B-ionic in SPS coral systems

galleon · 05/14/2013, 05:53 PM

Remember, I'm still returning to the hobby, what's everyone's take on balanced 2-parts these days?

Drae · 05/14/2013, 06:08 PM

B-ionic works great. Gets expensive though.

coolie · 05/14/2013, 06:15 PM

I use b-ionic for my sps dominant. I tried brs 2 part and didn't know theirs is a weaker solution so you'll end up dosing more.

Blueline12 · 05/14/2013, 06:26 PM

Works great.

Gary Majchrzak · 05/14/2013, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galleon

Remember, I'm still returning to the hobby, what's everyone's take on balanced 2-parts these days?

I won't pretend to know everyone's take on liquid two parts but I'm willing to bet the vast majority of folks make their own alkalinity and calcium liquid supplements from sodium carbonate and calcium chloride.

PL-Reef · 05/14/2013, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

I'm willing to bet the vast majority of folks make their own alkalinity and calcium liquid supplements from sodium carbonate and calcium chloride.

+1 Much cheaper.

trueblackpercula · 05/14/2013, 07:44 PM

B-ionic is one of the best if not the best, the only problem is the cost and most make ther down two part including myself. But once I run out of the stock I have I am going back to bionic

PL-Reef · 05/14/2013, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueblackpercula

B-ionic is one of the best if not the best, the only problem is the cost and most make ther down two part including myself. But once I run out of the stock I have I am going back to bionic

Just out curiosity but why go back to B-Ionic after using up your DIY 2 part?

sweet ride · 05/14/2013, 07:53 PM

like everyone else said most of us have used B-ionic that includes my self but I have since moved to BRS 2 part. this works great for me.

galleon · 05/14/2013, 07:56 PM

DIY two part, unless made correctly, will add excess chloride and sodium ions that will accumulate relative to other dissolved ions and ion pairs of seawater.

trueblackpercula · 05/14/2013, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PL-Reef

Just out curiosity but why go back to B-Ionic after using up your DIY 2 part?

It's has other ingredients in it that help sps grow and keeps everything in balalnce. Making two part is easy and cost less but it still lakes what bionic have in it.

Gary Majchrzak · 05/14/2013, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueblackpercula

It's has other ingredients in it that help sps grow and keeps everything in balalnce. Making two part is easy and cost less but it still lakes what bionic have in it.

essentially impurities

ESV is more concentrated than the DIY recipes. That's the main difference.
ESV B-ionic is basically just a brand name slapped on the same stuff.

Ditto with calcium hydroxide. ESV and BRS both sell it. Any perceived differences are just that.

trueblackpercula · 05/15/2013, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

essentially impurities

ESV is more concentrated than the DIY recipes. That's the main difference.
ESV B-ionic is basically just a brand name slapped on the same stuff.

Ditto with calcium hydroxide. ESV and BRS both sell it. Any perceived differences are just that.

Sorry disagree but I am positive there are different chemicals added to there stuff then plan old calcium chloride and baking soda.

coolie · 05/15/2013, 05:42 AM

I agree with you trueblackpercula. After using the brs for a month, my sps did not look as good as with b-ionic. Corals started fading and even had stn on 2 frags. I went back to b-ionic and stn stopped as well as color returning to my corals. I definitely think there are more useful ingredients in b-ionic than brs

Andyf30 · 05/15/2013, 07:06 AM

This is another unresearched claim, but I agree with the two above me. I used to make my own dosing stuff with seachem powdered supplements. Like really old school. Then I went to B-Ionic, and the difference was astounding. I used to get little to no encrusting from my sps corals, and now 4 corals I've had less than 2 weeks have completely encrusted their plugs and onto the rock. Again this is unsupported by any fact, but my visual observation has told me that B-Ionic is superior to most dosing formulas

Zstriker · 05/15/2013, 09:20 AM

I used to make my two part from the brs stuff as well, but have since switched to b-ionic. Yes, it is pricey, but I find when I use it my dosing amounts are cut in half compared to the brs stuff. Also, I get less precipitation with the b-ionic and my mag stays more stable without having to dose it. Lastly, it much less painful to prepare in comparison to brs or randy's recipe. Laziness = expensive, I suppose.

