Who uses Balls or Mrs. Wages?

[Rainer Feyer]

Yes, I did read the 3 millino threats out there, just would like to know who, in our club, is using Mrs. Wages or Ball's and if you see any dicolorations/ increased settling? Also, there seems to be the point that Ball's is a little heavier and therefor settles better. Anyone with experience?

Personally, I think I will give one or the other a try soon,

Rainer

 

[michaelg]

I used to use Ball's all the time. I don't think they make it any more though. A friend used Mrs. Wages, and he always got a weird settlement from it in his calcium reactor. I have a 50lb bag of food grade stuff that we bulk ordered in MD that will keep me in the kalk for a couple years.

 

[jaze36]

I've used Mrs. Wages and can't really say I would recommend it or not reccomend it. It was tough to tell if there were any negative side effects due to the time I was using it. It was after my tank sprung a leak and I think most of the live rock fouled, so there was a lot of screwed up things going on at the time. It did have much coarser than aquarium specific calcium hydroxide. I don't think it disolved as well. Personally I probablely won't try it again. I actually through out 3 lbs of it when I moved.

 

[Rainer Feyer]

Hmmm,

I am also leary about trying it - seems like lime made for pickles should philosophically be less 'clean' as marine grade, but, I don't think I will ever know!

MichaelG - Do you still have connections in getting lab grade from somewhere? I tried to contact labs which is like searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack!

 

[Dave ESPI]

I use my balls every couple of times a week. Occasionaly I get empty and I have to refill them.

Where can I get more balls at ?

 

[tracey_442]

im glad theres someone here who is also immature. i was biting my lip for 2 days over that 1 my hats off 2 ya dave.

 

[Krazy]

my balls oh my balls, haha !!!

 

[michaelg]

Rainer,
I didn't make the order for the big bag. Carolina supply might be an option? Not sure what they have for chemicals. Let me look around.

 

[Rainer Feyer]

Michael,

thank you very much for looking! I have access to medical supply companies, such as Moore, but Lab supplies/ ca are not in their interst

Rainer

 

[TA]

Got to say that I've used Wages for quite some time now (about a year). Prior to that, I use Kent Kalk.

Can't really comment on the differences with respect to coral growth etc... (I didn't collect any scientific data).

However, I can tell you this, that if you're gonna just dump it in a bucket (like I did) and mix it up, the Kent brand seemed to leave less residue (more of a cream/grey color) than the Wages (more of an orange/grey color......for whatever reason, the orange color bothers me - more impurities?).

I still own about 3 lb of Wages and I will continue to use it until its used up, but after that, I will switch either back to Kent or to another brand.

 

[Rainer Feyer]

Tony,

thank you, that really helps! I did read more and found the discoloration to be widespread, so, Wages or non-testicular balls will be out!

Kent is still a tad expensive, thoug, maybe ESV? Quite a bit less expensive either from PremiumAqautics or MarineDepot?

 

[jaze36]

Rainer I just bought 4 lbs of ESV for the new set up. It cost $20. I will let you know how it works.

 

[Dave ESPI]

I have the ESV B-IONIC still available. it really does work and no messy lime solutions to mix up.

 

[Rainer Feyer]

Thanks Steve and Dave,

Steve, did you get yours from PremiumAquatics ( which is sold out and has been) or from another source?

 

[jaze36]

Marine depot

 

[Rainer Feyer]

Steve,

thanks

just ordered some!