w3bbo's 120 Gallon Reef

w3bbo said:
Thanks Matt.

Things are really starting to take off again. Alk/Ca consumption is the highest its ever been so its definitely on the right track. It's interesting to see the colour change that has occurred since stopping AF. The colours have gotten much deeper/more saturated. I think it suits some of the corals whereas some others I preferred with AF. Regardless - I will take healthy corals over half dead ones any day! Anyway here's a few few pics I took this evening.:

DSC_0040_zpszaluetgk.jpg



Rich, the photos are fantastic but this one... mmmmm, I'm in love!!!
The tank looks perfectly recovered!
Click to expand...
 
Yeah that's one of my favourites Matt. I think it's a northern lights granulosa but not 100% sure? I bought it as a 'test' for AEFW but there's no sign in over 2 month so either they're gone or don't like smooth skin acros. Regardless, it's starting to colour up real nice.
 
Beautiful tank! I've heard quite a few stories where af products started to act weird in people's tanks.
 
Wow. That is quite to FTS!
Mature and filled in. Everything looks fresh and vibrant. It is a lot of the eye to take in.
 
Looking fantastic, Rich!
Give us your 'basics'
I like basic but it always differs a bit from reefer to reefer..
Nice ice fire by the way!
 
Basic?. Pretty much what it says Matt lol.

Okay okay...

I mix my own Ca, Alk and Mg using Calcium Chloride, Sodium Carbonate and Magnesium chloride. I add FM trace elements to these three mixes (balling light) and dose using GHL profilux.
To keep nutrients in check I vodka dose with a little phosguard in a reactor.
Light = ATI Sunpower 8x54w (Dimmable) T5 10+8hr schedule.

I've tried Aquaforest but that almost crashed my tank and I'll never touch them again. I add a little Koral Colour every now and then when I feel the colours are a little dull which seems to help but I've very wary of overdoing it with trace elements. I don't feed the corals other than fish poop.

Anything else in particular I can tell you about my setup please ask mate.
 
I would assume that they are the same.. maybe combined slightly differently in order to be added to the calc/buffer solutions..
Wouldn't you think?
 
I have no idea in truth. At a guess the trace elements supplement strength, growth, metabolism etc whereas colors are purely for the purpose of enhancing specific coloration. I'm getting decent coloration with just the trace 1, 2 & 3 so don't really feel the need to add extra supplements for enhanced colors so maybe the trace elements also have some elements to assist in coloration too?

Then again I may be talking detritus and totally wrong!
 
Trace elements
BALLING LIGHT TRACE 1-3 Micro- and Trace elements serve as a balancing solution for the Balling Light and Classic Method.

The addition of trace elements to the Balling salts represents a complete primary care system. This consumptionoriented addition effectively prevents the dreaded “ Old Tank Syndrome “. Particularly strong consumption pool can be easily adjusted and supplied as needed.

INGREDIENTS:
Iron, Manganese, Copper, Nickel, Zinc, Chromium. Based on organic and inorganic compounds.
Click to expand...

Color Elements
These Elements are a novel mix of growth and color enhancing trace elements, based on a unique and experimentally confirmed receipe which perfectly adopts to modern artifical seasalt mixes. Developed by leading scientists, this state- of-the-art element mixaligns the micronutrient consumption of tropical corals with the environmental light conditions generated by LED lighting systems. It allows for stable conditions in the micronutrient budget in coral reef aquaria, and thereby significantly increases coral growth rates and coral coloration. Due to the special formulation of the elements this mix does not lead to the accumulation of excess toxic trace metals in the aquarium and effectively prevents the growth of unwanted algae.
Passend/suitable zu/to Balling Light System or other Systems based on Zeolith or Pelletfiltration.

Advantages

• supplements grow active Elements and increase the calcification rates
• increase coral tissue grow and coloration of SPS and LPS Corals
• improve the flourescent effect
• provide the coral against radiation stress
• effective concentrate (50% less consumption)
Click to expand...

No idea from the above what the difference is as the color elements don't give us ingredients. I think the color elements might have concentrated elements specific to bring out a certain color rather than a mixture of elements at lower levels in the trace elements.
 
Thanks for that, Rich. I hadn't found the ingredients for the balling 1 2 3..
As for color elements I have the ingredients for blue and red but not the green..

Color elements:

Blue/Purple:
Boron, molybdenum, chromium, lithium, selenium, vanadium, copper, zinc.

Red/Purple:
Flourine, iodine/iodid, bromine, potassium,

Green obviously has iron in it and not sure what else..

So the balling 123 is not as comprehensive a supplement as the color elements but it does have what some feel are some of the most important elements like Zinc and manganese. It doesn't have some of the standards though like iodine and potassium..
Very interesting!
 
I used to use the FM balling lite with traces a while ago. Things were good. I tried adding some of the color elements aswell... Not Even at 1/2 dose i started getting some STN. Thinking probably from doubling up on some heavy metal that is in both. Stopped color elements and tissue loss stopped. I no longer use FM but was happy with it when i did. Your tank is seriously awesome so i wouldnt want to mess with it 2 much if it was me.
 
Must add i may not have been right in may assessment of what happened and it could have just been completely coincidental. Just my experience and thoughts at the time
 
You never know.. there's copper in both additives.. really hard to tell..
FM has said they can be used together.. at a reduced dose for the colorelements.
 
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