Additive List... What to use?

Kdocimo90 · 10/27/2008, 10:11 AM

Here is a list of the additives I bought when first coming into the hobby... it came as a big package so I know there will be stuff not needed... Can only help with some info of what I need, and when I would use it (regularly, when calcium is low, etc...)

KENT MARINE CORAL VITE
KENT MARINE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT
KENT MARINE IRON & MANGANESE
KENT MARINE LIQUID CALCIUM
KENT MARINE MICRO-VERT
KENT MARINE PROTECH COAT MARINE
KENT MARINE STRONTIUM & MOLYBDENUM
KENT MARINE TECH I
KENT MARINE TECH M
KENT MARINE TECH D
KENT MARINE PROBUFFER
KENT MARINE PROCLEAR MARINECLARIFIER

lockekeyy · 10/27/2008, 10:21 AM

Here's a tip... only dose what you can test for.

masonicman · 10/27/2008, 10:23 AM

Agree..........only dose what you can test for.

WaterKeeper · 10/27/2008, 10:32 AM

The only one that might be needed is the calcium additive. The others are not needed on a tank with regular water changes. Save your $$$ and use them for salt mix.

Kdocimo90 · 10/27/2008, 10:41 AM

ok, what about essential elements.. I read about corals online before purchasing them and they say that they require essential elements

Sk8r · 10/27/2008, 10:48 AM

Nope.
That's in your salt mix. That's what the weekly water change does.
And far more accurately measured, that way.
For corals you need the Tech M: test for Magnesium if your alk and cal won't stay up. You need the Liquid Calcium. you need the Buffer. That's all. Those are the Great 3. M supports levels of C and Buffer. You want your calcium at 400-420, your M at 3x whatever you want your calcium to be, ie, 1200-1300, and your buffer should keep around 8.3-9.3.
Cheapest way to maintain them for a tank under 100g is by dripping kalk. Ie, put Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime in your autotopoff reservoir, (2 teaspoons a gallon) and they will hold your C and Buffer where you 'set' them by hand dosing. Be sure the lime has had overnight to settle and dissolve as much as 24 hours will let it, before you connect it up to run as topoff. That means you test once a week for buffer and calcium, and if they're low, you test for Mag, and if it's low, you raise it, then dose a little buffer and calcium to bring them back up and resume your kalk topoff.
You can read more about this in stickies (*symbol) at the top of this forum, and in Reef CHemistry forum.

mg426 · 10/27/2008, 10:52 AM

I use Randys Home made two part and regular water changes.

Kdocimo90 · 10/27/2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sk8r
Nope.
That's in your salt mix. That's what the weekly water change does.
And far more accurately measured, that way.
For corals you need the Tech M: test for Magnesium if your alk and cal won't stay up. You need the Liquid Calcium. you need the Buffer. That's all. Those are the Great 3. M supports levels of C and Buffer. You want your calcium at 400-420, your M at 3x whatever you want your calcium to be, ie, 1200-1300, and your buffer should keep around 8.3-9.3.
Cheapest way to maintain them for a tank under 100g is by dripping kalk. Ie, put Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime in your autotopoff reservoir, (2 teaspoons a gallon) and they will hold your C and Buffer where you 'set' them by hand dosing. Be sure the lime has had overnight to settle and dissolve as much as 24 hours will let it, before you connect it up to run as topoff. That means you test once a week for buffer and calcium, and if they're low, you test for Mag, and if it's low, you raise it, then dose a little buffer and calcium to bring them back up and resume your kalk topoff.
You can read more about this in stickies (*symbol) at the top of this forum, and in Reef CHemistry forum.

thats a lot of good info.. thank you... what about if my tank is OVER 100g? To be exact, my tank is 210g

AZDesertRat · 10/27/2008, 11:50 AM

Still nothing.
If you have lots of SPS or stony corals you may need to adjust calcium, alkalinity and possibly add magnesium but nothing else. Its all in a good salt mix.

stanlalee · 10/27/2008, 11:56 AM

KENT MARINE CORAL VITE : here nor there

KENT MARINE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT: here nor there

KENT MARINE IRON & MANGANESE: no, unless you like your algae nice, thick and green

KENT MARINE LIQUID CALCIUM: yes perhaps frequently eventually depending on coral stocking

KENT MARINE MICRO-VERT: here nor there

KENT MARINE PROTECH COAT MARINE: trash it

KENT MARINE STRONTIUM & MOLYBDENUM: perhaps with testing

KENT MARINE TECH I: trash it iodine doesn't need dosing

KENT MARINE TECH M: possibly depending on coral stocking and salt used

KENT MARINE TECH D: here nor there. some people dip, some dont.

