Crazyfishlady Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 Do you use those mineral balls? If so what kinds and why and if not.. why not? I am finding them everywhere online and, of course, they say they are an absolute MUST for shrimp, but not sure if that is true or more hype (there is a lot of hype for us newbie suckers out there) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMG Aquatics Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 IMO I feel like it's just a product that does nothing but easy profits to famous brand sellers like MK breed, Borneowild. You can't really tell if it works or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EbiBunBun Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 I have been wondering this too. I do love the look of the little spheres everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricM Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 do nothing is kinda extreme. but when people ask i'm honest about there are better products to apply that $ towards that will give you great reward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sbarbee54 Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Depends on what mineral balls you are talking about. The brown ones or black ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyfishlady Posted December 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 Depends on what mineral balls you are talking about. The brown ones or black ones They seem to come in different colors and minerals. I just type in 'shrimp mineral balls' on ebay and get a huge list http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l2632.R2.TR2.TRC1.A0.H0.Xshrimp+min&_nkw=shrimp+mineral&_sacat=20754 I am just starting out, neos and not sure if any of this is really needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ch3fb0yrdee Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 They're such cute little rounded rocks. Crazyfishlady 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryboy12484 Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I can honestly say that i have seen evidence that mk life balls do help with ammonia.. When i set up my last tank with ada, i couldn't get my ammonia below 1ppm.. I added life balls to the tank and the next day there was no ammonia. Thats just my observation. randy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 i didn't had use those balls before. But i think they are same as those Mineral Rock/Stones. My shrimps like it. only make you water tds go higher.. shrimprus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metageologist Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 I use a pice of granite with pegmatite in my tanks. It is a relatively insoluble rock. However it does contain nearly if not all trace and ecential minerals. I'm using it based on my knowledge of the rocks composition and solutions. The rock should only release minerals that are below saturation levels in the water. To date it seams to be working. My TDS is holding steady at 160ppm, pH is at 7.4. Hasn't checked kh or gh in a while. mayphly and Rodan76 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ch3fb0yrdee Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 What are the real benefits of these mineral rocks versus mineral powders (besides being super adorable!). What I want to know is.. 1. What are these mineral balls made of (must be something as these rounded balls are not normal and naturally reoccurring). 2. If it's supposed to release minerals is it.. A. Suppose to dissolved as it release these minerals (saying the entire ball is a big chunk of mineral)? Or B. It's also a powdered but baked onto the surface of the balls. If it's dissolves, has anyone (folks who has these balls inside their tanks) noticed a decrease in the size of the balls? If it's baked onto the surface, what's to say it does release all at once when it comes into contact with water? Is it assumed it has some sort of built in release feature? I never got these mineral balls because it never quite made sense to me. I dose minerals directly as needed but I'm curious to know. Crazyfishlady 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sbarbee54 Posted December 23, 2014 Report Share Posted December 23, 2014 As they get older they get smaller. I have pulled some from 2 year tanks and they are Lot smaller than new Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk h4n 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobe Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Depends on what mineral balls you are talking about. The brown ones or black ones What are the difference between the two? Also anyone who uses these what brand are you using and have you noticed any TDS or GH changes? Crazyfishlady 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hieprock Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 We can take mineral ball (used but not expired) and place it in a glass of RO/DI water with tds 0 and GH 0 ! If it works,tds would be increase! If not.....throw them away ! Lol h4n 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtletanks91 Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 They do release mineral t N exceedingly slow rate. Mostly there just for shrimp keepers piece of mind. You can have a healthy tank with nothing but catappa bark moss and amazonia as opposed to mineral balls and amazonia. Mineral balls do close tomnothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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