Balling and why

[Aqua-Digital]

Great write up on what makes Hans Werner balling by Tropic Marin important

The Balling system was developed by Hans-Werner Balling, a German Marine biologist, and was first published in 1994. Hans-Werner developed a system that would replenish a marine system with every element found in natural salt water without adding excess sodium chloride (salt) to the system.

Then along came the “light systems” or 2-3 part systems. These “light systems” add extra sodium chloride to the tank thus resulting in ionic imbalance. They also neglect adding other trace elements found in natural sea water other than calcium, alkalinity and, sometimes, Mg.

The Tropic Marin Original Balling Salts are the only Balling Salts made under the direct supervision of Hans-Werner Balling and the ONLY system that replenishes all you need in terms of minerals and trace elements that are depleted between water changes. Furthermore, by adding Tropic Marin Pro-Coral A elements and Pro-Coral K elements, you can also provide additional elements corals require for continuing biological processes. Hans-Werner Balling’s genuine Balling system is a complete mineral replenishment solution for a reef tank.

The Balling system comes in 3 mixes, part A, B and C. It is part C that differentiates it from the “light” systems. Part C is not just magnesium, it is complete sodium chloride-free (NaCl-free) sea salt with all the trace elements with a balanced level of magnesium as well.

Tell your clients to use Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium Original Balling for their tank’s sake. As the name suggests, it was developed by Hans-Werner Balling, the inventor of the Balling Method, and manufactured under his direct supervision at Tropic Marin’s facility.

[xenon]

So only part C (magnesium) is chloride free?

[Ron99]

Uhhhh, so what is the form of calcium in it? Usually it's calcium chloride so it will add some cl- to the system. If it's CaOH then that could affect pH.

[Aqua-Digital]

Originally Posted by xenon

So only part C (magnesium) is chloride free?

The system is "sodium Chloride free, not "Chloride free"

Chloride is not the problem its the sodium chloride that is the issue if you increase the sodium Chloride without increasing the other elements, the sodium chloride will become out of proportion with the rest of the element creating ionic imbalance.

I will pass your email address to Tropic for them to explain better to you.

Or you can call Lou on 413-367-0101 in fact anyone with a question you can call Lou directly also.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Aqua-Digital

The system is "sodium Chloride free, not "Chloride free"

Chloride is not the problem its the sodium chloride that is the issue if you increase the sodium Chloride without increasing the other elements, the sodium chloride will become out of proportion with the rest of the element creating ionic imbalance.

I will pass your email address to Tropic for them to explain better to you.

Or you can call Lou on 413-367-0101 in fact anyone with a question you can call Lou directly also.

Sodium Chloride breaks into sodium (NA+) and chloride (Cl-) ions in water.

If I may:

Basically, part A is adding Calcium along with chloride ions (with proper amount of ions of some elements which should be in balance with chloride ions).

Part B is adding Sodium ions along with carbonate ions (with proper amount of ions of some elements which should be in balance with sodium ion).

Part C is adding remaining elements (majority being Mg) which is independent of the Na+ and Cl- ions (hence no NaCl salt in the mix).

That's what I understood about balling "proper ionic balance". With 2 part, you are dumping just Ca+ and CO3- ions in the water with Na and Cl so the other trace ions can get imbalanced if timely water changes are not done. Atleast that's the theory.

[Aqua-Digital]

This is from Tropic Marin Directly, in regards to the above.

You are correct in saying that with 2 part additives you are just adding the Sodium Chloride and the Calcium and Carbonates and so the other trace elements become depleted by proportion. Some 3 part additives, sometimes called "Balling Light Plus" also add a third part that is usually Magnesium and sometimes include Potassium. Still ignoring many of the very important other components of sea salt. However, your descriptions of the true Balling parts A, B and C are not totally correct. Part A is ONLY Calcium Chloride, it does not include other trace elements. Part B is ONLY Sodium Bicarbonate and does not include other trace elements. It is the part C that is complete sea salt mixture minus ONLY the Sodium Chloride that add the Magnesium and the other trace elements in the proper proportions so that ALL the components of the sea water in the tank remain in ionic balance. Depending on the tank, it is very often seen that additional Magnesium is need more than this natural sea water level that is being added.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Aqua-Digital

This is from Tropic Marin Directly, in regards to the above.

You are correct in saying that with 2 part additives you are just adding the Sodium Chloride and the Calcium and Carbonates and so the other trace elements become depleted by proportion. Some 3 part additives, sometimes called "Balling Light Plus" also add a third part that is usually Magnesium and sometimes include Potassium. Still ignoring many of the very important other components of sea salt. However, your descriptions of the true Balling parts A, B and C are not totally correct. Part A is ONLY Calcium Chloride, it does not include other trace elements. Part B is ONLY Sodium Bicarbonate and does not include other trace elements. It is the part C that is complete sea salt mixture minus ONLY the Sodium Chloride that add the Magnesium and the other trace elements in the proper proportions so that ALL the components of the sea water in the tank remain in ionic balance. Depending on the tank, it is very often seen that additional Magnesium is need more than this natural sea water level that is being added.

Aha. That makes sense now. So, in laymen's term (correct me if I am wrong):

Part A: 100% pure calcium chloride
Part B: 100% pure sodium bicarbonate
Part C: All the essentials that are in any good quality salt without the salt itself (hence called NaCl free salt). Basically, this is what makes all the difference right? So, if someone (with links to pharma grade stuffs) can get 100% pure calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate, they basically need just part C for a complete balling system.

[Aqua-Digital]

Edit - as stated before many of the commercial variants add extra sodium Chloride. Tropic Marin does not.

[Aqua-Digital]

As per the first write up

Originally Posted by Aqua-Digital

Then along came the “light systems” or 2-3 part systems. These “light systems” add extra sodium chloride to the tank thus resulting in ionic imbalance. They also neglect adding other trace elements found in natural sea water other than calcium, alkalinity and, sometimes, Mg.

So with the full Tropic Marin system you know what you are getting, and off the shelf.

[Aqua-Digital]

Just remember the biggest difference to the original system you find in ANY other system is that they add sodium Chloride creating imbalances no matter how its tried to be sold as a positive.

1. Tropic Marin balling is made by the man that invented it "Hans Werner Balling"
2. its the only system that will replenish your tank with all the elements that are found in sea water.

Either do it right, do it the way the creator intended or just dont do it at all