Balling: Tropic vs Fauna Marin

[Johnseye]

Anyone have experience with either or both Tropic Marin or Fauna Marin?

My understanding is that Tropic Marin is 3 part granular mix and Fauna Marin is 2 part granular mix but with additional trace elements separated into 3 color based liquids for dosing.

[bertoni]

People have reported using both those products with success. Personally, I'd pick whichever is cheapest or easiest to dose. Those are both reputable companies. I'm skeptical about the value of trace element supplements, because tanks get so much from food and likely from general supplements, but they likely won't do any harm.

[Eyore]

Fm is 3 parts

Nahco3, cacl2 2h2o, mgcl2 6h2o

Plus 3 traces


Tropic marin is 3 parts

Nahco3, cacl2 2h2o, sodium free salt

With fm you dose independantly to the tanks consumption of kh ca and mg
Some elements are blindly dosed (strontium for eg) to my understanding

So whats left over doesnt have to be to much like nsw

With tm you dose equally, whats left over is something close to nsw ish. There is to my understanding no blond dosing of things like strontium and iodine

In a nut shell though the biggest differance is lack of sulphate with fm, and no magnesium dose with tm (the magnesium in the tm sodium free salt is to replace what is exported correcting salinity)

Generally speaking less water changes are needed for correction with classic balling (tropic marin)

[Johnseye]

FM is:

1. Calcium chloride-dihydrate CaCl2.2H2O
2. Magnesium chloride-hexahydrate MgCl2 6H2O
3. Magnesium sulfate-heptahydrate MgSO4 7H2O
4. Sodium bicarbonate NaHCO3

Trace:

1. Strontium-Barium complex
2. Heavy metal complex
3. Iodine-Fluorine complex

Not sure what's exactly in the heavy metal complex, or if 1. and 3. have more than stated.

I'm about to begin using FM, but without the Mag. I've never had a need to dose Mag. I have been dosing BRS Ca and Alk in addition to Kalk. I hadn't been happy with the results so I added KZ Pohls Extra. I just don't know what's in that, and I have to dose it with a pipette daily.

My LFS doses Tropic Marin and they were explaining how that works. Sounds more classic balling than lite balling. I appreciate your input as that helps me to get an understanding of the difference between the two. My LFS got me thinking that TM may be the better way to go.

[Johnseye]

Also, I was reading Oldude's TOTM writeup and it seems he just uses the Fauna Ca and Alk plus "Coral Elements" supplements, which are different from the trace. I thought I'd try that, although like with the trace "complex" FM doesn't tell you what's in the Coral Elements.

[Eyore]

Tbh i differ on the mgso4 being part of fm, it was but then it was omitted, at least in europe, due to sulphaye accumulation when used as a dose as supposed to mg dilution correcting salinity

You will dilute magnesium, however water changes with elevated salt mix replaces for most

For me, classic is a better method

But its harder to use