Dosing Minor Trace Elements

reefgeezer · 02/21/2018, 01:21 PM

I've never dosed much more than a, Alk, and Mag on a regular basis. I'm now interested in hearing from those who dose minor trace elements, amino acids, or other supplements. I've got a couple of dosing pumps looking for a job.

So... what do you dose? What specific products? How much? What are the effects? Etc.? Thanks in advance for the info.

mcgyvr · 02/21/2018, 02:41 PM

The general consensus is do not dose what you don't or cannot test for..
And while you can send out for expensive ICP testing on a routine basis my understanding is that their ability to accurately measure trace elements is questionable too..

I personally tried Red Sea "Colors" program which is Aminos,etc.. and I personally did not see a difference at all.. Others have said they have.. just as many have said they do not..

IMO you just bought too many dosing pumps or have something to sell now

billdogg · 02/21/2018, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

The general consensus is do not dose what you don't or cannot test for..
And while you can send out for expensive ICP testing on a routine basis my understanding is that their ability to accurately measure trace elements is questionable too..

I personally tried Red Sea "Colors" program which is Aminos,etc.. and I personally did not see a difference at all.. Others have said they have.. just as many have said they do not..

IMO you just bought too many dosing pumps or have something to sell now

^^^This^^^ (again

)

AlSimmons · 02/21/2018, 05:48 PM

A decent salt mix is really all you need. Keeping things like Alkalinty, Calcium & Magnesium is key, but everything else should fall into line. In other words don't complicate things. GL.

DesertReefT4r · 02/21/2018, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

The general consensus is do not dose what you don't or cannot test for..
And while you can send out for expensive ICP testing on a routine basis my understanding is that their ability to accurately measure trace elements is questionable too..

I personally tried Red Sea "Colors" program which is Aminos,etc.. and I personally did not see a difference at all.. Others have said they have.. just as many have said they do not..

IMO you just bought too many dosing pumps or have something to sell now

This. Dont dose what you dont/cant test.

I have dosed several trace elements and color enhancers. I never saw any difference in my corals. Again a good salt mix with water changes and dosing cal,alk and mg as needed will take care of everything.

HBtank · 02/21/2018, 10:12 PM

This is what water changes cover.

Otherwise IMO you are moving to a modified or full "Triton method" and should test for everything, using a lab, and dose based on the results.

RobZilla04 · 02/22/2018, 06:09 AM

If you're keeping up with routine WC's and dosing a quality product you are already replacing the trace elements. Check your dosing product to see if the brand provides a trace element profile.

Increasing the frequency of WC's never hurts to keep everything fresh and happy.

reefgeezer · 02/22/2018, 08:39 AM

Nobody doses anything but Alk, Ca, & Mg? Seems like companies like Red Sea and others would be out of business by now.

RobZilla04 · 02/22/2018, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefgeezer

Nobody doses anything but Alk, Ca, & Mg? Seems like companies like Red Sea and others would be out of business by now.

Kinda like Vitamin Water; just because it's sold doesn't mean it's needed.

HBtank · 02/22/2018, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefgeezer

Nobody doses anything but Alk, Ca, & Mg? Seems like companies like Red Sea and others would be out of business by now.

I think people said if you can test for it against NSW levels, then sure, that is a smart approach, if you think you have a deficiency; so I will ask, are there more than ca, alk, and mag test kits?

I even mentioned the triton method which doses almost everything if needed... because what? Testing....

Uncle99 · 02/22/2018, 09:55 AM

I only dose iodide, for my leathers, gorgonians and shrimps and maintain .03-.06 ppm
To be honest, I am going with what others say is good and I can test for it....

Volcmreefer · 02/22/2018, 10:56 AM

About to try dosing Aquaforest Components, 1,2,3 (Balling method). I did not see much of a difference with the Red Sea color program either.

mcgyvr · 02/22/2018, 11:21 AM

Personally I would love to have the test equipment to know exactly what I should/shouldn't be dosing.. But I don't.. However I have been watching the auction sites for it..
So I dose what I can test for only.. I'm also skeptical of many of the products sold in this industry by Red Sea and others and haven't really seen any guaranteed proof that any of them are needed or work across the board.. So I don't buy them.. But many people still do and blindly dose and may be fine or it may crash their tanks..

