TM balling webinar synopsis

[Ron99]

Originally Posted by Aqua-Digital

There is one other caveat, other companies may too offer an NACL free salt mix, but does it have all the trace elements that make up NSW? If it does not then you still do not have a balanced system. I "personally" do not know of one that does, some others state you have to add 3 different additives to the other salt mixes to add essential elements, but even then it is likely not all of the 70+ required elements are being added, and are you even then getting the right ratio? With TM its a one shot system, the guessing is removed and the cost reduced due to not requiring to add other parts. This is where TM do seem to have the edge. Hans-werner who makes it for TM is not going to short change his own invention so you have reliability in his own research with this product.

Thats the golden nugget to this.

One other small point if you use other parties A and B salts is that you then have to figure out the ratio of strength to get it right, but with TM system all this is done for you.

Only you guys can decide if the small saving is worth all that.

Well perhaps you could provide a list of exactly what trace elements are in part C? In one post you state that of course it doesn't have ALL the trace elements from NSW but then in this quote you again imply that the TM Part C does have everything that makes up NSW but others don't.

I'm not trying to pick a fight or be skeptical but simply trying to achieve clarity here. That big list of all the trace elements in NSW is highly unlikely to all be found in any supplement. TM's or another brand's. It's just not possible, likely, or practical. So TM Part C will have the "essential" trace elements just as several other products likely do.

What I am trying to understand is what makes TM's Balling Part C different and/or superior to trace element products from say KZ or Brightwell or Kent or Thrive etc?

As for the purity of DIY CA or alk etc, let's not get ridiculous. Pretty much any decent DIY source or mix will be more than pure enough for aquarium use. Arm and Hammer baking soda is pure enough. Epsom Salts are pure enough for Mg. Many have used those for years without negative consequences. Anything good enough for human use or consumption is good enough. Even several sidewalk de-icers are more than pure enough sources of CaCl for our uses. And the savings can be quite significant as most of the Ca and Alk supplements I have seen are fairly dilute and expensive in comparison to the amount of say CaCl you can get for DIY supplements or in comparison to using Arm and Hammer baking soda etc. Epsom salts are cheap too for dosing Mg.

Again, I'm not saying that the product isn't good. I may consider using Part C with DIY CaCl and Baking Soda. But I might also, for example, consider KZ's Sea Water Complex All in One which appears to be quite similar.

[Aqua-Digital]

Hi Ron

Yes Part C has everything you will find in a properly balanced sea salt mix other than NACL. I will see if TM will release the full list, they may not due to obvious commercial reasons.

If other brands of NACL free sea salt mix (part C) have all the same trace elements then yes for sure, as I said there is no exclusive over this but as yet I have not found or been shown one that does.

What makes it superior in my view is that TM are taking the guess work out for you, it is also cheaper and you do not have to do any multi dosing of various elements to try and meet what is provided to you in a simple powder form from TM. Yes there are many brands that offer extra elements to your tank, but as pointed out on the webinar, typically they will offer around 30 of the essential elements, or around that number. So again back to the benefit of TM, it is an off the shelf easy to use all in one product.

I am not going to get into the argument of the risks of cheap salt, but throwing drive way mix into your system I am sorry that is one step over the edge, but I covered the whys and where for's in regards to using a known pure source, as I said then you spend thousands of dollars on corals etc on your tank I am at a loss why someone would risk that no matter how small they feel the risk is on salts you cant prove as pure. The salt mix is the life blood of the tank, surely a little extra spent to use a known qualified mix worth the expense?

I regards to just using a balanced sea salt mix, this was covered in the very first opening synopsis. If you do no 3 part or 2 part dosing at all, in between water changes you will get troughs in the amount of elements remaining in the system, so you will no doubt argue that you will then do for example (lets go large) a 25% water change weekly?

When you remove 25% of the water you are replacing it with only 25% of the depleted elements.

Worse from this IS doing a non balanced 2 or 3 part system and relying on a water change, again you are only removing the % of water change and that % of imbalance, its simple maths, there is no argument to that one.

With a proper balanced balling system you are keeping the elements and stability where it should be in between those water changes, eliminating any depletion.