KENT MARINE PROBUFFER: yes perhaps frequently

KENT MARINE PROCLEAR MARINECLARIFIER: trash it

the liquid calcium and pro buffer are the basics to two part dosing. there are more concentrated products than kent for the same price or less though (use seachems reef complete myself but I do use Pro buffer dkH). these two you are probably garaunteed to need eventually. All the vites, verts and elements definately not needed, could possibly be beneficial but why fix what aint broke (if your tank is doing well without them why buy/add stuff to it).

10/27/2008, 10:11 AM	#1
Kdocimo90 Superior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 6,175	Additive List... What to use? Here is a list of the additives I bought when first coming into the hobby... it came as a big package so I know there will be stuff not needed... Can only help with some info of what I need, and when I would use it (regularly, when calcium is low, etc...) KENT MARINE CORAL VITE KENT MARINE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT KENT MARINE IRON & MANGANESE KENT MARINE LIQUID CALCIUM KENT MARINE MICRO-VERT KENT MARINE PROTECH COAT MARINE KENT MARINE STRONTIUM & MOLYBDENUM KENT MARINE TECH I KENT MARINE TECH M KENT MARINE TECH D KENT MARINE PROBUFFER KENT MARINE PROCLEAR MARINECLARIFIER

10/27/2008, 10:21 AM	#2
lockekeyy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 1,027	Here's a tip... only dose what you can test for. __________________ I attribute the little I know to my not having been ashamed to ask for information - John Locke

10/27/2008, 10:23 AM	#3
masonicman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 1,313	Agree..........only dose what you can test for. __________________ It is better to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.......... Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed reef, 216w LED, Remora Pro skimmer, HOB fuge, 400w htr, ATO RO/DI, 90lbs LR and 1" SB.

10/27/2008, 10:32 AM	#4
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	The only one that might be needed is the calcium additive. The others are not needed on a tank with regular water changes. Save your $$$ and use them for salt mix. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

10/27/2008, 10:41 AM	#5
Kdocimo90 Superior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 6,175	ok, what about essential elements.. I read about corals online before purchasing them and they say that they require essential elements __________________ ¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯) VISIT MY HOME PAGE (¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸ ¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯)¸.•´¯) TO SEE MY 210G TANK (¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸(¯´•.¸ -Kevin Current Tank Info: 210 Gallon Softy/LPS Reef Tank

10/27/2008, 10:48 AM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Nope. That's in your salt mix. That's what the weekly water change does. And far more accurately measured, that way. For corals you need the Tech M: test for Magnesium if your alk and cal won't stay up. You need the Liquid Calcium. you need the Buffer. That's all. Those are the Great 3. M supports levels of C and Buffer. You want your calcium at 400-420, your M at 3x whatever you want your calcium to be, ie, 1200-1300, and your buffer should keep around 8.3-9.3. Cheapest way to maintain them for a tank under 100g is by dripping kalk. Ie, put Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime in your autotopoff reservoir, (2 teaspoons a gallon) and they will hold your C and Buffer where you 'set' them by hand dosing. Be sure the lime has had overnight to settle and dissolve as much as 24 hours will let it, before you connect it up to run as topoff. That means you test once a week for buffer and calcium, and if they're low, you test for Mag, and if it's low, you raise it, then dose a little buffer and calcium to bring them back up and resume your kalk topoff. You can read more about this in stickies (*symbol) at the top of this forum, and in Reef CHemistry forum. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/27/2008, 10:52 AM	#7
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	I use Randys Home made two part and regular water changes. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

10/27/2008, 11:50 AM	#9
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Still nothing. If you have lots of SPS or stony corals you may need to adjust calcium, alkalinity and possibly add magnesium but nothing else. Its all in a good salt mix.

10/27/2008, 11:56 AM	#10
stanlalee Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hampton roads, va Posts: 1,799	Re: Additive List... What to use? KENT MARINE CORAL VITE : here nor there KENT MARINE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT: here nor there KENT MARINE IRON & MANGANESE: no, unless you like your algae nice, thick and green KENT MARINE LIQUID CALCIUM: yes perhaps frequently eventually depending on coral stocking KENT MARINE MICRO-VERT: here nor there KENT MARINE PROTECH COAT MARINE: trash it KENT MARINE STRONTIUM & MOLYBDENUM: perhaps with testing KENT MARINE TECH I: trash it iodine doesn't need dosing KENT MARINE TECH M: possibly depending on coral stocking and salt used KENT MARINE TECH D: here nor there. some people dip, some dont. KENT MARINE PROBUFFER: yes perhaps frequently KENT MARINE PROCLEAR MARINECLARIFIER: trash it the liquid calcium and pro buffer are the basics to two part dosing. there are more concentrated products than kent for the same price or less though (use seachems reef complete myself but I do use Pro buffer dkH). these two you are probably garaunteed to need eventually. All the vites, verts and elements definately not needed, could possibly be beneficial but why fix what aint broke (if your tank is doing well without them why buy/add stuff to it).