New addition and some random pics
- Thread starter d_carloo
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Bob Have you notice any changes in your tank with the light balling
and how are your parameters
for some reason my alk is always a bit lower
cal 480 ppm
alk 120 ppm
Lou Ekus
Member
The Balling Method....more
The Balling Method....more
@Reef Bass and @thysrof
Reef Bass, you totally understood the video. Thanks for adding the clarification on this thread. Another way to think of it is that even though the Part C of the true Balling Method contains Mg and the trace elements, they ONLY go to balance the excess NaCl that has been created by the Parts A&B. So Mg and traces still need other supplementation. That is part of the method that is often misunderstood because so many of the two part methods here in the US, that make a 3 part by adding Mg as a part 3, want you to believe it is a substitution for the true Balling Method.
Also, since you both seem to be interested in the history of the technique... Mr. Hans-Werner Balling developed and first wrote about the method in DATZ magazine in Europe in 1994. He revised the method slightly with another article in 1996. Every since then, it has been one of the most popular methods for maintaining Ca and alkalinity in Europe. Tropic Marin hired Mr Balling in 2001 and he is currently our Head of Product Development. Due to that, Tropic Marin is the only company making "Balling" products under his direct supervision. And I believe the only company making his exact formulas.
I think most reef hobbyists, here in the US, us the 2 part methods. The Balling Method is becoming much more popular here, as people are now understanding it a little better.
The Balling Method....more
@Reef Bass and @thysrof
Reef Bass, you totally understood the video. Thanks for adding the clarification on this thread. Another way to think of it is that even though the Part C of the true Balling Method contains Mg and the trace elements, they ONLY go to balance the excess NaCl that has been created by the Parts A&B. So Mg and traces still need other supplementation. That is part of the method that is often misunderstood because so many of the two part methods here in the US, that make a 3 part by adding Mg as a part 3, want you to believe it is a substitution for the true Balling Method.
Also, since you both seem to be interested in the history of the technique... Mr. Hans-Werner Balling developed and first wrote about the method in DATZ magazine in Europe in 1994. He revised the method slightly with another article in 1996. Every since then, it has been one of the most popular methods for maintaining Ca and alkalinity in Europe. Tropic Marin hired Mr Balling in 2001 and he is currently our Head of Product Development. Due to that, Tropic Marin is the only company making "Balling" products under his direct supervision. And I believe the only company making his exact formulas.
I think most reef hobbyists, here in the US, us the 2 part methods. The Balling Method is becoming much more popular here, as people are now understanding it a little better.
Lou thanks for the clarification and I thought the only true Balling method was Tropic Marin as it's named after someone working for your company.
Carlos,
I have been running CA 450. My alk had been a little high as my La Matte alk tesy kit had me at 7dkh and I bought a Hanna and Salifert test kit and they were reading 8.5 DKH. My La Motte was brand new. I now have my alk adjusted doen to about 7, but am still testing frequently and adjusting due to the LaMotte issue. Mag has been running a little low at 1300 but i adjusted it up and im at 1350 or so. I also dose different amounts of each to maintain parameters. i like the idea that you are actually able to dose equal parts. If your Alk is low use some ALK boost to adjust just that one part up so as you dont need to adjust all 3 parts up. i had read this is the way to adjust the Ballng Method. Matbe you have some BRS or ESV alk component
Carlos,
I have been running CA 450. My alk had been a little high as my La Matte alk tesy kit had me at 7dkh and I bought a Hanna and Salifert test kit and they were reading 8.5 DKH. My La Motte was brand new. I now have my alk adjusted doen to about 7, but am still testing frequently and adjusting due to the LaMotte issue. Mag has been running a little low at 1300 but i adjusted it up and im at 1350 or so. I also dose different amounts of each to maintain parameters. i like the idea that you are actually able to dose equal parts. If your Alk is low use some ALK boost to adjust just that one part up so as you dont need to adjust all 3 parts up. i had read this is the way to adjust the Ballng Method. Matbe you have some BRS or ESV alk component
Hi Lou
when mixing part B it leaves a white powder like in the bottom of the container almost like the kalkwasser is this normal ?? or I'm not mixing it enough ????
Lou Ekus
Member
It's quit normal to see that, although it doesn't happen every time you mix it. I asked Hans-Werner about it, and he said it does not compromise to effectiveness of the Part B solution. So no worries. It pretty normal.
woodnaquanut
Active member
I've been following this and there is an issue I don't understand.
As we add these salts the salinity has to go up. There is NaCl left and nothing uses it and it doesn't precipitate out. The Balling 'it's balanced with non-NaCl in part C' still has to increase salinity.
