Bolus dosing

[DutchReefer420]

I like the idea of dosing in Bolus but I believe where Fauna marin went wrong is claiming that its their method and it only works with their product. also I didn't like the fact that they were talking down about the competitors. they could have just said that the method work based on their testing that was only concluded via their product. One can only claim that other company product wont work unless they actually tested them all and found that true. Just saying!

not true

please stop these random arguments if your not reading the text...

They never stated you NEED to use their products.

And indeed, if your claiming they are advising to use FM Balling.... Ofcourse they do, what would you exspect??
You are just stating the obvious.

 

[Jari81]

Hi, well that is not true in the German videos, Claude says it works with Bi-Carbonate in general, but he will not give any recommendation for other products, since he did his testing on Balling Light, so that is the only thing he can recommend in the HTU. Also, they seem to have done some testing with Bolus-Dosing of Carbonate and Kalkwasser instead without seeing the same positive net effects.

That is pretty much the advantage of Fauna since they run a big coral farm, and can actually do some testing, for all these claims. Personally I'm testing it since 2 weeks and see better growth and polyp extension since then, PH drops for me to 7,7 in the morning and peaks at 8.1 currently. But that may also be caused in part by the new lighting schedule.

Of course reports from the reefing club members are not scientific evidence, since even if the method can buffer some CO2 that buffer would not be unlimited. Results may vary depending on how heavily your tank is stocked fish-wise, and if your tank is in the living room with 3 kids running around, or you are single and not at home half of the day.

Would be nice to hear from Mike Paletta, on his experience, since I heard on the Reefbum podcast he has been trying this method for a couple of weeks with good results and that podcast was like a month back from today.

All that being said, no one needs to hit 8.3 - 8.4 PH to have a beautiful tank, especially if you're not running a coral farm. So if this method grants more stability to ALK then micro-dosing with an Alk-Monitor I am all for it. Since coral health is more important than max growth rates anyhow.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hello everyone,

I'm actually testing this bolus DKH method with aquaforest component B. just started few days ago so i'm gonna keep continuing the test and see if it yeild any positive results I can report. I have a Mastertronic that can test DKH right before the bolus dose. right after the bolus dose when I ramp up my lights. then a constant point in the day to test if alk consumption stays the same throughout a 24h period. if you guys are interested in following along you are more than welcome. I will post here with updates.

so far tested my alk roughly 24h after the dose and the alk consumption stayed around the same .


My tank currently consumes 0.5dkh in 24h period and so I went ahead and dosed 50ml of component B (Bicarbonate with trace) and my consumption stayed at 50ml for 0.5dkh consumed:

I'm going to set up my Alk testing 30min before the dose and 30min after the bolus dose as I didnt have that set up yet.

Sounds good!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I believe the lines around 'only use this with FM Balling Light' are aimed as a safety warning towards those who currently dose a carbonate or hysroxide based solution. Dosing that in one entire lump would lead to disaster and likely a tank wipe out with a huge pH spike!

We've also established that the 'table top' Alk curve method is reflected in its behaviour by myself and others in this thread with auto kh testers as per the FM HTU..

It also appears the kh solution is bicarbonate based, as they state, due to the pH of the solution when mixed. And now have Yazzann testing this with his AF bicarb.

I saw on ReefBums recent stream with Mike Paletta and Sanjay that Mike is running the Bolus method too for some time and is reporting good findings inline with myself and others.

Looks like the Frag Garage stream is now tonight UK and EU/Saturday day time for US.

Do you believe the alk delay claims?

 

[Welsh Reefer.]

Do you believe the alk delay claims?

I have data both from my KHD and manual testing using both Red Sea and Salifert kits that both align to the KHD, so to me, that suggests this is occurring and is not a claim, but reality in my own tank. Others in here and on the FM Facebook group etc are seemingly reporting the same.

I'm no Reef Chemist to explain the how and why behind it, perhaps more around their research and data etc will explained in the Frag Garage ep later?

 

[Carni_Vora]

Do you believe the alk delay claims?

I still have not enough to say about Bolus but unrelated to this I tried to raise my alk from 7.5 to 8.5 a months ago and used some online calculator for this. I tested after the suggested onetime dose and alk only went up by it bit more than half as ist should regarding to the calcutor. So yes, if this is what you mean with delay claims, it's as well in my case not a claim, it's 100 percent true. At least with the FM Alk stuff.

 

[Carni_Vora]

Yes, it is advised to use FM Balling Light (what manufacturer would tell you to use another brand?) as they state that the traces contained in Trace3 added to KH lends itself well to Bolus.

But, the only they they clearly state NOT to do, for obvious reasons is try this with carbonates or hydroxides.

My findings over almost 4 months are logged on the previous page.

