This may shine some light on what steveb is trying to explain about ionic imbalance. Bob Stark has been in the business for 25+ years and created one of the most respected 2-parts on the market. His salt is incredible too, but it takes a little more effort to mix so people shy away from it for that reason. Anyway, Bob explains the problem of ionic imbalance pretty well IMO. This is not something that happens rapidly, but can and does happen slowly over time. You said that you rarely do water changes so you should and will see a drift over time. If you’re not, it might be time to check your equipment.
ESV email from Bob Stark:
Hi Jared,
B-Ionic Calcium Buffer is a complete ionically balanced 2 part meaning the residual ions left behind (after the calcium and carbonate alkalinity dosed to an aquarium is removed by calcification) duplicate all the important major, minor, and trace elements of an artificial seawater mix in their correct ratios. The product was developed in 1995 to address the issue of a slow trend toward ionic imbalance when using just calcium chloride and sodium carbonate/bicarbonate. In that situation the residual ions left behind after calcification would just be sodium and chloride. As salinity was corrected, the tank water would drift more and more towards just being a sodium chloride solution thereby lowering the concentration of some important elements. Water changes would slow down that process. In a nutshell, when you add equal amounts of our two components, you are adding highly concentrated, balanced amounts of calcium and alkalinity along with a pinch of an artificial seawater mix. With calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate/carbonate additions, you are also adding highly concentrated calcium and alkalinity, but with a pinch of just sodium chloride instead. Given that, with B-Ionic 2 part all the important ions of an artificial seawater mix are being added daily (including magnesium) but there is no possibility of overdosing any of those residual ions as long as salinity is maintained. If the salinity of the system rises, and tank water must be removed and replaced with RO/DI water, then that is in essence a small water change where the salt mix was the residual ions of our 2 part. That small "water change" can be effective at helping to stabilize certain ions that tend to drop over time in addition to calcium and alkalinity. For example magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is going into the system as part of the residual seawater ions, but that addition may not be enough to keep up with the system's demands. Other ions may not be supplied in enough quantity with these residual ions, such as iodide, strontium, and the transition metals iron, manganese, and zinc. For this reason we have separate supplements for magnesium, iodide, strontium, and our Transition Elements additive which contains iron, manganese, and zinc). Our magnesium supplement is not a 3rd part of our B-Ionic 2 part, and should only be added as testing dictates. In the systems at ESV we test for magnesium once per month and find B-Ionic 2 part keeps the levels fairly stable so supplemental addition is only occasionally called for. Many hobbyists I speak with are surprised to hear this because some other products introduced later to the market are true 3 part systems where the magnesium is in a third component presumably because they use magnesium sulfate which would be incompatible in either the calcium component (calcium sulfate would precipitate) or the alkalinity component (magnesium carbonate would precipitate). We were able to simplify things and incorporate the magnesium and sulfate within the two parts by using different magnesium and sulfate salts that are compatible with the calcium and alkalinity components. Regarding concentrations you are correct, the alkalinity component is 2800 meq/Liter (7840 dKH). The calcium component is 62,752 mg/L. The magnesium in the two part is in the calcium component, and it's concentration is proprietary but remember, you can't overdose magnesium by using B-Ionic 2 part as long as the aquarium salinity is maintained because the magnesium ions are in the correct artificial seawater ratio with the other residual ions. If the magnesium does test low due to high demand (aquariums with a high bioload of coralline algae for example), we have a separate B-Ionic Magnesium supplement only to be used as needed. The concentration of that product is 36,000 ppm magnesium. I hope this info helps clear things up and thanks for your questions, kind words, and interest in the product. Next year B-Ionic Calcium Buffer turns 25 years old!
Best Regards,
Bob Stark
ESV Aquarium Products, Inc.
P: 516.605.0531
esvaquarium@gmail.com
www.esvaquarium.com
Ok. I have added some line spacing to make it easier to read....
B-Ionic Calcium Buffer is a complete ionically balanced 2 part meaning the residual ions left behind (after the calcium and carbonate alkalinity dosed to an aquarium is removed by calcification) duplicate all the important major, minor, and trace elements of an artificial seawater mix in their correct ratios.
The product was developed in 1995 to address the issue of a slow trend toward ionic imbalance when using just calcium chloride and sodium carbonate/bicarbonate. In that situation the residual ions left behind after calcification would just be sodium and chloride.
As salinity was corrected, the tank water would drift more and more towards just being a sodium chloride solution thereby lowering the concentration of some important elements.
Water changes would slow down that process. In a nutshell, when you add equal amounts of our two components, you are adding highly concentrated, balanced amounts of calcium and alkalinity along with a pinch of an artificial seawater mix.
With calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate/carbonate additions, you are also adding highly concentrated calcium and alkalinity, but with a pinch of just sodium chloride instead.
Given that, with B-Ionic 2 part all the important ions of an artificial seawater mix are being added daily (including magnesium) but there is no possibility of overdosing any of those residual ions as long as salinity is maintained.
If the salinity of the system rises, and tank water must be removed and replaced with RO/DI water, then that is in essence a small water change where the salt mix was the residual ions of our 2 part. That small "water change" can be effective at helping to stabilize certain ions that tend to drop over time in addition to calcium and alkalinity. For example magnesium and potassium.
Magnesium is going into the system as part of the residual seawater ions, but that addition may not be enough to keep up with the system's demands. Other ions may not be supplied in enough quantity with these residual ions, such as iodide, strontium, and the transition metals iron, manganese, and zinc.
For this reason we have separate supplements for magnesium, iodide, strontium, and our Transition Elements additive which contains iron, manganese, and zinc).
Our magnesium supplement is not a 3rd part of our B-Ionic 2 part, and should only be added as testing dictates.
In the systems at ESV we test for magnesium once per month and find B-Ionic 2 part keeps the levels fairly stable so supplemental addition is only occasionally called for.
Many hobbyists I speak with are surprised to hear this because some other products introduced later to the market are true 3 part systems where the magnesium is in a third component presumably because they use magnesium sulfate which would be incompatible in either the calcium component (calcium sulfate would precipitate) or the alkalinity component (magnesium carbonate would precipitate).
We were able to simplify things and incorporate the magnesium and sulfate within the two parts by using different magnesium and sulfate salts that are compatible with the calcium and alkalinity components.
Regarding concentrations you are correct, the alkalinity component is 2800 meq/Liter (7840 dKH).
The calcium component is 62,752 mg/L.
The magnesium in the two part is in the calcium component, and it's concentration is proprietary but remember, you can't overdose magnesium by using B-Ionic 2 part as long as the aquarium salinity is maintained because the magnesium ions are in the correct artificial seawater ratio with the other residual ions.
If the magnesium does test low due to high demand (aquariums with a high bioload of coralline algae for example), we have a separate B-Ionic Magnesium supplement only to be used as needed.
The concentration of that product is 36,000 ppm magnesium.
I hope this info helps clear things up and thanks for your questions, kind words, and interest in the product. Next year B-Ionic Calcium Buffer turns 25 years old!
Is the implication that ESV two part won't raise salinity or just agreeing that 2/3 part can raise salinity?
If it is the former then the statement is flat wrong. That is all that I have used for dosing and I do have to adjust salinity from time to time. But I do love the product. I buy it in the 5g bucket size.
