Hi all I have to post this and I do find this funny that this vender did not post this here but, I will quote exactly what he stated and hopefully find you feed back, now he is refering to diy salt but this is also concerning the two part, maybe even Randy can comment.
"In recent months we have had a massive surge in people taking up the balling method in replacement for the old pony the clacium reactor, great everyone seeing the benefits of this European legend.
BUT, it has come to our attention as it did initially in Europe that users when they run out of salt start to look for what they feel is a cheaper alternative
Now I know we all like to save a buck or two, but at the risk of a large investment in the reef system? So tonight I thought I would spend some time on my soap box and highlight what you are REALLY adding.
Lets start with the main culprit Baking Soda, Baking soda is NOT for reef tanks, great for the kitchen but lets keep it there shall we why? Read on.
There are some forums hyping the use of DIY products to save some cash, but they dont tell you anything about the chemistry of what you are adding.
When baking soda is pure it is Sodium bicarbonate but Baking soda does not stay pure for long. In its preocessing for kitchen use the mill adds a BINDING AGENT
OOOOOO now its getting scary isnt it. So what you adding right now to your tank? Baking soda, care to read on?
The binding agent in question is generally aluminium silicate at best and at worst all sorts of other silicates.
Fancy some algea by chance?
In this this modern day world we all seem to be sucked into the concept of buy cheap expect quality and that you wil actually get quality, Oh if only life was that easy So my point is if you are going to follow the Fauna Marin balling method and get the results that it can really achieve, PLEASE use fauna marin salts I have lots of support cases on file, and originally I was not awake to what was going on, complaints of algea where quite common, I then starting asking the question, what salts are you using? ERRRRR
Fauna Marin balling salts are yes more expensive, why? They are designed for the specific use you are using them for, they have been expensively lab tested for impurities and have the added minor trace mineral elements you will not find in any other salt, these help create a stable system.
"
Here is the full link where he shows a bucket to the effect and little more to his thoughts please check it out
http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=57840
"In recent months we have had a massive surge in people taking up the balling method in replacement for the old pony the clacium reactor, great everyone seeing the benefits of this European legend.
BUT, it has come to our attention as it did initially in Europe that users when they run out of salt start to look for what they feel is a cheaper alternative
Now I know we all like to save a buck or two, but at the risk of a large investment in the reef system? So tonight I thought I would spend some time on my soap box and highlight what you are REALLY adding.
Lets start with the main culprit Baking Soda, Baking soda is NOT for reef tanks, great for the kitchen but lets keep it there shall we why? Read on.
There are some forums hyping the use of DIY products to save some cash, but they dont tell you anything about the chemistry of what you are adding.
When baking soda is pure it is Sodium bicarbonate but Baking soda does not stay pure for long. In its preocessing for kitchen use the mill adds a BINDING AGENT
OOOOOO now its getting scary isnt it. So what you adding right now to your tank? Baking soda, care to read on?
The binding agent in question is generally aluminium silicate at best and at worst all sorts of other silicates.
Fancy some algea by chance?
In this this modern day world we all seem to be sucked into the concept of buy cheap expect quality and that you wil actually get quality, Oh if only life was that easy So my point is if you are going to follow the Fauna Marin balling method and get the results that it can really achieve, PLEASE use fauna marin salts I have lots of support cases on file, and originally I was not awake to what was going on, complaints of algea where quite common, I then starting asking the question, what salts are you using? ERRRRR
Fauna Marin balling salts are yes more expensive, why? They are designed for the specific use you are using them for, they have been expensively lab tested for impurities and have the added minor trace mineral elements you will not find in any other salt, these help create a stable system.
"
Here is the full link where he shows a bucket to the effect and little more to his thoughts please check it out
http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=57840