What reef supplements do you use?

peaceinusa · #1 07/30/2007, 09:36 PM

I do not have a calcium reactor or dosing device. I wanted to know what recommendations I can get for supplements for maintaining a reef's essential elements. There are tons of options for calcium, strontium, magnesium, PH, elements, ect on the market.
What do you use and recommend?
I have a 75 reef with about 80lbs of live rock, sps corals, lps corals, mushrooms, ect.

Thanks!

dugg · #2 07/31/2007, 08:42 AM

All you really need is a limewater drip for topoff water to maintain calcium levels, and regular water changes. Your salt mix will have all of the trace elements you need. Never add anything that you don't have a test kit available to test for.

papagimp · #3 07/31/2007, 08:43 AM

With my 55g as well as the 75g once it's finished, all I dose is B-Ionic 2-part supplement (Ca and Alk). Phytoplankton daily. Occasionally will dose some filter feeding food. Most stuff gets replaced by doing regular water changes, others like ca and alk need daily replenishments. phyto I dose for the added pod populations and as a benefit to all filter feeders in the tank. I personally havn't had the need to dose any other supplements.

Travis L. Stevens · #4 07/31/2007, 09:02 AM

Depends on the tank for me. Usually just water changes gets me by. If I need to add anything, I usually use a Two-Part Calcium/Alkalinity dosing regime. Occassionally I use Limewater depending on the tank (IE low pH, small demand for Ca/Alk, etc)

papagimp · #5 07/31/2007, 09:05 AM

Travis made a good point. The first year I had my 55g up and running, I had no need for Ca or Alk supplements since the uptake by the coral frags wasn't enough to warrant adding anything. So just water changes for that time period.

cmc0814 · #6 07/31/2007, 09:06 AM

I like Seachem Reef Plus and Reef Complete. I notice a dramatic difference in the few days following the dosing.

papagimp · #7 07/31/2007, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cmc0814
I like Seachem Reef Plus and Reef Complete. I notice a dramatic difference in the few days following the dosing.

Funny thing about that stuff, I tried it before switching over to Bionic, never had any good results AT ALL, but then I tried using them agian in my boss's tank since he already had them purchased and they do a great job for him. Ca and Alk stay stable and all. (I don't think I was dosing wrong...I mean stuff goes in the measuring spoon, dump that in the water...what's so difficult right?)

cmc0814 · #8 07/31/2007, 09:33 AM

Right, but I see like 1/8-1/4 growth in the two-three days following dosing. It's crazy. I think that the jump in calcium does that, coupled with the amino acids.

peaceinusa · #9 07/31/2007, 10:05 AM

Thanks for all the information.

mskohl · #10 07/31/2007, 11:28 AM

when I got my first tank, the store sold me all kinds of supplements... I had (and still have the same bottles) strontium, coral vite, coral accel, calcium, buffer and builder, iodine, and I can't remember. I was dosing like six different bottles a week. Now, maybe if you don't plan on doing water changes that becomes necesary, but, it's not what I would recommend.

Right now, I do water changes and use B-ionic to maintain Ca and Alk.

Little Bitty · #11 07/31/2007, 11:52 AM

I have used Reef Complete and Reef Plus for 2 years and have been happy with it.

2ras · #12 07/31/2007, 06:47 PM

Reef Complete, Magnesium & Buffer.

jjmcat · #13 08/01/2007, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dugg
All you really need is a limewater drip for topoff water to maintain calcium levels, and regular water changes. Your salt mix will have all of the trace elements you need. Never add anything that you don't have a test kit available to test for.

Be careful when doing this.Ive been doing this for months now and my calc stays aroung 450.I checked my alk and it was 6.1.I evaporate around 2.5 gallons a day so just keep checking those water params.I thought all was well.My millies had allmost no polyp ext. so I said to myself whats the deal.I thought maybe I had redbugs so I dosed interceptor then changed around 100 gallons of water over a 5 day period.Still no PE.I checked my alk last night and like I said it was very low.So just be careful with whatever you add and keep up on your water tests.

MoCha920 · #14 08/01/2007, 03:15 PM

i use seachem, reef advantage reef buffer, reef carbonate and magnesium

sadsak · #15 08/01/2007, 05:29 PM

stromium, coral vite, coral accel, calcium, buffer and builder, iodine and anything else I can throw in................................................................................................

happysak · #16 08/01/2007, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sadsak
stromium, coral vite, coral accel, calcium, buffer and builder, iodine and anything else I can throw in................................................................................................

Second to Kent Marine products.

SoonerReefer · #17 08/01/2007, 09:30 PM

I use B-Ionic 2 part Cal/Alk and Seachem and always buffer my top off water as well,I tired dripping Kalkwasser once but couldnt keep my PH below 9.5..

Donny
OMAS

sadsak · #18 08/02/2007, 09:47 PM

Yess my brother they are Kent Marine products. And I get a great deal on them @ Aquariums....!!!!!!!

happysak · #19 08/02/2007, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sadsak
Yess my brother they are Kent Marine products. And I get a great deal on them @ Aquariums....!!!!!!!

Amen to that.....

matthewnokc · #20 08/09/2007, 03:25 PM

I had good results with b-ionic 2 part system.

plus it makes a cool cloudy effect in the aquarium when yah add it

I bought it in bulk wiht my last system it came in 2 5 gallon

buckets and you have to add water to the buckets

you can order it direct from the manufacturer

http://www.esvco.com/prod6.html

for some reason it just seemed to make all my soft corals just get

huge and open wide up! i tried all the other stuff available and b-

ionic was what i had the best results with

peaceinusa · #21 08/09/2007, 06:52 PM

Thanks for the info.....now that I have several different options to choose from I am more confused than I was before I posted this thread.

This brings up a new point. I have always used kent marine suppliments with either Instant Ocean, Reef Crystals, Oceanic or Aquatic Gardens salt. I have recently moved from Oceanic to Aquatic Gardens over the last 10 water changes. What I would like to know is what salt you recommend in reguards to suppliments in the salt. I can go all over the Internet and find all sorts of threads and recommendations on salt. What I am getting at is if there is a salt that would have everything needed as far as additional suppliments, I will gradually switch to this salt.

Again, thanks for all your information. Hopefully others will benefit from this thread.

Travis L. Stevens · #22 08/10/2007, 08:22 AM

Instant Ocean: Reef Crystals is rumored to be the best on the market regarding chemical levels that are close to sea level. A lot of other synthetic salt mixes have elevated "Trace Elements" that aren't too helpful for reef tanks. Of course, the rumors stem from some research that Eric Borneman has done. While he hasn't completed compiling the data, he has let out that IO:RC is one of the best on the market. With that in mind, you could theoretically only need water changes until your tank fills up with corals and the demand for calcium and/or carbonate exceeds what you put back with water changes. Only then would you truly need to add Ca and Alk to the water.