doseing

[nitroxadvanced]

I was thinking of dosing
CA ( CA REACTOR)
CORAL VITE
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
IODINE
STRONIUM
magnisium
and
iron
('heavy protine skimming and rare waterchanges on my tank|)

[Reef Junkie]

Have you looked into any Calcium reactors yet?
The reactor will supply your tank with a lot of the essential elements your corals will need. There isn't a lot of scientific evidence that dosing Iron, Iodine or Strontium is beneficial for your corals.
Any reason you're doing rare water changes? Have you seen any visible difference from not doing them?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to just do water changes then buy all those extra additives? Just something to think about.
I personally have a MTC Pro-Cal, I love it, it's not cheap, but worth every penny. I know there are quite a few good DIY reactors out there too.
Bill

[nitroxadvanced]

im making my own ca reactor

but really need to know what else to dose

if ca reactor adds alot of stuff then do i dose less

[Reef Junkie]

If you do water changes, then you really don't need to dose anything chemically. You shouldn't have to dose any type of calcium type product. In fact it could be detrimental to dose a 2 part calcium supplement. The 2 part supplement could actually remove calcium.
Otherwise, you might want to focus more on dosing food additives and the like. Your calcium reactor will take care of the tank's chemical needs and water changes will do the rest.
Dosing live phyto, golden pearls and other food products is something to look into.
HTH.
Bill

[nitroxadvanced]

i hardly do waterchanges tho.. and your saying i dont need to does iodine or anyhting

i dont use 2 part things i use turbo ca rightnow
i also currently dose stronium and iodine and essential elements

[Reef Junkie]

Nope, you don't need to dose any of that.
Be careful with the turbo cal. If not treated it releases chlorine into the water.
I've used Stontium and Iodine in the past, I didn't see any noticeable change, except in my wallet. Plus there is no substantial evidence that proves we need to dose it above what a water change, or calcium reactor adds. I've only used Iodine for medical dips and that was with Lugols Iodine. Some pretty potent stuff. ;)

Why don't you do water changes?

[MiddletonMark]

Agree with Bill ... who skipped the first question.

What does your Calcium and Alkalinity test at?

ANY suppliment should only be added if you test that it's low, and only to boost to NSW levels. Anything more is just wasting $$ and can cause problems.

I prefer [cost-wise] the 2-part suppliments as it allows you to keep things balanced and is cheaper per unit Ca/Alk IME.

Beyond Ca/Alk ... I don't suggest adding a thing. I've used I, Sr, etc from time to time and as said earlier - the biggest difference I saw is in my pocketbook.

Esp. if you don't change water enough, additives without testing is russian roulette. Most additives in high concentration can be detrimental.

Personally, it's just much much cheaper and safer to just change 10% water every 2 weeks and forget any other supplimentation beyond Ca/Alk [which is dependent on demand]. Otherwise it's expensive suppliments, hard to use test kits [for things you can even test] .... and mostly just to follow manufacturer's claims more than any proven science suggesting `essential elements' [for example] are necessary, and are depleted in aquaria.

Just my take - but you can do wonderfully with just Ca/Alk supplimentation. Until you have a steady state and the tank is mature - I would skip adding other things. Only later, like 9-12 months from now would I experiment with any supplimentation as until then it's not really possible to see if it has positive effect or not, IMO.

Just my opinion, take it or leave it :)
Or argue against it ... that's fine too.

[Reefmedic79]

Originally posted by MiddletonMark
Personally, it's just much much cheaper and safer to just change 10% water every 2 weeks and forget any other supplimentation beyond Ca/Alk [which is dependent on demand]. Otherwise it's expensive suppliments, hard to use test kits [for things you can even test] .... and mostly just to follow manufacturer's claims more than any proven science suggesting `essential elements' [for example] are necessary, and are depleted in aquaria.

You say hardly do water changes, What is hardly? Monthly? Bi-Monthly?

I have to agree with everything everyone else is saying. Calcium and some sort of pH/Alk Buffering is the only thing you should ever need to add to your tank. A Calcium Reactor should do both.

[nitroxadvanced]

i do water changes every 2 months. about 10 percent. everyone seems fine including my xenia.
but now that i want more coral i have heard that it takes up more of the stuff like stronium

[nitroxadvanced]

alk is 10 ( ph 8.2) CA is 400

[nitroxadvanced]

also i am going to be using lots of nutriant export

[Reef Junkie]

Originally posted by MiddletonMark
Agree with Bill ... who skipped the first question.


