kae
05/29/2008, 06:53 PM
Are there any differences from a normal 2-part or your DIY recipe? Thank you very much.
As you know the German aquarists are the forefront of many reef aquarium technology advancements. This is so because the aquarists over in Germany do not get accessed to a variety of fish and corals like we do here in the US. Back in mid 1980s the German government had banned the importation of LPS corals, angel fish and butterfly fish into Germany. They don't reproduce in captivity or they die easily as one of the banning reasons. What was left for the German aquarists were the sps coral species. Hence the advancements of many known technologies today as of neccessities to keep these sps corals alive!
In 1970s, Peter Wilken, of Germany experimented with calcium hydroxide (lime water) as reef tank calcium supplementation. Almost two decades later in 1994, Ernst Pawlowsky of Germany introduced calcium part A (alkalinity) and calcium part B (calcium), Rolf Hebbinghaus of Germany introduced calcium reactor and Hans-Wermer Balling of Germany introduced the three parts calcium known as the Balling Method. Mr. Balling continued to fine tune to his new calcium supplementation method until late 1996.
Back in the early 1990s, Julian Sprung of US introduced the calcium two parts A and B into the US market for the first time. Julian was certainly the guy who made this two parts calcium became popular in the US and Asia. There are set back of these two parts calcium A and B because they focus in balancing concentration of alkalinity and calcium but discard the magnesium concentration and everything (70+ minerals and trace elements) else. But again this is an improvement from just using the calcium hydroxide as Peter Wilken had done. The milky white liquid that you see is just residues of chemical powder that should not be introduced into the aquarium (all marketing hypes, hence look more concentrated to the hobbyists' eyes). They will settle to the bottom of aquarium and may cause problems later on if allow to accumulate over time. Hence, when do regular water change you should remove detritus at the bottom as well.
While calcium two parts A and B is well known in the US and Asia it is not heard of in Germany! Calcium reactor is common all over the world, though. In Germany the three parts calcium A, B, and C or the Balling Method is the method of choice when come to dosing calcium, etc... for the German aquariums.
Here the similarity:
Our calcium three parts A (ECO Calcium A) is for alkalinity just as in calcium two parts A.
Here the differences:
1) Our calcium three parts C (ECO Calcium C) is for both calcium and magnesium concentration (with proper ratio) while calcium two parts B is just for calcium concentration. For example, when ECO Calcium A and ECO Calcium C are used correctly as instructed in the instruction manual you will be able to maintain alkalinity at 6.5-8 dKH, calcium 400-420 ppm, magnesium 1300-1400 ppm easily. It is not easy, however, to achieve these levels of mineral concentrations when using the two parts calcium A and B. Therefore, ECO Calcium C is an improvement of calcium two parts B.
2) Our calcium three parts B (ECO Calcium B ) is for replenishing the 70+ minerals and trace elements. These minerals and trace elements are derivitives from sea salt mixes without sodium chloride (table salt). With this part B calcium you don't need to supplement anything else in your reef aquarium. However, as we learn the colors of corals will be compromised as corals grow too fast when using the Balling Method unless you supplement your reef tank with color intensifiers such as our Iron, Halogen, strontium and NF metal.
So here the truth: calcium two parts A and B is good for the past while the three parts calcium A, B, C as in the Balling Method is the improvement of the two parts calcium. As a consumer you should also watch out the different grade of chemicals that manufacturers use. They make a different in your reef keeping success. Beware of those manufacturers who are not even a marine aquarists!
As you know the German aquarists are the forefront of many reef aquarium technology advancements. This is so because the aquarists over in Germany do not get accessed to a variety of fish and corals like we do here in the US. Back in mid 1980s the German government had banned the importation of LPS corals, angel fish and butterfly fish into Germany. They don't reproduce in captivity or they die easily as one of the banning reasons. What was left for the German aquarists were the sps coral species. Hence the advancements of many known technologies today as of neccessities to keep these sps corals alive!
In 1970s, Peter Wilken, of Germany experimented with calcium hydroxide (lime water) as reef tank calcium supplementation. Almost two decades later in 1994, Ernst Pawlowsky of Germany introduced calcium part A (alkalinity) and calcium part B (calcium), Rolf Hebbinghaus of Germany introduced calcium reactor and Hans-Wermer Balling of Germany introduced the three parts calcium known as the Balling Method. Mr. Balling continued to fine tune to his new calcium supplementation method until late 1996.
Back in the early 1990s, Julian Sprung of US introduced the calcium two parts A and B into the US market for the first time. Julian was certainly the guy who made this two parts calcium became popular in the US and Asia. There are set back of these two parts calcium A and B because they focus in balancing concentration of alkalinity and calcium but discard the magnesium concentration and everything (70+ minerals and trace elements) else. But again this is an improvement from just using the calcium hydroxide as Peter Wilken had done. The milky white liquid that you see is just residues of chemical powder that should not be introduced into the aquarium (all marketing hypes, hence look more concentrated to the hobbyists' eyes). They will settle to the bottom of aquarium and may cause problems later on if allow to accumulate over time. Hence, when do regular water change you should remove detritus at the bottom as well.
While calcium two parts A and B is well known in the US and Asia it is not heard of in Germany! Calcium reactor is common all over the world, though. In Germany the three parts calcium A, B, and C or the Balling Method is the method of choice when come to dosing calcium, etc... for the German aquariums.
Here the similarity:
Our calcium three parts A (ECO Calcium A) is for alkalinity just as in calcium two parts A.
Here the differences:
1) Our calcium three parts C (ECO Calcium C) is for both calcium and magnesium concentration (with proper ratio) while calcium two parts B is just for calcium concentration. For example, when ECO Calcium A and ECO Calcium C are used correctly as instructed in the instruction manual you will be able to maintain alkalinity at 6.5-8 dKH, calcium 400-420 ppm, magnesium 1300-1400 ppm easily. It is not easy, however, to achieve these levels of mineral concentrations when using the two parts calcium A and B. Therefore, ECO Calcium C is an improvement of calcium two parts B.
2) Our calcium three parts B (ECO Calcium B ) is for replenishing the 70+ minerals and trace elements. These minerals and trace elements are derivitives from sea salt mixes without sodium chloride (table salt). With this part B calcium you don't need to supplement anything else in your reef aquarium. However, as we learn the colors of corals will be compromised as corals grow too fast when using the Balling Method unless you supplement your reef tank with color intensifiers such as our Iron, Halogen, strontium and NF metal.
So here the truth: calcium two parts A and B is good for the past while the three parts calcium A, B, C as in the Balling Method is the improvement of the two parts calcium. As a consumer you should also watch out the different grade of chemicals that manufacturers use. They make a different in your reef keeping success. Beware of those manufacturers who are not even a marine aquarists!