Just my experience.

mos90 · 05/15/2013, 12:44 PM

i use b-ionic on my 350g mixed tank. i do have a lot of sps but the tank is still young at 4 months. right now im only using 160ml per day so its not too bad.

i buy the 5gal buckets for $80.00, lasts me close to 4 months.

stevedola · 05/15/2013, 01:16 PM

I buy it by the 5 gallon bucket and its not too bad...you actually get 4 gallons of each part for roughly 100 bucks. If you time it right you can get it cheaper but thats usually what I pay. beats paying 30 per gallon.

stevedola · 05/15/2013, 01:17 PM

mos90 where do you find it for 80? last time I looked it was 90 plus shipping. definitely the way to go if you can store it.

stevedola · 05/15/2013, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueblackpercula

Sorry disagree but I am positive there are different chemicals added to there stuff then plan old calcium chloride and baking soda.

I recently saw Greg Hiller speak and he touched on this topic...B-Ionic does have additional chemicals added...what they are, he didnt know--top secret

nova65ss · 05/15/2013, 02:11 PM

I have heard that the b ionic does not have mg and it to me made sense I was using it for a while and had a hard time keeping my alk consistent. Switched to kent reef fusion which I have read has other essential elements and my alk has been dead on the money ever since. I am not saying it is true just what I heard and I am relatively new in learning about cal and alk additives. Any one heard this before? Thanks

Peter Eichler · 05/15/2013, 02:49 PM

Gotta love the marketing nonsense in this hobby and the fun things that result from a lack of anyone regulating the claims that are made...

My favorite claim in recent years is still the Kalk+2 magnesium nonsense from Chris Brightwell. That alone is reason enough to never trust a supplement company (probably especially Kent and Brightwell) and their claims. If you guys want to believe there's other special stuff/ingredients in B ionic or any other commericla two part, then knock yourselves out. By maybe at least have ESV tell you what those ingredients are. For all I can tell it's simply the naturally occuring impurities in calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonte/carbonate

galleon · 05/15/2013, 02:59 PM

"for all I can tell"

And how is that?

Peter Eichler · 05/15/2013, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galleon

"for all I can tell"

And how is that?

The secrecy surrounding what those extra things might be and in what concentration they occur. It's quite common in the hobby to put some positive spin on impurities since they can just call them trace or minor elements.

galleon · 05/15/2013, 03:22 PM

Ah, ok, so in other words you're just as clueless as everyone else.

05/14/2013, 05:53 PM	#1
galleon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,003	B-ionic in SPS coral systems Remember, I'm still returning to the hobby, what's everyone's take on balanced 2-parts these days?

05/14/2013, 07:44 PM	#7
trueblackpercula Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: STATEN ISLAND Posts: 7,517	B-ionic is one of the best if not the best, the only problem is the cost and most make ther down two part including myself. But once I run out of the stock I have I am going back to bionic __________________ Life is to short to buy frags ! But for FREE I'LL take them ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. >((((º> LIVE SAND ITS THE CURE........® Current Tank Info: 120 CUBE Live sand Mitras lx6100hv MRC MR 2 single becket MP40 power head Aquamedic dosing pump using B-ionic

05/15/2013, 07:06 AM	#15
Andyf30 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Maine and Florida Posts: 675	This is another unresearched claim, but I agree with the two above me. I used to make my own dosing stuff with seachem powdered supplements. Like really old school. Then I went to B-Ionic, and the difference was astounding. I used to get little to no encrusting from my sps corals, and now 4 corals I've had less than 2 weeks have completely encrusted their plugs and onto the rock. Again this is unsupported by any fact, but my visual observation has told me that B-Ionic is superior to most dosing formulas __________________ Nothing but a FW tank owner now :/

05/15/2013, 01:16 PM	#18
stevedola Master of my domain Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 3,466	I buy it by the 5 gallon bucket and its not too bad...you actually get 4 gallons of each part for roughly 100 bucks. If you time it right you can get it cheaper but thats usually what I pay. beats paying 30 per gallon. __________________ Cool Club Current Tank Info: coming soon...

