This is the point that is not clear, he claims there is only bicarbonate and that he have a secret for the solubility and same time he says it is a mix.
I believe the reference is made to the trace elements that are part of the KH / Alk dosing. Or to be clear it is the Trace 3 that is added to KH component of FM Balling light system.
I think he means that he adds 160 ml in the morning at once than measures 1 hour later. His alk is at 7.5 then when he measures the next day BEFORE dosing, his alk is still at 7.5 ?
So late last night it seem to have droped 0.5DKH.
I not think the name is about the trace elements as it is a product that is separately sold with his own name. Yes bicarbonate is inside for sure it is what he said, but probably not only bicarbonate as he saysI believe the reference is made to the trace elements that are part of the KH / Alk dosing. Or to be clear it is the Trace 3 that is added to KH component of FM Balling light system.
I am quite sure there is bicarbonate in FM KH mix. I baked it and it did provide the pH boost as explained by Randy. But re-reading Randy’s post 129 maybe I imagined things.
Anyways here is pH reading of FM Balling Light KH solution:
Held it in the container for 5 minutes.
As an aside I also had the impression that Balling method KH component always was a mix of Bicarbonate and carbonate. The actual ratio is not stated but it is a mix.
Reading this thread I am confused with the pH, I always had the impression that if we add extra Alk, pH will increase. So if you dose 1dKh and go from 7dkh to 8dkh that would increase pH. I guess I need to re-read the Alk additives/ back to school for me.
Well FM does mention there is polymer inside.
I couldn't look at this thread when it was first posted because I am familiar with the proper use of the term "Bolus."
I may be a sceptic at heart, but if that happened to me, I would question a few things;
Interesting, potentially turn bicarbonate into AFR type behaviour.
I bet you have a pic of the tank?Hello all, new member from Wales, UK here after searching the net this week to see if Bolus had started making waves on the forums etc! I have an acro dominated Reefer 250 tank!
I was one of the very early adopters here in the UK (I started second week of February), I had ran a sodium hydroxide based 2 part widely used here in the UK for around a year prior and had struggled with massive precipitation, inability to maintain sufficient trace levels etc. I switched in December to Fauna Balling Light and noticed greater stability and better ICP results in terms of maintaining trace levels, however, the one 'downside' to this switch for me was the sudden drop in pH - I'd gone from a daily peak of ~8.4 to maxing out at roughly 8.1 if I was lucky using a co2 scrubber too!
After speaking with Doug from Frag Farm during an ICP consultation about my issues with suppressed pH he mentioned the Bolus method he'd been extensively working on and researching that was at that point being trialled by FM Reefers Club etc. I noted down the changes, removed my co2 scrubber, put on my big boy pants and pulled the trigger!
So, what have I noticed? Being mindful of Randy's comment around his priority for truth and accuracy to the highest degree I will share some screenshots and personal observations.
Bolus is dosed at 10:30am (red line), lights come on 11:00am with no ramp up and run full spectrum for 2 hours before the whites dial down and normal schedule resumes - I already ran an 11.5hr photoperiod - notice how I now start the day with a pH of around 8.1 too.
Here is a one week pre-Bolus pH graph using the very same FM Balling Light (apologies its a phone screenshot). I started Bolus on the 9th Feb - you can see I start to make gains around 3 days later on the very end bar.
6 weeks later (the earliest I can get data for as I switched from my Apex A3 pro to GHL Profilux - both were brand new with new and correctly calibrated probes, Apex just wasn't for me.
I'm no Reef Chemist, nor do I claim to be, but the alk curves mentioned in the HTU are also reflected on my own system - I ran my KHD to test 24 times in a day and here is the graph from that - note that I dose roughly 110ml so 2dKH into a 275ltr tank (I have much bigger sump than standard), the full 2dKH is never seen on a test which in my mind backs up what the HTU says around this matter :
As far as my reef tank benefits, what I have witnessed aligns closely with the HTU too, growth, colouration and polyp extension on all of my acros has increased - the corals don't lie! KH consumption is up from 50ml/day to 110ml and calcium has followed suit with an increase too.
Overall I'm happy with my switch to Bolus - for sure it has worked for me and based on the Fauna Facebook groups etc it seems to be the consensus with all those who have switched too. The best thing - I didn't need to buy anything new! I reprogrammed my lights and dosers and that was it.
Enjoy
Per se they are not selling anything with Bolus.
Probably the false claims, scare tactics, and fear mongering like “old tank syndrome” and “this is the process of rectifying the damage that has been done to the buffer system.”
I am not disagreeing. I am however confused I guess. Isnt it typically thought bad to increase alk by more than 1.4dkh at one time? I understand afr I use it and I dose the entire dose at one time, but that is "slow release" alk. Carb and bicarb should act immediately, Right? Its formate that has to be "digested".
