Balling needs advice.

Robin

Hello. I really need your advice on balling. The aquarium is 240 liters (SPS, LPS), using Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt. The aquarium is 6 months old... all parameters were stable. Before starting balling (Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium Liquid Refill), the parameters were as follows: temperature - 25, phosphates, nitrates, silicates - 0, pH - 8, KH - 8, Ca - 380, Mg - 1260. On the first day of balling - 40 ml A, B, C... the next day, the tests showed no changes. On the second day - 60 ml A, B, C... also no changes. On the third day - 80 ml A, B, C... calcium unchanged, KH increased to 10, pH dropped to 7.8. On the fourth day - 80 ml A only... calcium unchanged. I am currently using JBL tests... when they run out, I will switch to Salifert. I have 2 packs of JBL tests for Ca/Mg (one was bought earlier, and the second later with a JBL suitcase), and both packs show Ca - 380. I prepared the balling according to the rules... salt in water, adding with breaks for different components. What could be wrong? Could the pH have dropped due to balling? Or should the cause be sought elsewhere?

Joshua3019

Good evening! At such doses of balling, calcium should have risen. Most likely, the test is inaccurate. pH cannot drop due to increased hardness, and therefore buffering. Check the tests, and until you verify, do not add such doses.

Yolanda

You can't trust the JBL Ca+Mg test; it's the strangest and completely unpredictable set. Some people on this forum were giving it away for free (and they were right to do so). At least buy the API calcium test; it's inexpensive and quite accurate.

Sheila

Thank you all for your help... that's how it turned out. The tests were wrong... and two packs gave the same incorrect results. Jbl: pH-8, Kh-10, Ca-380. Salifert: pH-8.2, Kh-9, Ca-420.

Lisa

Good afternoon. It's great that you've figured it out. First, determine the optimal doses of the solutions. I started with 30 ml of each solution per day. I measured Kн daily and calcium once a week. Now the dosages are 200-240 ml, I measure Kн once a week and calcium once a month. I recommend starting with small doses and gradually increasing them based on consumption. Don't give: 40 on the first day, 60 on the second, 80 on the third. Good luck.

John

Thank you)))

Charles

If the test is inaccurate, you can rely on freshly salted water. We mixed it, brought it to 25 degrees, matched the salinity with the aquarium water, and measured. This will be the more or less required value.

Joshua8425

Sorry, questionable advice on test verification. Calcium and potassium nitrate may not match what is stated on the packaging and can vary from batch to batch.

Aaron

I also think that this method is not effective... for the reason that Maks Sea mentioned.

Alyssa1438

Quite effective, reputable manufacturers such as Iine, Fauna in, Red Sea, Tropic Iine, and Reef Crystals strictly adhere to the parameters. If KH is stated as 8, it will not be 5, but in the aquarium it may drop - the test shows 8-9 while it is actually 6. The topic arose: American salt manufacturers were massively hit with lawsuits by marine aquarium enthusiasts for not meeting the stated parameters. China - yes, I have 10 kg of salt lying around, I need to gather the courage to throw it away... You are right, it is definitely better to have the correct test.