Precisely why I posted it.

FM gives advice how to use their product in a differnt way and of course FM hopes to get more customers, but that's it. They never said it works only with FM product.

 

[Hats_]

Yes, it is advised to use FM Balling Light (what manufacturer would tell you to use another brand?) as they state that the traces contained in Trace3 added to KH lends itself well to Bolus.

But, the only they they clearly state NOT to do, for obvious reasons is try this with carbonates or hydroxides.

My findings over almost 4 months are logged on the previous page.

Got any pics of your tank?

 

[Welsh Reefer.]

Got any pics of your tank?

I do, of course, although I'm not certain on the relevance to this thread nor the data I've shared from my own findings so had not shared in fear of muddying the discussion.

See attached - last night I stumbled across an acro frag I got 1 week pre Bolus and a more recent one I took of it too which is attached aswell

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have data both from my KHD and manual testing using both Red Sea and Salifert kits that both align to the KHD, so to me, that suggests this is occurring and is not a claim, but reality in my own tank. Others in here and on the FM Facebook group etc are seemingly reporting the same.

I'm no Reef Chemist to explain the how and why behind it, perhaps more around their research and data etc will explained in the Frag Garage ep later?

I’m not doubting the delay, but it is not possible with bicarbonate, so if it is true, it must be an organic product like carbocalcium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Precisely why I posted it.

FM gives advice how to use their product in a differnt way and of course FM hopes to get more customers, but that's it. They never said it works only with FM product.

But if the alk delay is important, then it absolutely will not happen with a bicarbonate, carbonate, or hydroxide source of alk, and thus is somewhat specific to this material.

 

[Garf]

But if the alk delay is important, then it absolutely will not happen with a bicarbonate, carbonate, or hydroxide source of alk, and thus is somewhat specific to this material.

There is a warning about white residue formation in the HTU, does carbocalcium do that?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I still have not enough to say about Bolus but unrelated to this I tried to raise my alk from 7.5 to 8.5 a months ago and used some online calculator for this. I tested after the suggested onetime dose and alk only went up by it bit more than half as ist should regarding to the calcutor. So yes, if this is what you mean with delay claims, it's as well in my case not a claim, it's 100 percent true. At least with the FM Alk stuff.

Not sure why you folks think the word claim implies I think it untrue.

I’m just trying to sort the false claims from the true claims.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There is a warning about white residue formation in the HTU, does carbocalcium do that?

FWIW, I’m not claiming it is carbocalcium, just that the effect is somewhat similar and the mechanism is likely the same, at least in part.

 

[Garf]

FWIW, I’m not claiming it is carbocalcium, just that the effect is somewhat similar and the mechanism is likely the same, at least in part.

Yes, I don't think calcium increases with this method. I was thinking more along the lines of bacteria growth and forming alkalinity, however the formate stuff works.
Edit - still confused why the Alk drops off when the lights go out, lol.

 

[areefer01]

I saw on ReefBums recent stream with Mike Paletta and Sanjay that Mike is running the Bolus method too for some time and is reporting good findings inline with myself and others.

Mr. Paletta tinkers a lot. I don't mean that disrespectful but he is always putzing around doing different things. I'm not sure how that is relevant to the topic.

 

[Welsh Reefer.]

I’m not doubting the delay, but it is not possible with bicarbonate, so if it is true, it must be an organic product like carbocalcium.

Or, is this a phenomenon that is occurring when large doses are administered to a reef tank that can't be replicated in a test jar? I'm just hypothesisying here if there is something unique about a reef tank and it's associated equipment that differs from the ocean or a lab environment - for example a skimmer I believe is stated as a requirement of Bolus.

 

[Welsh Reefer.]

Mr. Paletta tinkers a lot. I don't mean that disrespectful but he is always putzing around doing different things. I'm not sure how that is relevant to the topic.

Neither is people asking me for a picture of my tank. But here we are. It's merely adding some weight to the fact that this isn't just something cooked up by FM and it's "fan base" that doesn't do what it says it does.

 

[Garf]

Or, is this a phenomenon that is occurring when large doses are administered to a reef tank that can't be replicated in a test jar? I'm just hypothesisying here if there is something unique about a reef tank and it's associated equipment that differs from the ocean or a lab environment - for example a skimmer I believe is stated as a requirement of Bolus.

Tanks can certainly be overdosed with bicarb. The skimmer is interesting though, aeration? Bacteria removal? Don't suppose you've noticed any white residue in the skimmate?

 

[Garf]

Neither is people asking me for a picture of my tank

LOL. You would be surprised how many folk claim to have a tank full of SPS and in reality have a load of nubs. Have you confirmed your tank has a 2 DKH consumption through conventional means?