Additives

[morgan]

I have been in the hobby for a few years now and I don't consider myself an expert by any means. I have some questions about additives being as I'm going to be running out soon. I use all Kent products, and I wanted to see if there was another brand that I should be using. My 150 Gallon tank (with sump) consists of about 170 lbs of live rock, 1 yellow tang, 7 green chromis's, a watchman goby, a scooter blenny, a rainsford goby, a clown fish, a lawnmower blenny, 2 peppermint shrimp, a cleaner shrimp, a coral banded shrimp, 2 brittle stars, a sandsifter star, and various hermits, snails, conches, etc. My corals consist of a few finger leathers, several zoos, a torch, a neon green candy, two colt corals, some waving xenia and a few pieces of millipora.

my additive schedule is iodine and calcium every day, strontium/molybdenum every 4 days, and coralvite and essential elements 1 a week.

My tank seems like it's doing fine, but I just wanted to make sure that I was allowing it to live to it's potential.

Any help/input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[revhtree]

To be totally honest I think your waisting your money. While that stuff is good, your tank doesn't seem to me like it would demand such additives. If you have a regular water change regiment then that should take care of your needs. IMHO.

 

[Russellaqua]

I use Kent products exclusively in my heavily stocked business tanks. For the average person water changes are usually enough. Keep an eye on your calcium levels for a while when you're not supplementing. If they fall even with water change adding calcium will be a must. I also recommend strontium/molybdenum to people only because I have noticed such amazing results. My corals look 10 times better and happier the next day after I use it. Many salt mixes don't contain much of either of these elements, and it's necessary for the coral to build a strong skeleton and stay firmly attached to it. The others I don't really use much, even in my business tanks and I haven't seen any problems.

 

[coral88]

I agree. Sounds like you’re putting a lot of unnecessary money and time into dosing. The coral you listed unless they are very big colonies should not be using that much from that water volume. You may need calcium but that would be about it unless you have problems with ph.
If Kent is working for you keep using it. I have been using Kent and would keep using it but as my collection and number of tanks grow it is becoming less cost effective. My sps tank is going through a few ounces of carbonate, bicarbonate (Kent coral builder)and calcium chloride (Kent turbo-calcium)a week.

O I almost forgot. Have any pics? Someone had to ask

 

[morgan]

I do now! Thanks for asking.

my tank with lights:

my tank with just actinics:

and my favorite coral, a zoo colony:

 

[coral88]

cool zoas

 

[ctsps]

looks good

 

[ctsps]

are those lunar eclipse zoa's

 

[morgan]

honestly I don't know what they are. All the lfs said was that it was a fiji coral. I't so pretty in the actinics, and there are about 7 different types of zoa's on the one rock. There's also something growing directly in the middle of the rock that isn't a zoa, and once it gets bigger I'll post it here for an id.

 

[morgan]

here are closer pictures. I don't think they are the lunar.

 

[stinky]

Love those zoas!!!

Correct me if I'm wrong ... Ca & KH should be maintained at a certain ratio within the range. In salt water, corals, coral sand, etc, Ca & KH maintains about the same ratio. Of course Mg helps to buffer Ca & KH.

I do not see many live stocks which consume Ca. So, couple of things may happen ...

1. Assuming that your dosing is higher than uptake from your live stocks, if Ca ions reaches super saturation, (depending on Mg levels), it will precipitates, pulling down KH with it. With the precipitation, Mg will be combined into solid form also. Thus, your KH & Mg will become super low.

2. Assuming that your Ca is consumed at the same rate as your dosing. Since Ca & KH is usually absorbed at a certain ratio, your KH will become super low. However, Mg will not be affected.

Either way, do measure your Ca, KH, & Mg. Over dosing of Ca or KH will bring down your system. Also, try to dose KH together with Ca ... or just dose kalk, which already has both in the right ratio.

As for other traces, try to stop each item for 1 month, and observe your live stocks for any changes. If no changes, than most likely you don't need it.

Iodine helps keep xenia healthy.
Different trace will affect color for mushrooms, zoas, and definately SPS.
Can't remember if iodine or vitamine C helps corals from bleaching due to lighting changes.

Hope this helps!!

 

[kharn101]

All you need is dose with Vodka and you are fine ...j.k or am i? Anyway i would recommend getting a good salt like reef crystals ect...dosing is only for people with sps in my belief...as long as you do regular water changes you really don't need additives because the salt mix already has them. hth.

 

[ecotoxlady]

Very nice zoas! As far as dosing is concerned, I dose myself though I can get busy and a bit lax with the water changes so the dosing helps. I have tried Kent products but have been much happier with SeaChem. That's just my own experience though. I'm sure it depends on what salt mix you are starting with, purity of the water you use, and all that jazz.

 

[morgan]

So the bottom line is that I should get more disciplined about my water changes...

I actually thought that I would get the exact opposite responses - I thought people would be telling me the virtues of purple up, etc. It's refreshing dealing with people that aren't trying to sell me something!

Thanks for all the input!

 

[lReef lKeeper]

BTW ... i would also do not dose anything that you are not testing for. Ioidine is easy to overdose in a closed system.
i agree with everyone else ... with what you have, dosing should not be necessary for you.

 

[armyman]

has anyone used aquavitro by seachem yet we use it all the time at the pet shop and our coral has grown three times as much as with out it . i recomend aqua vitro

 

[demonsperm]

Nver add anything you cant test for. Then there are other elemts you cant test for that regular water changes will controll.

Additives should be controlled and minimized. Your stock and stability of your water readings between water changes helps ditermine this.

But in most cases a kalk drip would be sufficiant. ANd this is if you have a large calcium dependent stock.

 

[oceanparadise1]

Dosing can be used in any system,,, BUT dont EVER dose anything you dont test for!