Lets get into dosing and the necessities

[LEOreefer]

My tank is now cycling with the red sea reef mature program. There is so much info on what people use to maintain Ca, Alk, and MG levels as well as what they dose in addition to the basics I.E amino acids, or the red sea color program.

Im going to maintain my Ca, Alk , and MG levels with BRS 2 part, where I start to get a little overwhelmed is what happens after that. I want the best looking coral possible ( as well most of you do also). I want to hear from the reefers that maintain their tanks with just the base elements and don't dose anything else like amino acids or carbohydrates and are able to maintain beautiful color that pops! Feel free to drop some pics in also!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Aside from limewater (kalkwasser) and 1% daily water changes (with a little extra magnesium added to the salt water since it ran low), all I dosed was iron and silicate. The tank was up for 20 years, but here's a typical picture of it:

 

[LEOreefer]

Aside from limewater (kalkwasser) and 1% daily water changes (with a little extra magnesium added to the salt water since it ran low), all I dosed was iron and silicate. The tank was up for 20 years, but here's a typical picture of it:

View attachment 559951

Beautiful tank! The concept of all the trace elements you can dose is great but it coulkd get expensive. Thats why im looking for results from folks who just dose the basics

 

[Mordwrath]

Aside from limewater (kalkwasser) and 1% daily water changes (with a little extra magnesium added to the salt water since it ran low), all I dosed was iron and silicate. The tank was up for 20 years, but here's a typical picture of it:

View attachment 559951

Hello Randy and may I say many thanks for years of chemistry lessons since I started reefing in 2002. Do you have any articles on your soft Coral tank pictured. I have an older soft Coral reef tank (10+) years now and I'm curious what in your tank was consuming iron and silicates. Ie... I've never tested for these elements and would very interested in reading more on the subject. -Tommy