Picking a Salt for Use with Fauna Marin Balling Light and BioPellets

skibum9884 · 03/04/2011, 07:12 AM

So, as the title says I'm running Bio Pellets and auto-dose Fauna Marin's Balling Light method via a GHL doser. I'm looking for a new salt, and want to use whatever salt will pair best. I think the largest consideration is that I don't need or want a high Alk level right out of the bucket since I dose and need a low alk due to the Biopellets.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

bertoni · 03/04/2011, 07:36 AM

This thread has numbers for a lot of salt products:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1714505

skibum9884 · 03/04/2011, 07:38 AM

Thanks, any comments on what numbers I should look for? I was thinking alk around 8, Ca around 400-420, and mg around 1300?

Is this what you'd recommend since I have the dosing all set up?

Randy Holmes-Farley · 03/04/2011, 07:40 AM

There is nothing wrong with alk at 7 dKH or so, but I'm not sure the use of biopellets has anything to do with the desired alkalinity.

skibum9884 · 03/04/2011, 07:45 AM

A lot of the experiences I've read have noted STN at 8.5 dKH or above. While I have no way to confirm or deny this, I know that I can successfully run lower than this so thought I wouldn't risk it!

Maybe I'll give D-D H2Ocean a shot or the ESV salt. I hate to say it, but I'm not big on Tropic Marin's packaging, so I may try and stay away from that.

rick12 · 03/04/2011, 08:15 AM

the benefit of balling (esp. with a GHL doser) is the ablility to dose more or less Alk depending on the salt used and the systems requrirments.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 03/05/2011, 06:46 AM

A lot of the experiences I've read have noted STN at 8.5 dKH or above.

That is a drawback that some folks have noticed then using ultra low nutrient systems (especially zeovit), but it would not (IMO) likely apply to a "method" of nutrient reduction unless you used it to drive nutrients to these same ultra low levels.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 03/05/2011, 06:48 AM

the benefit of balling (esp. with a GHL doser) is the ablility to dose more or less Alk depending on the salt used and the systems requrirments.

That idea applies equally well to using a two part system, even a DIY.

skibum9884 · 03/05/2011, 02:00 PM

Randy, correct me if I'm wrong, but if I want to run my system at ~8dKH, I should want a salt that mixes around that. Then if I dial the dosing to replenish exactly what my system uses I'll have a perfectly stable dKH.

For example, if I used Reef Crystals with a dKH of ~12-13, I'd see a mini-spike when I did a water change, whereas if I use a salt that mixes at ~8, it will remain stable.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 03/05/2011, 05:17 PM

The emphasis should be on "mini". A 10% water change with 12 dKH in an 8.4 dKH tank only boosts it to 8.4 dKH. Not enough to worry over, IMO.

That said, using a lower dKH salt is a fine choice.

gary faulkner · 03/05/2011, 07:37 PM

skibum9884
I'm looking to do the same thing (lower alk salt) so I picked up a bucket of Oceanic. It is reasonably priced and Drfostersmith has it with really low shipping.

HTH

03/04/2011, 07:12 AM	#1
skibum9884 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,507	Picking a Salt for Use with Fauna Marin Balling Light and BioPellets So, as the title says I'm running Bio Pellets and auto-dose Fauna Marin's Balling Light method via a GHL doser. I'm looking for a new salt, and want to use whatever salt will pair best. I think the largest consideration is that I don't need or want a high Alk level right out of the bucket since I dose and need a low alk due to the Biopellets. Any ideas? Thanks. __________________ -David Current Tank: Elos System 70, 17 gal ADA Rimless in Progress

03/04/2011, 07:36 AM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 68,496	This thread has numbers for a lot of salt products: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1714505 __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

03/04/2011, 07:38 AM	#3
skibum9884 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,507	Thanks, any comments on what numbers I should look for? I was thinking alk around 8, Ca around 400-420, and mg around 1300? Is this what you'd recommend since I have the dosing all set up? __________________ -David Current Tank: Elos System 70, 17 gal ADA Rimless in Progress

03/04/2011, 07:40 AM	#4
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 81,937	There is nothing wrong with alk at 7 dKH or so, but I'm not sure the use of biopellets has anything to do with the desired alkalinity. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Club 65535 Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

03/04/2011, 07:45 AM	#5
skibum9884 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,507	A lot of the experiences I've read have noted STN at 8.5 dKH or above. While I have no way to confirm or deny this, I know that I can successfully run lower than this so thought I wouldn't risk it! Maybe I'll give D-D H2Ocean a shot or the ESV salt. I hate to say it, but I'm not big on Tropic Marin's packaging, so I may try and stay away from that. __________________ -David Current Tank: Elos System 70, 17 gal ADA Rimless in Progress

03/04/2011, 08:15 AM	#6
rick12 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 738	the benefit of balling (esp. with a GHL doser) is the ablility to dose more or less Alk depending on the salt used and the systems requrirments.

03/05/2011, 06:46 AM	#7
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 81,937	A lot of the experiences I've read have noted STN at 8.5 dKH or above. That is a drawback that some folks have noticed then using ultra low nutrient systems (especially zeovit), but it would not (IMO) likely apply to a "method" of nutrient reduction unless you used it to drive nutrients to these same ultra low levels. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Club 65535 Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

03/05/2011, 06:48 AM	#8
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 81,937	the benefit of balling (esp. with a GHL doser) is the ablility to dose more or less Alk depending on the salt used and the systems requrirments. That idea applies equally well to using a two part system, even a DIY. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Club 65535 Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

03/05/2011, 02:00 PM	#9
skibum9884 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,507	Randy, correct me if I'm wrong, but if I want to run my system at ~8dKH, I should want a salt that mixes around that. Then if I dial the dosing to replenish exactly what my system uses I'll have a perfectly stable dKH. For example, if I used Reef Crystals with a dKH of ~12-13, I'd see a mini-spike when I did a water change, whereas if I use a salt that mixes at ~8, it will remain stable. __________________ -David Current Tank: Elos System 70, 17 gal ADA Rimless in Progress

03/05/2011, 05:17 PM	#10
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 81,937	The emphasis should be on "mini". A 10% water change with 12 dKH in an 8.4 dKH tank only boosts it to 8.4 dKH. Not enough to worry over, IMO. That said, using a lower dKH salt is a fine choice. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Club 65535 Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

03/05/2011, 07:37 PM	#11
gary faulkner Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,472	skibum9884 I'm looking to do the same thing (lower alk salt) so I picked up a bucket of Oceanic. It is reasonably priced and Drfostersmith has it with really low shipping. HTH __________________ Gary Current Tank Info: 300G SPS

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