Hey, can you pass some of that Anti-Monkey Butt Powder over this way, I'm out. :lol:


Nah, it's hearsay that corals take up more strontium. They'll take up more calcium then anything.
If you do water changes, you won't have to dose anything. It's like Mark said, you're playing Russian Roulette by adding these additives and not testing for them. Keep it simple, do water changes and your tank will thank you for it by giving you big healthy corals.
As far as cal/alk additives go, it's up to you. I believe it costs more to use 2 part solutions then to just use a calcium reactor and water changes. As you add more corals you're calcium demand will go up, so will the amount of 2 part solution, which leads us back to the wallet. Co2 costs maybe $20 bucks for a 6-12 month supply and Crushed coral is more expensive at $20-$40 bucks, but a 20lbs bag should last you all year.
Also, 2 part solutions tend to raise your salinity over time. Which means when you do your water changes, you'll have to mix your salt accordingly to help prevent high salinity levels.

Again, the choice is yours.
HTH
Bill

[nitroxadvanced]

would a 1/2 gallon waterchange a day be good ( yes a day)( id gladly do it if i knew it would really help)

[Reef Junkie]

Sure. Or maybe 1 gallon everyother day? Or 5 a week.
You should probably do it once a week. It gives you 7 days to forget or be lazy. If you get busy at work or go away, you'll throw your schedule off completely. Plus, it's less stressful for the animals if you're not working on the tank everyday.
I do my water changes every Saturday, 5-10 gallons depending on my mood. I have my 10 gallons of Saltwater made already. This saturday I'll make another 5-10 after I use this batch.

[nitroxadvanced]

when i do water changes i add water at the same time i take it out( small pipe puncured in to the output of pump that leads to the tank flip the valve water goes to the drain :)

[nitroxadvanced]

1/2gallon a day would almost be like a constant water change system

[Reef Junkie]

There is only one problem with a system like that. I've seen them and if you add the water to the sump at the same time you're draining the sump, you'll more then likely drain new salt water, here's why. Even if you have the specific gravity or ppm correct, it's likely the new water will be cooler then the aquarium water. Cooler water tends to sink and the drain stem is usually always towards the bottom of the sump. I've installed many of these units myself and only because the customer requested it. Otherwise they're just for show. Besides, when you change water, you also want to siphone debris out of the main tank as well. It's tought to do that with a sump drain.
Make sense?;)

[nitroxadvanced]

never!!! i int messing with my DSB but still what you are saying dosnt matter sine the out line to drain is just a 1/4 pipe taped in to my 3/4 inch return

[Reef Junkie]

Well, then you have it all figured out now, don't you? :)

[nitroxadvanced]

nope

[Reef Junkie]

Hey, what's your name btw?
I'm sorry if I came of a little condecending on my last post, but I'm not sure if we're seeing eye to eye on this.
I've been doing what you're thinking of doing for years now and with reef tanks. I'm only trying to help you avoid the pain of making a mistake, but maybe you need to? I mean, that's how I learned.
Either way, I hope you find what you're looking for and have a Happy Thanks Giving!
Bill ;)

[nitroxadvanced]

well see i have lots of time to waste. LOL i decided not to dose anything after further research( just liquid reactor till i get a real ca reactor)

[MiddletonMark]

Do test Calcium/Alkalinity too ... it's useful to know, often what I find is `off' when things aren't doing well.

That way you're not pouring in more Ca than needed and having is just precipitate out. Hope it helps :)

[jdieck]

Really the only supplements you need are the basic ones, Calcium and Alkalinity as well as periodic water changes to replenish everything else. I would recommend 10% per week.

Calcium and Alkalinity can be added either by a Calcium Reactor, Kalk mix dripping, two part supplements or individually using Calcium Chloride (Turbo Calcium for Calcium) and baking Soda for alkalinity. In regard to the Chloride in the Calcium chloride I would not worry at all about it, after all the major ions in sea water are Sodium and Chloride (Salt, get it?)

From all other supplements once in a while you may need some Magnesium supplement for which you can use Epsom Salts. Iodine only if you perform very little water changes and use carbon 24/7 and may be Strontium if you use a salt with lower content of these.

You can forget about vitamins and all those strange potions. They really do not make a difference and you will be wasting your $$$.

[nitroxadvanced]

well i do run carbon 24/7

soo i would need iodine, even if i do a 1/2 gallon to gallon waterchange a day?


I use instant ocean btw ( some times reef crystals or kent seasalt)

[nitroxadvanced]

ca reactors add stronium( a little

[jdieck]

Originally posted by nitroxadvanced
well i do run carbon 24/7

soo i would need iodine, even if i do a 1/2 gallon to gallon waterchange a day?


I use instant ocean btw ( some times reef crystals or kent seasalt)

You will not need to.

[nitroxadvanced]

GOD I LOVE THIS SITE!!! 15 minuts on RC can save you 200 $ or more on reef cost :P