Aquaforest Mineral Salts

[Jordan Parker]

Hello. I had begun to use aquaforest components for dosing my tank about a year ago, however I just learned that I had been using the mineral salts portion of the dosing elements incorrectly.

After doing some reading on these mineral salts and what exactly they were doing for my system, I'd learned that it is to be used in conjunction with the calcium additive.

My entire time using this product, I had been mixing it in with the magnesium, nothing I'd read said I couldn't, so I figured why not.

Now, knowing that it is to be dosed in equal proportions to the calcium, and certainly won't be doing as much magnesium as calcium, does anyone know if it can be added directly to the calcium container? I tried a small batch and it seems that there are some solubility problems in that I have a lot of suspension in the solution. Having said that, I have always found aquaforest's calcium to be a slow mix.

I couldn't find anywhere with any information on this, so I figured here would be the best place to ask about it.

Thanks for any input!

 

[GoVols]

Hello. I had begun to use aquaforest components for dosing my tank about a year ago, however I just learned that I had been using the mineral salts portion of the dosing elements incorrectly.

After doing some reading on these mineral salts and what exactly they were doing for my system, I'd learned that it is to be used in conjunction with the calcium additive.

My entire time using this product, I had been mixing it in with the magnesium, nothing I'd read said I couldn't, so I figured why not.

Now, knowing that it is to be dosed in equal proportions to the calcium, and certainly won't be doing as much magnesium as calcium, does anyone know if it can be added directly to the calcium container? I tried a small batch and it seems that there are some solubility problems in that I have a lot of suspension in the solution. Having said that, I have always found aquaforest's calcium to be a slow mix.

I couldn't find anywhere with any information on this, so I figured here would be the best place to ask about it.

Thanks for any input!

I would think that you would want to keep their calcium separate than their NaCL free salt which is their Mineral Salt.

I used their Component 1+ 2+ 3+ (full balling) when it first hit the US.

Aquaforest Component 1+2+3+ dosing: Everything that corals need

Master Aquaforest Component 1+2+3+ dosing. Calculations to give your corals the major and trace elements they need daily.

aquaforest.eu

It was a really great product.

Why not go that route?

 

[Jordan Parker]

I would think that you would want to keep their calcium separate than their NaCL free salt which is their Mineral Salt.

I used their Component 1+ 2+ 3+ (full balling) when it first hit the US.

Aquaforest Component 1+2+3+ dosing: Everything that corals need

Master Aquaforest Component 1+2+3+ dosing. Calculations to give your corals the major and trace elements they need daily.

aquaforest.eu

It was a really great product.

Why not go that route?

I think you're right, the free salt seems to be causing the calcium to precipitate.

Not to come off as being overly cheap, but my system is 550 gallons and it'll cost me an arm and a leg to go with their 3 part component. I used to use it in my 120 gallon system and did have great results with it. Perhaps I should just open my wallet up a little and invest in an additional dosing pump

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The primary reason to not mix sodium chloride free salts with either part of a two part designed that way is:

1. With the alk part you will precipitate magnum hydroxide and other metal oxides and carbonates.

2. With the calcium part you will precipitate calcium sulfate.

A true two part (like B-ionic) gets around this be carefully determining what elements to put in which part.

 

[W1ngz]

it'll cost me an arm and a leg to go with their 3 part component

It sounds to me like you've been using their products as standalone items. Have you looked into their video about mixing your own component 123? That does in fact call for mixing the mineral salts with their magnesium product. Mixing your own also costs about 1/3 of buying the premixed 123, and that's based on my buying the smaller formats. I can only assume you'll save even more if you buy the larger formats.

Once you have the three parts mixed, you dose all three in equal quantities based off your daily alk consumption. It's kept my system stable for over a year now.

 

[Jordan Parker]

The primary reason to not mix sodium chloride free salts with either part of a two part designed that way is:

1. With the alk part you will precipitate magnum hydroxide and other metal oxides and carbonates.

2. With the calcium part you will precipitate calcium sulfate.

A true two part (like B-ionic) gets around this be carefully determining what elements to put in which part.

I'd been using B-ionic for a few years, however it had become increasingly difficult to acquire in my region, I did like it, but the results I've seen with coloration from aquaforest tanks shifted my allegiance.

I figured the free salts were giving me some precipitation, I just didn't quite understand the science behind it. I'm still picking up on the alchemy side of the hobby.

It sounds to me like you've been using their products as standalone items. Have you looked into their video about mixing your own component 123? That does in fact call for mixing the mineral salts with their magnesium product. Mixing your own also costs about 1/3 of buying the premixed 123, and that's based on my buying the smaller formats. I can only assume you'll save even more if you buy the larger formats.

Once you have the three parts mixed, you dose all three in equal quantities based off your daily alk consumption. It's kept my system stable for over a year now.

With the exception of using the sting components, I had been using it correctly the entire time apparently. I have some components on the way currently, as I wanted to go with the full balling method, rather than stand alone.

Thanks for your responses everyone!

 

[W1ngz]

When mixing that stuff up, I find it really practical to do it with a magnetic stirrer and a 2000ml erlenmeyer flask.

 

[Andy429]

That is their old recipe, it should be mixed with mag.

 

[GoVols]

@Jordan Stone @W1ngz @Andy429

Do you guys know the difference in Comp 1+ 2+ 3+ over their Components Pro forumla

or, is it just the same thing, with a new name?

 

[Andy429]

@Jordan Stone @W1ngz @Andy429

Do you guys know the difference in Comp 1+ 2+ 3+ over their Components Pro forumla

or, is it just the same thing, with a new name?

Appears to be concentrated so you can’t save money by making your own. I used 123 recipe using off the shelf chemicals and AF reef mineral salt and component strong.

 

[W1ngz]

A quick glance it look like its more concentrated. I've never looked into it, but they refer to an icp test also so maybe Pro is a more extensive program than just the balling method. Something like what Triton did?

 

[GoVols]

Appears to be concentrated so you can’t save money by making your own. I used 123 recipe using off the shelf chemicals and AF reef mineral salt and component strong.

Thanks!!

When I used it, only their salt mix and their original balling, with a few other things were in the US at that time.

Their fulling balling sure is a great Aquaforest product, but their salt mix parameters were all over the place from bucket to bucket and batch to batch during that time frame.

Hope they resolved that issue, because back then, their qc sheets were way off.
They did finally acknowledged that issue, but don't know if it was resolved.

 

[GoVols]

A quick glance it look like its more concentrated. I've never looked into it, but they refer to an icp test also so maybe Pro is a more extensive program than just the balling method. Something like what Triton did?

I just saw it last night on their UK website.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Artmaz81]

I've been trying to make my own and found that they where using carbonate not bicarbonate!

I did a few trial runs with this formula

I backed the af kh buffer to make it carbonate

252g backed kh buffer instead of the 400g of un baked kh buffer !!


Everything was going well

Till i decided to double everthing in 5000ml of water

My Duncan's closed up after the first batch a good water change opened them up again !

I feel as

That I will double the big 3 and then add only 25ml of the components strong to see if that helps its better the be under then over !!