2 part, commercial or bulk?

[shingo43]

I've been using bulk 2 part for a long time, but I am thinking about changing because of the "extras" (ie. trace elements) added in the commercial version.

By looking at the reviews seems people love c-balance and ESV B-Ionic, but I don't know if will be worth it, what are your thoughts sps reerfers?

 

[downbeach]

They work fine, but a lot more expensive than using the bulk DIY supplments. I've always relied on my WC's for any additional trace elements, and never had a problem.

 

[Mael]

IMO I like commercial.

Most of the companies have put in their fare share of R&D(especially seachem and the other top2-3 brands) into their two part, they are meant to work with each other at a perfect balance if directions are followed and as mentioned provide a lot of smaller and trace elements you cant get from DIY unless you dose them which offsets the cost savings.

Plus you dont have to worry about mixing the perfect amount uniformly balancing dosing the different parts. I guess it comes down to how much time you want to dedicate, how involved you want to be in the chemistry and the value you put on your time and effort.

just my preference, they both obviously work well.

 

[Martin Kuhn]

@Mael: you hit the point!


Some more thoughts
- how much money are you spending for this hobby. Isn't the amount for 2/3 part so small that you shouldn't worry about it at all. Hey, Ca/Alk./mg supply is one of the most important things
- what about using a more expensive 2/3 part and thus doing less WC?

- brand 2/3 part normally have a better quality and higher purity


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[gregkn73]

- brand 2/3 part normally have a better quality and higher purity


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So why not fauna as an example, doesn't clearly state how clean and pure is their additives? When I bye bulk, in most cases I know the % of purity of the additives.....

 

[Martin Kuhn]

Fauna Marin does. Balling Light is according "pharmaceutical quality".

Without going too much into details the major purity levels are something like that
- industrial quality, usable for technicl applications only, can change in eg colour, smell etc
- "usable for synthese" as the final products are cleaned afterwards anyhow
- "purum" (>97,0% pure per weight)
- "purissimum (>99,0% pure per weight)
- pharmaceutical quality (>= 99,6% pure per weight)
- usable for analysis (as pure as to be used for analytical purposes)
- ultra poor

 

[gregkn73]

Fauna Marin does. Balling Light is according "pharmaceutical quality".

Without going too much into details the major purity levels are something like that
- industrial quality, usable for technicl applications only, can change in eg colour, smell etc
- "usable for synthese" as the final products are cleaned afterwards anyhow
- "purum" (>97,0% pure per weight)
- "purissimum (>99,0% pure per weight)
- pharmaceutical quality (>= 99,6% pure per weight)
- usable for analysis (as pure as to be used for analytical purposes)
- ultra poor

Do you have a link from their webpage?

 

[Martin Kuhn]

Do you have a link from their webpage?

https://www.faunamarin.de/anleitungen/manual_balling-methode_eng(1).pdf

- page 3
- "Our salts comply with pharmaceutical purity levels and are packaged accordingly in a protected manner. Not only do we take the datasheet into consideration "“ we also check organic and inorganic trace elements as well as the effectiveness of the salts. "

 

[Big E]

I've been using Randy's two part recipe for almost 9 years.......full blown SPS dominant systems that whole time.

Some of the corals in this picture have been in my system for 12 years.........grown out to massive colonies, sold them off and re-started with a 2" frag from that same colony. The past 5 years I've split and fragged these corals countless times to accommodate the limited size of my current system.

More pics here----

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2197142&page=12

There are trace elements in fish food and water changes. There's more of an issue of overdosing some of those elements than there ever will be of them being depleted to a point of affecting corals in a negative way.

 

[gregkn73]

I've been using Randy's two part recipe for almost 9 years.......full blown SPS dominant systems that whole time.

Some of the corals in this picture have been in my system for 12 years.........grown out to massive colonies, sold them off and re-started with a 2" frag from that same colony. The past 5 years I've split and fragged these corals countless times to accommodate the limited size of my current system.

More pics here----

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2197142&page=12

There are trace elements in fish food and water changes. There's more of an issue of overdosing some of those elements than there ever will be of them being depleted to a point of affecting corals in a negative way.

And if I remembered correctly ,you just buy cheap soda from your supermarket? So obviously the x10 more expensive additives from established brand's are ......just waste of money?

 

[gregkn73]

https://www.faunamarin.de/anleitungen/manual_balling-methode_eng(1).pdf

- page 3
- "Our salts comply with pharmaceutical purity levels and are packaged accordingly in a protected manner. Not only do we take the datasheet into consideration "“ we also check organic and inorganic trace elements as well as the effectiveness of the salts. "

Thank you very much. But isn't it different saying "comply with pharmaceutical purity levels " instead of clearly stating that "it is pharmaceutical grade salts 99.6% pure"? From where I bye them -bulk- they are having a label " 99% pure"! I trust the latest more, until I can see not only from fauna but also from other companies , stating exactly the purity % of their salts.

 

[Big E]

And if I remembered correctly ,you just buy cheap soda from your supermarket? So obviously the x10 more expensive additives from established brand's are ......just waste of money?

I didn't say that in my post............look above and read it again.

Randy's two part uses food brand baking soda........same as what I use. I look for the best deal in the supermarkets for food grade baking soda.

The OP asked my thoughts on if he should switch.............I gave him my thoughts...........not sure why you have a problem with that.

 

[gregkn73]

I didn't say that in my post............look above and read it again.

Randy's two part uses food brand baking soda........same as what I use. I look for the best deal in the supermarkets for food grade baking soda.

The OP asked my thoughts on if he should switch.............I gave him my thoughts...........not sure why you have a problem with that.

Sorry for my English, the above are my assumptions ,based on your awesome results, and of course my limited experience, with non commercial salts.

And my thought is, that whenever I can see labels to commercial salts with so much analytical informations, similar to the followings ,from two different products I have from pharmaceutical suppliers, then I can spend the extra money and bye from them. Until then ,I thing that they just sell us, products of similar quality to the bulk ones, just in a much higher price.

 

[cal3v]

DIY 2-part in all my various systems for years.

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[burton14e7]

I used B-Ionic for over a year and then switched to BRS bulk 2 part when I was tired of paying so much and saw no difference after years of using BRS bulk so I would say to keep using bulk.

 

[carlosmos]

Anybody use fauna Marin balling system?


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[hbrochs]

I make two part from Bulk Reef Supply chemicals.

 

[Big E]

Sorry for my English, the above are my assumptions ,based on your awesome results, and of course my limited experience, with non commercial salts.

And my thought is, that whenever I can see labels to commercial salts with so much analytical informations, similar to the followings ,from two different products I have from pharmaceutical suppliers, then I can spend the extra money and bye from them. Until then ,I thing that they just sell us, products of similar quality to the bulk ones, just in a much higher price.

Ok, yes I agree.

Here is Randy's article if you want to read it--

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php