Tropic marin balling

[dylanst.onge]

Had a 40gal set up for 10 years and always ran 2 part systems about 45ml a day now I have upgraded to 120 gal and 3 months in of trying the balling method dosing and cant seem to get corals to puff up and have lost color on some of my sps. Currently dosing 62ml of each of the 3 liquids and all is staying about 170ppm cal 440ppm and mag 1400, salinity stays 1.026 and nitrate/phosphate undetectable with salifert kit.
I use aquaforest reef salt for 10gal water change a month
Not sure if stuff is getting used to it still tank has been up for 3 months now

 

[GoVols]

To me a 3 month setup is very young in maturity.

I'll let other's chime in.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There's not much difference between a good quality two part and Balling(just different ways of accomplishing the same basic thing).

Did you previously use two part in the new system?

 

[dylanst.onge]

I did not I figured I would start with something new and to add I swapped over everything out of the 12 year old 40breeder to the 120 and I had all the new rock for the 120 cycling in a rubbermaid for 2 months prior to set up it's just weird because some stuff looks awesome like my squamosa clam,zoas,some digis,but other stuff like candy canes, milli, green slimmer and stuff is ticked

 

[Alfrareef]

As said before, the tank it’s still young and both methods reach the same goals...

 

[GoVols]

As said before, the tank it’s still young and both methods reach the same goals...

You don't want you phos. and nitrates bottomed out, but I'm not going to say that's the cause either.

I've never heard any complaints with TM Balling or an great 2 part + mag product.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

The calcium and carbonate alkalinity supplements are far from the only thing that changed here.

The lights presumably changed, even if only just a little. Did you use the exact same lighting technology as the old tank? Did you use a PAR meter to ensure every coral is getting the exact same amount of light it did before?

You added a bunch of new rock as well. I don't think we understand how or to what extent, but it appears that live rock plays a big part in how stable a system is and how happy corals are to grow in it. Mike Paletta had nothing but failure for 12 months in a new tank he started with dry rock. Once he added some established rock, the corals were thriving in 3 months. This is not to say that you can't be successful with dry rock, just that there's more going on with live rock and biodiversity than we understand at the moment.

Nutrients are surely going to be different between these two systems as well. Unless you increased your fish load and feeding by two times (the prortional change of going from a 40g to a 120g), there are likely many fewer nutrients available in the water for the corals to use to grow. Aragonite rock also has an incredible capacity for absorbing phosphate. It's possible that the new rock you added is relatively phosphate-free and is quickly sucking up any phosphates in the water, leaving your corals nutrient-deprived.

I personally wouldn't blame this difference on the two-part system used. There's a lot more going on here than just switching from BRS/Randy's DIY two-part to Balling salts.

 

[GoVols]

The calcium and carbonate alkalinity supplements are far from the only thing that changed here.

The lights presumably changed, even if only just a little. Did you use the exact same lighting technology as the old tank? Did you use a PAR meter to ensure every coral is getting the exact same amount of light it did before?

You added a bunch of new rock as well. I don't think we understand how or to what extent, but it appears that live rock plays a big part in how stable a system is and how happy corals are to grow in it. Mike Paletta had nothing but failure for 12 months in a new tank he started with dry rock. Once he added some established rock, the corals were thriving in 3 months. This is not to say that you can't be successful with dry rock, just that there's more going on with live rock and biodiversity than we understand at the moment.

Nutrients are surely going to be different between these two systems as well. Unless you increased your fish load and feeding by two times (the prortional change of going from a 40g to a 120g), there are likely many fewer nutrients available in the water for the corals to use to grow. Aragonite rock also has an incredible capacity for absorbing phosphate. It's possible that the new rock you added is relatively phosphate-free and is quickly sucking up any phosphates in the water, leaving your corals nutrient-deprived.

I personally wouldn't blame this difference on the two-part system used. There's a lot more going on here than just switching from BRS/Randy's DIY two-part to Balling salts.

Thank You!!

 

[Ecvernon]

If your nitrate and phosphate is undetectable that could be it too.
10 years ago we were striving to have 0 nitrate and P04, not so much today.

 

[dylanst.onge]

Thanks! I do want to get a par meter at some point the lighting definitely changed as I ran 2 radion gen3 pro at 80% over the 40breeder and I'm using the same lights at same % over the 120 I guess I'll just keep an eye on stability for now and let everything play its course I guess I'm just used to a 12year old system that supported itself for so long it's been a while since I had to worry about these things thanks for all the help everyone

 

[dylanst.onge]

If your nitrate and phosphate is undetectable that could be it too.
10 years ago we were striving to have 0 nitrate and P04, not so much today.

All I do for p04 and nitrate is use filter socks that I change once a week and cheato I dont dose anything and I've been feeding pretty heavy