05/15/2013, 01:17 PM	#19
stevedola Master of my domain Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 3,466	mos90 where do you find it for 80? last time I looked it was 90 plus shipping. definitely the way to go if you can store it. __________________ Cool Club Current Tank Info: coming soon...

05/14/2013, 06:08 PM	#2
Drae RAIDER NATION! Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: City of sin... Posts: 3,476	B-ionic works great. Gets expensive though.

05/14/2013, 06:15 PM	#3
coolie Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 309	I use b-ionic for my sps dominant. I tried brs 2 part and didn't know theirs is a weaker solution so you'll end up dosing more.

05/14/2013, 06:26 PM	#4
Blueline12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: West Palm Beach Posts: 493	Works great.

05/14/2013, 07:53 PM	#9
sweet ride Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mississauga Posts: 505	like everyone else said most of us have used B-ionic that includes my self but I have since moved to BRS 2 part. this works great for me.

05/14/2013, 07:56 PM	#10
galleon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,003	DIY two part, unless made correctly, will add excess chloride and sodium ions that will accumulate relative to other dissolved ions and ion pairs of seawater.

05/15/2013, 05:42 AM	#14
coolie Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 309	I agree with you trueblackpercula. After using the brs for a month, my sps did not look as good as with b-ionic. Corals started fading and even had stn on 2 frags. I went back to b-ionic and stn stopped as well as color returning to my corals. I definitely think there are more useful ingredients in b-ionic than brs

05/15/2013, 09:20 AM	#16
Zstriker Moved On Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 131	I used to make my two part from the brs stuff as well, but have since switched to b-ionic. Yes, it is pricey, but I find when I use it my dosing amounts are cut in half compared to the brs stuff. Also, I get less precipitation with the b-ionic and my mag stays more stable without having to dose it. Lastly, it much less painful to prepare in comparison to brs or randy's recipe. Laziness = expensive, I suppose. Just my experience.

05/15/2013, 12:44 PM	#17
mos90 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: rome,ny Posts: 1,151	i use b-ionic on my 350g mixed tank. i do have a lot of sps but the tank is still young at 4 months. right now im only using 160ml per day so its not too bad. i buy the 5gal buckets for $80.00, lasts me close to 4 months.

05/15/2013, 02:11 PM	#21
nova65ss Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 171	I have heard that the b ionic does not have mg and it to me made sense I was using it for a while and had a hard time keeping my alk consistent. Switched to kent reef fusion which I have read has other essential elements and my alk has been dead on the money ever since. I am not saying it is true just what I heard and I am relatively new in learning about cal and alk additives. Any one heard this before? Thanks

05/15/2013, 02:49 PM	#22
Peter Eichler Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 6,081	Gotta love the marketing nonsense in this hobby and the fun things that result from a lack of anyone regulating the claims that are made... My favorite claim in recent years is still the Kalk+2 magnesium nonsense from Chris Brightwell. That alone is reason enough to never trust a supplement company (probably especially Kent and Brightwell) and their claims. If you guys want to believe there's other special stuff/ingredients in B ionic or any other commericla two part, then knock yourselves out. By maybe at least have ESV tell you what those ingredients are. For all I can tell it's simply the naturally occuring impurities in calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonte/carbonate Last edited by Peter Eichler; 05/15/2013 at 03:16 PM.

05/15/2013, 02:59 PM	#23
galleon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,003	"for all I can tell" And how is that?

05/15/2013, 03:22 PM	#25
galleon Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,003	Ah, ok, so in other words you're just as clueless as everyone else.