dosing question

[JnS]

what do you use to dose your tank, and why?

[Jive Turkey]

BTW, why the h*** did you post this here, and not in one of the popular forums? hehe

I just read that Eric B. only adds food and Kalkwasser to his tank. Nothing else, because an EXCELLENT salt mix will provide all the rest. Since I use IO, I add Kent Iodine, CoralVital vitamins, and Strontium/Molybedium because IO is a bit lacking in the Io. and the Str/Moly. But good in Magnesium.

Check out Dr. Rons test results of the different salt ratios in the Great Salt Debate. These results caused many IO users to swap to Crystal Seas BioAssay MarineMix, which produces a neg. chem. reaction. KILLER.

IME, iodine is a great addition. It colored up my orange zos, made my shrooms, Capnella, macroalgae and xenia grow better. Plus, I don't have to worry about my shrimp dying during a molt.
HTH, Joe

[EdgeKrusher]

I dose with Kent Marine essential elements once a month. and Kent Marine Tech C.B every 3 days or so, no corals yet so I'm just keeping the CA up. I figure once I start adding corals I'll have to dose with the Tech C.B more frequently. Other than that I just do weekly 10% water changes and everything is all good.

[marm64]

So far I am only adding calcium and will be setting up my auto top off with kalkwasser.

I was reading on Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemestry Forum the only thing that he doses is kalkwasser, silica, and iron.

[JnS]

first off I posted here, because I want to know what hobbiests use, not experts or proclaimed experts.
second I feel asking people around me is more vital as the conditions will have an effect on a tank.

I use Mark Wiess's FORM (funky old reeef mud) seems to be a nice all in one.
have used kalkwasser and Bi-ionic before, both worked well.

as far as KENT products go, everyone that I know that has used them proclaim they did not work as well as the bottle says. just what I have heard, not what I have experiance with

[EdgeKrusher]

I've never had a problem, but then again I've never tried anything else so I don't have a comparison. But everything in my fishies home is excellent, so I'll stick with it.

Peace

Edge:smokin:

[JnS]

thats the way to keep it :)
if it works why change it?!
:beer: :smokin:

[Jive Turkey]

My roommate was into Weiss products until I showed him some "expert" opinions, such as Dr. Ron that said that CoralVitals' ONLY viable use is that of a PARTICULATE FOOD SOURCE. That was all he used anyway. I have read all sorfs of bad stoff about MW products, they add sugar FFS!

BTW, I add Kalkwasser about 3 days a weeks. I need to add about 8 tsp, per week to maintain a 475 calcium. Plus, since I use distilled water I also add Kent Superbuffer dKH to maintain my alkalinity at 11, but usually test first so I dont OD. That Kent SB dKH is very strong and half doses are all thats needed.

In your setup, I feel you should CERTAINLY add a buffer for alk and use Kalkwasser to maintain pH, buffering ability, and calcium. Iodine is a great addition IME, fer sure. I have had no problem with hand dosing Kalk. PH is lowest in the morning(tank daytime), so i add then. I have a dig. pH monitor and don't have any pH probs. when hand dosing and not dripping.
Before I added a buffer, but just used Kalk and Ess. Ele., my alk. was so low it was a joke, and my first Capnella looked like ****.
HTH Jioe

[JnS]

Joe,
I am not looking for help, just looking to find out what people are using.
also I think just because you write or read a book does not mean you know everything :beer:

[Jive Turkey]

VERY true!
No "expert" is through learning. I like to go with the consensus opinion after I give it some time for mistakes to be made. i.e. Barebottom Tanks vs. Shal. SB vs. DSB, or the Salt debate that costed thousands in losses.
I almost swapped my sandbed for a shroombed on the glass about 5 months ago. This was right about the time I joined RC, and the DSB debate was HOT. Im glad I didn't.

I was trying to help because I have had some problems that I ironed out, and don't want others to do the same. That is why I like these boards so much, for the personal experiences, not just "experts" anecdotes.:reading:

BTW, your question was: with what and WHY people dose their tanks.
Joe

[JnS]

I was refering to product wise, but that works also :)
SW is an on going learning processhear to many peoples thoughts :)