Is a calcium supply necessary in a reef aquarium?

Yes, because calcifying organisms such as corals, clams and calcareous algae extract substances from the water which they need for their growth. Thus calcium and carbonates are built into skeletons or shells. The concentrations of these substances decrease and must be increased accordingly. This is the only way to ensure the further development of your reef inhabitants.

What are the general possibilities of carbonate supply?

That would be: (1) water exchange with sea salt suitable for corals, (2) Kalkwasser, (3) Balling, (4) variants based on Balling, (5) combi-products such as Carbo-Calcium and All-for-Reef and (6) the calcium reactor. Water changes and Kalkwasser additions are no longer sufficient or hardly practical with increasing coral population and when stony corals are added - especially in tanks beyond the nano size. The Calcium Reactor is an additional technical component which is particularly worthwhile for large tanks - but even here, minor adjustments of the calcium or alkalinity values may be necessary.

How does the Balling method work?

Dissolve the Balling salts in osmosis water according to the package instructions or use the ready-to-use version (Liquid Set). The solutions can be used immediately and have a long shelf life. Determine the water volume in your aquarium as well as the calcium concentration and alkalinity using suitable water tests. Then determine the required dosage quantity to achieve an optimal calcium value between 400 and 450 mg/l - e.g. with the help of a dosing calculator.

Dosing calculator

We recommend that you start by slowly adjusting the dosage and increasing the alkalinity by no more than 0.5°dKH per day. As a reference: For a 500 liter tank this is about 100 ml. Always add the same amount of each of the 3 Balling solutions and dose with a slight time gap so to prevent precipitations. Ideally you should also distribute the daily dose and do not put everything into the aquarium at once. A dosing pump can do this job for you.

Now check the water values, especially the alkalinity, regularly and adjust the dosage quantity bit by bit until the addition and consumption level off. If you find a discrepancy between calcium and KH, the solutions can also be dosed unevenly until the ratio is correct again.

The Balling method causes a slight increase in salinity over time. The salinity can be easily adjusted by changing the water by using Component C.

Which equipment is required?
Alkalinity test and optional calcium test to check the water values; osmosis water; 3 separate and ideally labelled containers (e.g. canister) and if necessary funnel for preparing the 3 solutions (not necessary with the Original Balling Liquid Set); scale (not necessary with the Original Balling Refill Set); if required dosing pump incl. hoses etc. (ensures a steady supply and reduces fluctuations)

Variants of the Balling Method - Application Example Coralaxy

We also use the Balling method in our facility for the carbonate and calcium supply - but with some adjustments. Practice has shown that weekly 10% water changes prevent ion imbalance. Therefore we do not use component C. Furthermore, we add magnesium and trace elements at the same time with the Balling solutions. For this purpose, 17g/l bio-magnesium and 50 ml/l K+-Element trace elements are added to Balling Solution A. Balling solution B is mixed with 50 ml/l A- elements. The addition of trace elements is thus linked to the calcium and carbonate consumption.