Looking for 2-part to compliment TM A & K

reefiniteasy · Aug 27, 2023

I have been using Tropic Marin A & K on my softy tank since last December. I have seen wonderful results. I now have some LPS n the softy tan. I am converting the other tank to anemone only and am slowly moving the LPS over. What 2-part would compliment the TM A & K, as I don’t want to stop using it?

blaxsun · Aug 27, 2023

Maybe the BRS 2-part...?

reefiniteasy · Aug 27, 2023

blaxsun said:
Maybe the BRS 2-part...?

I’ve never used the BRS 2-part. I’m a big fan of ESV. That’s what I’ve always used, but I’m not sure how the other elements in the 2-part would interact with A & K.

KStatefan · Aug 27, 2023

Randy’s DIY and balling part C

reefiniteasy · Aug 27, 2023

KStatefan said:
Randy’s DIY and balling part C

I’m going to search, but do you have a link to a thread with the DIY and how it combines with part C?

Pistondog · Aug 27, 2023

Have you considered all for reef?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 27, 2023

reefiniteasy said:
I’m going to search, but do you have a link to a thread with the DIY and how it combines with part C?

BRS has a recipe for this purpose. It should functionally be equivalent to ESV, as long as the calcium and alk solutions you use are adequately pure.

reefiniteasy · Aug 27, 2023

Pistondog said:
Have you considered all for reef?

Yes, not interested in leaving A & K. I’m invested in those because I’ve seen the results but also I have a healthy supply and the dosers are running. But I also like the idea of being able to adjust Alk and Cal but not have to mess with the A and K that I have dialed in.

reefiniteasy · Aug 27, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
BRS has a recipe for this purpose. It should functionally be equivalent to ESV, as long as the calcium and alk solutions you use are adequately pure.

Is there anything in ESV that would not mix well with A & K? Like too much of something that is in both products or a combination that isn’t good? I’d very much prefer to use ESV as I like their 2-Part.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 27, 2023

reefiniteasy said:
Is there anything in ESV that would not mix well with A & K? Like too much of something that is in both products or a combination that isn’t good? I’d very much prefer to use ESV as I like their 2-Part.

You mean literally mix them together? I cannot be sure, but that is probably ok just like using the TM balling parts with A and K.

If you mean use both, just not mixed together, that’s perfectly fine.

reefiniteasy · Aug 27, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
You mean literally mix them together? I cannot be sure, but that is probably ok just like using the TM balling parts with A and K.

If you mean use both, just not mixed together, that’s perfectly fine.

I meant using both, not mixed together. Thank you! Just wanted to be sure there are no conflicts between the products. I appreciate the help.

ESV it is, I’m comfortable and familiar with it.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 28, 2023

reefiniteasy said:
I meant using both, not mixed together. Thank you! Just wanted to be sure there are no conflicts between the products. I appreciate the help.

ESV it is, I’m comfortable and familiar with it.

That sounds like an excellent plan to me.

TheSheff · Aug 28, 2023

reefiniteasy said:
Yes, not interested in leaving A & K. I’m invested in those because I’ve seen the results but also I have a healthy supply and the dosers are running. But I also like the idea of being able to adjust Alk and Cal but not have to mess with the A and K that I have dialed in.

All For Reef has A & K in it. It might be the easiest solution and I bet you'd see the same or similar results.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 28, 2023

TheSheff said:
All For Reef has A & K in it. It might be the easiest solution and I bet you'd see the same or similar results.

But it couples trace elements to alk and calcium, which in general is not the optimal solution.

TheSheff · Aug 29, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
But it couples trace elements to alk and calcium, which in general is not the optimal solution.

What you mean? Like from a controllability standpoint? I used all for reef for a while with great results after switching from kalk with A & K.

areefer01 · Aug 29, 2023

Video below Lou talks about adding A and K to other solutions. So you could use whatever 2 part solution you chose be it DIY or over the counter like ESV. You should choose which one works best for you as it relates to your time, comfort, budget, etc.

If you like A and K then I would continue on in the video as Lou also talks a bit about the All For Reef product. As noted above it already has A and K in it and it is a single dose solution. It comes in liquid or powder form. The 1600 g powder option is probably the cheapest in the long run as it makes 10 liters and what most of us use with large systems and high demand.

Lastly there is then the original balling method which Tropic Marin started which is a three part.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 29, 2023

TheSheff said:
What you mean? Like from a controllability standpoint? I used all for reef for a while with great results after switching from kalk with A & K.

Yes. It adds trace elements ina fixed proportion to alk and calcium, which cannot be optimal for all aquaria. A tank with slower growing or fewer hard corals corals may not get enough and a tank with faster growing and more hard corals may get too much.

areefer01 · Aug 29, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Yes. It adds trace elements ina fixed proportion to alk and calcium, which cannot be optimal for all aquaria. A tank with slower growing or fewer hard corals corals may not get enough and a tank with faster growing and more hard corals may get too much.

Cannot be optimal for all aquaria is a pretty bold statement don't you think? How is that different than water changes or the favorite two part or any other product marketed in the hobby? Outside of ICP testing (which is another interesting subject) how are we even measuring specific trace element consumption rates.

Edit: btw not arguing with you just curious as to the "cannot" part.

Koty · Aug 29, 2023

Use TM Balling A, B, & C. Mix the K trace elements with A (calcium) and the A trace elements with B (alkalinity).
For example, I mix 80 ml trace elements in a 1500 ml dosing solution. I also add 80 ml rodi water to C to adjust the concentration to A & B

Randy Holmes-Farley · Aug 29, 2023

areefer01 said:
Cannot be optimal for all aquaria is a pretty bold statement don't you think? How is that different than water changes or the favorite two part or any other product marketed in the hobby? Outside of ICP testing (which is another interesting subject) how are we even measuring specific trace element consumption rates.

Edit: btw not arguing with you just curious as to the "cannot" part.

perhaps you misunderstood what I wrote. “Cannot be optimal for all aquaria” only means that there is at least one aquarium for which it is not optimal, and that is guaranteed to be true.

I think you may have interpreted it to read as “cannot be optimal for any aquaria”, which I am not claiming based on my rationale for the statement.