Balling method

[Myka]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

If used correctly pellets do a very good job IMO, at least for me. Also run ROX carbon & HC - GFO. I do have a design for a WC system so that will be in the works as well with the new tank.

Have you ever tried weaning off the GFO? Asking out of interests' sake. I haven't met many people that say biopellets alone keeps PO4 <0.08 ppm.

There seems to be a bit of an increase of reefers in my area that would support something local so I'm sure it might work out. I am also sure I could piggy back on an order from the city to get supplies as well.

Hahaha, "I'm sure it might"?

Why would an LFS in the city let you take customers away from them by piggybacking on their order? That doesn't make sense.

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by Myka

Have you ever tried weaning off the GFO? Asking out of interests' sake. I haven't met many people that say biopellets alone keeps PO4 <0.08 ppm.



Hahaha, "I'm sure it might"?

Why would an LFS in the city let you take customers away from them by piggybacking on their order? That doesn't make sense.

Ran nothing but pellets for 6 months & just for extra measure added the GFO.

Not every reefer in my area likes to travel to the city's on a monthly basis for many reason, cost to travel being one & no everyone can afford it. A couple stores I have talked to realize this & offered to get me stuff for there cost + 5% allowing me to still make some money to restock. It's called a business relationship, everyone makes a little & customers are happy.

[PFoster]

We have been running the Balling Lite method from Fauna Marin for many years now.
Balling lite is definately different that the original balling method and its much easier to follow.

We use the Fanua Marin Balling salts + the Fauna Marin Trace B (trace elements added to your ca, alk, mg solution and dosed in the required proportins)
Was anyone from Canreef at MACNA?
Hans Balling had a presentation on the Balling method there and one of his topic of conversation was with respect to the importance of the trace elements being added to your solutions as otherwise you get a very fast decrease in some of these trace element levels.

I have tried TONS and TONS of other bulk ca, alk, mg additives and nothing mixes as well, stays as crystal clear and keeps my organic levels nearly as low as the Fauna line. I read a post in this thread with respect to nurtrient build up, this may be an issue with bulk additives. I tried using a bulk alkalinity solution one time that mixed clear but after about 6 weeks i started to get a filamentous algae. Changed back to fauna, did a couple wc's and it never came back. Hard to say for sure of course,

I can take some progress pic of corals if people want, but if you want to know why our corals look so good its pretty simple. We run the Balling method.

We did just start dosing the full set of Amino acids about 5 days ago too actually. Finally had time with the holidays to get my dosing pump setup and run all the lines....

[michika]

Originally Posted by PFoster

I have tried TONS and TONS of other bulk ca, alk, mg additives and nothing mixes as well, stays as crystal clear and keeps my organic levels nearly as low as the Fauna line. I read a post in this thread with respect to nurtrient build up, this may be an issue with bulk additives. I tried using a bulk alkalinity solution one time that mixed clear but after about 6 weeks i started to get a filamentous algae. Changed back to fauna, did a couple wc's and it never came back. Hard to say for sure of course.

I keep seeing this, and similar experiences, as I waffled back and forth between balling and reactors to dose my XL system.

Can you elaborate more on the filamentous algae that came about?

I know its kind of an off question, but I'm trying to see if there is any pattern between your tank's reaction to the bulk chemicals and other similar complaints I've read/seen on RC and other forums.

I'm wondering if there is something common about the algaes and/or other symptoms people write about when they say they feel that their chemicals/additives are the cause of tank problems.

Does this make sense?

[Myka]

Catherine, I've found I struggle much more against cyano, hair algae, and a green cotton ball algae I haven't bothered to ID if I use BRS chemicals, and also if I use Instant Ocean. I've made the changes back and forth between IO and H2Ocean 4 times and had the same results. I've made the changes back and forth between FM and BRS chems twice and had the same results. It just seems I struggle to keep nutrients low when using the cheaper products. I don't run biopellets or any carbon dosing to lower nutrients, just GFO, carbon, and waterchanges for the last year or so.

Originally Posted by PFoster

Was anyone from Canreef at MACNA?
Hans Balling had a presentation on the Balling method there and one of his topic of conversation was with respect to the importance of the trace elements being added to your solutions as otherwise you get a very fast decrease in some of these trace element levels.

Yes, I was at MACNA. I missed his balling presentation, but saw his carbon dosing presentation. Friends there gave me the low down of the balling presentation though. I have had trouble with nuisance algae popping up when using the full Fauna Marin line, but since MACNA I am wanting to try the full Balling Lite line. My tank is in the care of a tank sitter for the most part until spring though, so I don't want to start changes like that right now.

[PFoster]

I have never run the full balling method, I have always been running the balling lite so that very well could be part of the difference in our experiences.
With Balling lite, a good skimmer and carbon + Phosban from either ltf or FM my redox has always been in the 400 range without ozone. Nitrate and phosphates have always been undetectable (even when i was getting the algae from the bulk additives).

For those that are not aware of the differences, the short and skinny is that the full balling method uses nacl free salts + water changes + fw top off to reduce salinity.
Balling lite does not use nacl free salts. It advices 10% weekly wc's to avoild chloride build up which really you should be doing anyways....

As for the filamentous algae its a very stringy course algae. Not hair algae and not bryopsis but green and it attaches at a single point similar to bryopsis (but def not bryopsis). I have seen this type of algae before in new tanks but my system was beyond well established. I will keep an eye out and see if I can find any at a local shop or something and snap a pic.