Although we all would love to never have to do another water change, I don't see how this is possible. There must be water changes to bring salinity back into range.
As we add these salts the salinity has to go up. There is NaCl left and nothing uses it and it doesn't precipitate out. The Balling 'it's balanced with non-NaCl in part C' still has to increase salinity.
Although we all would love to never have to do another water change, I don't see how this is possible. There must be water changes to bring salinity back into range.
Dragonvale
New member
Curious on where did you see you didn't have to do a water change if you use the balling method? I know hobbyists don't have to do as many water changes my implementing this method.
John and Jason,
The Balling method is just another dosing method like Triton. Aqua Forest, BRS 2 and 3 part, Fana Marin, and there's a couple others. The concept of doing no or few water changes is that especailly trition feels it disrupts the water stability. If you are doing most of these methods that add free salt which binds to make salt and increase salinity you have no choice, but to reduce the salinity or eveything dies. The options for doing this are simply just take some water out and replace with fresh water. I do this with my auto top off. The other option is to do occasional water changes with lower specific gravity on the fresh water to lower the salinity in the tank. It can also be nice to gravel vac and just use some fresh water from top off. The salinity is just going to slowly creep up. It's not like it's going to raise real quickly. I have been doing this for the last 4 months or so and it's not that big of a deal. I would guess the salt will go up 1 point in a month nothing major that a 1/2 gallon or gallon of fresh RO water can't take care of.
I hope this helps you understand the concept of the free salt in the balling methods. Bye the way The Balling method is a method developed by a guy named Balling and everyone seems to use that term for a lot of dosing methods althought Triton does not that call it the triton method. I know John missed the triton demo at last meeting. Jason I don't think you were there either and Joe from Unique Corals explained all this in detail. Bye all means if you try one of these methods you can do as many water changes as you'd like and i would think you would be just fine. It's kind of all about how your corals look. I gotta tell you i have been doing almost no water changes gravel vacing and letting the top off water take care of the salinity and I got really good growth on the delicate acros and SPS.
The Balling method is just another dosing method like Triton. Aqua Forest, BRS 2 and 3 part, Fana Marin, and there's a couple others. The concept of doing no or few water changes is that especailly trition feels it disrupts the water stability. If you are doing most of these methods that add free salt which binds to make salt and increase salinity you have no choice, but to reduce the salinity or eveything dies. The options for doing this are simply just take some water out and replace with fresh water. I do this with my auto top off. The other option is to do occasional water changes with lower specific gravity on the fresh water to lower the salinity in the tank. It can also be nice to gravel vac and just use some fresh water from top off. The salinity is just going to slowly creep up. It's not like it's going to raise real quickly. I have been doing this for the last 4 months or so and it's not that big of a deal. I would guess the salt will go up 1 point in a month nothing major that a 1/2 gallon or gallon of fresh RO water can't take care of.
I hope this helps you understand the concept of the free salt in the balling methods. Bye the way The Balling method is a method developed by a guy named Balling and everyone seems to use that term for a lot of dosing methods althought Triton does not that call it the triton method. I know John missed the triton demo at last meeting. Jason I don't think you were there either and Joe from Unique Corals explained all this in detail. Bye all means if you try one of these methods you can do as many water changes as you'd like and i would think you would be just fine. It's kind of all about how your corals look. I gotta tell you i have been doing almost no water changes gravel vacing and letting the top off water take care of the salinity and I got really good growth on the delicate acros and SPS.
Dragonvale
New member
Thanks for the explanation on dealing with the salinity increase. I know how all the 3 part works I was just curious how one would stabilize the salinity increase without doing a water change. I thought one would just do a small water change and just have a lower salinity in the new mix to compensate. I know a good amount of 916 members doing balling and one doing triton with the larger refugium. I plan on going this route if I ever break down my large tank. I just noticed we just hijacked Carlos ' s thread. Sorry buddy. I think we should start another thread discussing this if it goes further.
No worries Jason
This topic is very interesting and it directly involves my tank so 2 birds 1 stone
woodnaquanut
Active member
Just to add to the hijack...
As soon as I hit the post button I thought the Ballling method might not dictate no water changes. Too lazy to check.
Bob, I assume you mean you take out some salt water (gravel vac, etc.) and let your ATO add fresh water. I've been dosing BRS two part since the start and either do that or mix up a slightly lower salinity NSW for water changes.
As soon as I hit the post button I thought the Ballling method might not dictate no water changes. Too lazy to check.
Bob, I assume you mean you take out some salt water (gravel vac, etc.) and let your ATO add fresh water. I've been dosing BRS two part since the start and either do that or mix up a slightly lower salinity NSW for water changes.