And I probably really need to dose something extra as I'm back to doing no water changes again on my tank and haven't done one in over 10 months now so I'm probably deficient in many aspects..

I'll find out soon enough as I plan to get some ICP testing done here in a bit just to see what I've gotten myself into..

reefgeezer · 02/22/2018, 03:19 PM

I'm really limiting my thoughts to things like iron, iodine, strontium, potassium, and maybe amino acids.

HBtank · 02/22/2018, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefgeezer

I'm really limiting my thoughts to things like iron, iodine, strontium, potassium, and maybe amino acids.

Right on, most of those you can test for yourself. Grab some kits and see if you need it.

Amino acids are essentially just food and will break down, so no real need for testing.

02/21/2018, 01:21 PM	#1
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Dosing Minor Trace Elements I've never dosed much more than a, Alk, and Mag on a regular basis. I'm now interested in hearing from those who dose minor trace elements, amino acids, or other supplements. I've got a couple of dosing pumps looking for a job. So... what do you dose? What specific products? How much? What are the effects? Etc.? Thanks in advance for the info. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

02/21/2018, 02:41 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	The general consensus is do not dose what you don't or cannot test for.. And while you can send out for expensive ICP testing on a routine basis my understanding is that their ability to accurately measure trace elements is questionable too.. I personally tried Red Sea "Colors" program which is Aminos,etc.. and I personally did not see a difference at all.. Others have said they have.. just as many have said they do not.. IMO you just bought too many dosing pumps or have something to sell now __________________ Who me?

02/21/2018, 05:48 PM	#4
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	A decent salt mix is really all you need. Keeping things like Alkalinty, Calcium & Magnesium is key, but everything else should fall into line. In other words don't complicate things. GL. Last edited by AlSimmons; 02/22/2018 at 12:05 PM.

02/21/2018, 10:12 PM	#6
HBtank Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 2,957	This is what water changes cover. Otherwise IMO you are moving to a modified or full "Triton method" and should test for everything, using a lab, and dose based on the results. __________________ 80g Aiptasia dominated reef tank.. with fish and now a bunch of berghia! Current Tank Info: 80g tank, re-starting a reef after a zoanthid nudibranch plauge, followed by months of steady and unstoppable STN/RTN, crashed; stayed FOWLR for a couple years, currently an aiptasia dominated reef tank with fishies and BERGHIA

02/22/2018, 06:09 AM	#7
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	If you're keeping up with routine WC's and dosing a quality product you are already replacing the trace elements. Check your dosing product to see if the brand provides a trace element profile. Increasing the frequency of WC's never hurts to keep everything fresh and happy. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

02/22/2018, 08:39 AM	#8
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	Nobody doses anything but Alk, Ca, & Mg? Seems like companies like Red Sea and others would be out of business by now. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

02/22/2018, 09:55 AM	#11
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I only dose iodide, for my leathers, gorgonians and shrimps and maintain .03-.06 ppm To be honest, I am going with what others say is good and I can test for it....

02/22/2018, 10:56 AM	#12
Volcmreefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milton, FL Posts: 346	About to try dosing Aquaforest Components, 1,2,3 (Balling method). I did not see much of a difference with the Red Sea color program either.

02/22/2018, 11:21 AM	#13
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Personally I would love to have the test equipment to know exactly what I should/shouldn't be dosing.. But I don't.. However I have been watching the auction sites for it.. So I dose what I can test for only.. I'm also skeptical of many of the products sold in this industry by Red Sea and others and haven't really seen any guaranteed proof that any of them are needed or work across the board.. So I don't buy them.. But many people still do and blindly dose and may be fine or it may crash their tanks.. And I probably really need to dose something extra as I'm back to doing no water changes again on my tank and haven't done one in over 10 months now so I'm probably deficient in many aspects.. I'll find out soon enough as I plan to get some ICP testing done here in a bit just to see what I've gotten myself into.. __________________ Who me?

02/22/2018, 03:19 PM	#14
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	I'm really limiting my thoughts to things like iron, iodine, strontium, potassium, and maybe amino acids. __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef