How Reef Mineral Salt works

[Aquaforest]

We have many questions about Reef Mineral Salt that's why we prepare short material about that:

http://aquaforest.eu/en/how-reef-mineral-salt-works/

 

[Triggreef]

So from my triton testing, I've learned with less water changes my mg ca tends to go up over time, while sodium chloride drops.

Wouldn't using sodium chloride free salt just compound what's already happening? I would think you would want sodium chloride heavy salt if anything.

 

[jsker]

So from my triton testing, I've learned with less water changes my mg ca tends to go up over time, while sodium chloride drops.

Wouldn't using sodium chloride free salt just compound what's already happening? I would think you would want sodium chloride heavy salt if anything.

Are you dosing Ca and Mg? The link for the article is pretty interesting if you click on the picture.

 

[Triggreef]

Are you dosing Ca and Mg? The link for the article is pretty interesting if you click on the picture.

Dosing triton elements.

 

[jsker]

Dosing triton elements.

Sorry to ask again, you are dosing the Ca and Mg then. If I am reading this correctly your Mg and Ca rise when your extended your water changes? In that case I would cut back on the dosing for the Mg and Ca.

 

[Triggreef]

Sorry to ask again, you are dosing the Ca and Mg then. If I am reading this correctly your Mg and Ca rise when your extended your water changes? In that case I would cut back on the dosing for the Mg and Ca.

Correct. And so the point of this salt would be what?

 

[jsker]

Correct. And so the point of this salt would be what?

Your trace elements that are used up during water changes. This salt is use in the balling method 3+ along with potassium

 

[Triggreef]

Your trace elements that are used up during water changes. This salt is use in the balling method 3+ along with potassium

Directly from the link above... "It is a common misconception among reefers that administering NaCl free salt is primarily supposed to replenish trace elements."

Maybe this is above my head but my understanding of specific gravity is that you can have water 1.026 sg with 400ppm ca 1300 mg sodium chloride is 10700 those are the big 3. Water can only hold so many elements. Keep bumping that ca to 550 and mg to say 1500 and sodium chloride may only be like 10450 now but specific gravity is still 1.026... Obviously that's not taking into account all the other elements that are fluctuating just an example.

Now your water is not "ionically balanced" so how is adding more water that is not ionically balanced by definition, going to fix that?

 

[Constrictor6090]

So when you dose Calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate, you get excess sodium chloride since only the calcium carbonate is being used. How I am reading this is:

via. Aquaforest How Reef Mineral Salt Works?
Q: "So what is the significance of adding NaCl free salt when administering Calcium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate?"

A: "Many marine organisms (e.g. hard corals) require Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) to grow their calcareous structures. This crucial substance is insoluble in natural seawater, so one way to work around this problem is administration of Ca++ and HCO3 in the form of water-soluble Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) and Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3)."

"This method has a drawback though – in the form of unwanted NaCl"


The bolded text is making this very confusing for me.. It's like it's saying that by adding NaCl free salt, you still get a form of unwanted NaCl ?? Anyone else confused by this?

 

[jsker]

Directly from the link above... "It is a common misconception among reefers that administering NaCl free salt is primarily supposed to replenish trace elements."

Maybe this is above my head but my understanding of specific gravity is that you can have water 1.026 sg with 400ppm ca 1300 mg sodium chloride is 10700 those are the big 3. Water can only hold so many elements. Keep bumping that ca to 550 and mg to say 1500 and sodium chloride may only be like 10450 now but specific gravity is still 1.026... Obviously that's not taking into account all the other elements that are fluctuating just an example.

Now your water is not "ionically balanced" so how is adding more water that is not ionically balanced by definition, going to fix that?

So when you dose Calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate, you get excess sodium chloride since only the calcium carbonate is being used. How I am reading this is:

via. Aquaforest How Reef Mineral Salt Works?
Q: "So what is the significance of adding NaCl free salt when administering Calcium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate?"

A: "Many marine organisms (e.g. hard corals) require Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) to grow their calcareous structures. This crucial substance is insoluble in natural seawater, so one way to work around this problem is administration of Ca++ and HCO3 in the form of water-soluble Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) and Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3)."

"This method has a drawback though – in the form of unwanted NaCl"


The bolded text is making this very confusing for me.. It's like it's saying that by adding NaCl free salt, you still get a form of unwanted NaCl ?? Anyone else confused by this?

I use the Aquaforest 1+2+3+ is Aquaforest's balling method product. I mix my own according to Aquaforest's recipe, and in 3+ the mineral salts are use in the recipe along with Aquaforest's potassium supplement. I have been running the 1+2+3+ balling method for over a year with fantastic results.

The mineral salts are not used as a salt, as a supplement.

 

[domination2580]

@jsker I'm still confused on how you come up with how much to dose amd how to adjust...

 

[jsker]

@jsker I'm still confused on how you come up with how much to dose amd how to adjust...

Do you have a doing pump? I use the Jebao DP-45 link and it is at great price right now. I dose and make adjustment based on my parameters. As I suggested start your alk (2+) dose at 18 mls daily and get your alk where you want it to be by adjusting up or down a milliliter or two. Same goes for your 1+3+ start the dose at 30 ml daily. Remember all you are trying to do is keep your parameter steady at the levels that work for your system.

 

[Constrictor6090]

I use the Aquaforest 1+2+3+ is Aquaforest's balling method product. I mix my own according to Aquaforest's recipe, and in 3+ the mineral salts are use in the recipe along with Aquaforest's potassium supplement. I have been running the 1+2+3+ balling method for over a year with fantastic results.

The mineral salts are not used as a salt, as a supplement.

I guess what's confusing me is that it is not a normal salt because it is NaCl free which is the benefit of it, it's a supplement. "It is a common misconception among reefers that administering NaCl free salt is primarily supposed to replenish trace elements. The main task of Sodium Chloride free salt is to maintain ionic balance of aquarium water."
But then it goes on to say "This method has a drawback though – in the form of unwanted NaCl." Like ????

I guess I'm trying to figure out is, what makes it achieve the goal to "maintain ionic balance of aquarium water" and how it goes about doing so.

 

[jsker]

I guess what's confusing me is that it is not a normal salt because it is NaCl free which is the benefit of it, it's a supplement. "It is a common misconception among reefers that administering NaCl free salt is primarily supposed to replenish trace elements. The main task of Sodium Chloride free salt is to maintain ionic balance of aquarium water."
But then it goes on to say "This method has a drawback though – in the form of unwanted NaCl." Like ????

I guess I'm trying to figure out is, what makes it achieve the goal to "maintain ionic balance of aquarium water" and how it goes about doing so.

@domination2580

Thank you, in a good way. Had to find some reading to come up with a answer. I found this pretty good write up about iconic balance that is pretty simple and straightforward link.

A simple answer you question simply is; Aquaforest mineral salts are found in the natural makeup of sea salt, as our system deplete our water change water, we dose elements to make up for the depleted elements. Besides the main 2 elements of Ca, Mg, and alk our system also need the salts that are in mineral salts to complete the iconic balance. In my earlier reference to the components 1+2+3+, Aquaforest balling method components the mineral salt are used to achieve a ionic balance of dosing their recipe using component 3+. To achieve the right dose 1+3+ are dosed the same based on the levels of the Ca and Mg. 2+ is dosed based on alk levels.

 

[Constrictor6090]

@domination2580

Thank you, in a good way. Had to find some reading to come up with a answer. I found this pretty good write up about iconic balance that is pretty simple and straightforward link.

A simple answer you question simply is; Aquaforest mineral salts are found in the natural makeup of sea salt, as our system deplete our water change water, we dose elements to make up for the depleted elements. Besides the main 2 elements of Ca, Mg, and alk our system also need the salts that are in mineral salts to complete the iconic balance. In my earlier reference to the components 1+2+3+, Aquaforest balling method components the mineral salt are used to achieve a ionic balance of dosing their recipe using component 3+. To achieve the right dose 1+3+ are dosed the same based on the levels of the Ca and Mg. 2+ is dosed based on alk levels.

Interesting, that actually makes a lot of sense to me tho haha, thank you!!

 

[domination2580]

Do you have a doing pump? I use the Jebao DP-45 link and it is at great price right now. I dose and make adjustment based on my parameters. As I suggested start your alk (2+) dose at 18 mls daily and get your alk where you want it to be by adjusting up or down a milliliter or two. Same goes for your 1+3+ start the dose at 30 ml daily. Remember all you are trying to do is keep your parameter steady at the levels that work for your system.

So pretty much you test and say your down 1.3 dkh....how do you how much to dose on that info.

 

[jsker]

So pretty much you test and say your down 1.3 dkh....how do you how much to dose on that info.

just bumped up one ml and test again.

 

[domination2580]

just bumped up one ml and test again.

Is there a basis? Like an equation?

 

[domination2580]

just bumped up one ml and test again.

Couldn't I just get dkh plus, mg plus, and cal plus? Wouldnot that be the same just figure out how much to dose?

 

[Anirban]

Couldn't I just get dkh plus, mg plus, and cal plus? Wouldnot that be the same just figure out how much to dose?

There is a basis or equation for addition of Ca, Mg and KH plus. Like 10ml of the solution increases KH level by 0,5°dKH in 100l of water. But for the component 123 there is none so every user need to titrate the amount their reef is consuming everyday and the amount of each component they are adding. Thats why AF suggest that we should bring our parameter at our desired levels and then start dosing all 3 components at equal level. Also the objective is to replenish all elements together as its a full balling method, you can add just Ca, Mg and kH but that will not replenish the other elements.