC_0014-9.jpg


I got the chemicals mixed in three 10L containers based on the recipes Doni posted at the beginning of this thread.

DSC_0001-24.jpg


Since these containers wont fit into my stand, I got some smaller containers that hold about 2L.

DSC_0002-22.jpg


Here it is set up in the stand.

DSC_0003_1-8.jpg
 

Woodstock

The Wand Geek was here. ;)
RS STAFF
Very nice Scott! Thanks for posting the pictures. I have most of the ingredients and am definately going to set it up on my reef tank when I get time.
I like the way you mixed them in larger containers but have smaller ones under the stand. If I did the same, it will solve a lot of space issues with mine :)
Where did you get your containers?
 

hma

Well-Known Member
It looks under my aquarium almost just like under you'rs Scott, any idea what could be the reason? :hallo: :eek:
 

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
This is going to be cool to watch.
Will we get weekly updates of your tank Scott like we get from Heinz? It would be great to see the values on a tank just starting this method as you adjust to find the right dose for your tank.
 

Dentoid

Smile Maker
PREMIUM
Very nice Scott! Thanks for posting the pictures. I have most of the ingredients and am definately going to set it up on my reef tank when I get time.
I like the way you mixed them in larger containers but have smaller ones under the stand. If I did the same, it will solve a lot of space issues with mine :)
Where did you get your containers?

Thanks Doni! I got all these containers at The Container Store.
 

Dentoid

Smile Maker
PREMIUM
Good thinking Lynn!

When I started the method one week ago my parameters were as follows:

Mg 1380
Ca 440
Alk 8.0
pH 8.0

After one week of applying the method my parameters as of today are:

Mg 1350
Ca 490
Alk 8.0
pH 7.89

I have shut off the Ca supplement dosing pump per Heinz's recommendation and will test the Ca ion levels in 3 days. If they have come down to 450 then I will turn it back on, if not I will wait until it comes back down.
 

Dentoid

Smile Maker
PREMIUM
Apparently my tank does not use as much Ca as I was dosing for and the levels crept-up. Since my tank is softie based it uses more Mg. I stopped dosing for about a week to allow the values to come down, and I started it up again at a lower daily dose for each of the solutions. It has been dosing a little less than 1/2 of what I started dosing and the numbers have become stable after about two weeks of daily dosing.

Ca 460 ppm
Mg 1380 ppm
Alk 8.0 dKH
pH 8.0
 

Woodstock

The Wand Geek was here. ;)
RS STAFF
Thanks for the update Scott! Have you noticed any difference in how the corals look yet?
 

Dentoid

Smile Maker
PREMIUM
Unfortunately, I have not seen a difference. I guess no response is better than a negative response! :D I will say that I have been messing with the dosage, so stability has just recently been achieved.
 

Frankie

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Looking good Scott. I wish you luck with this method. Your in good company with Heinz and I have no doubt your corals will surprise you in a shot time with growth and colors.
The GrosTech III NG looks really nicely made. How low of a dose can you get it to?
 
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