to add or not to add addatives

nikon70 · 06/19/2007, 01:21 PM

right here are my measurements:

ph 8.3

temp 27deg c

calcium 430ppm

mag no idea ppm

strontium no idea ppm

iron no idea ppm

iodine no idea ppm

sg 1.026

kh 9.6

nitrate,ammo,etc all zeros been running tank since jan.

should i get a test kit for Magnesium, strontium, iron and iodine??

i have calcium, magnesium, and iron addatives...

what is the general preference???

i do regular top ups of RO water 50L a week.

and salt water change of about 50L a week also.

i have a main tank of 125G and a sump if about 25G

its a reef tank - no corals yet still waiting for water param's to be correct.

alkataz · 06/19/2007, 01:52 PM

I would say that if you don't have corals yet then you don't need to add these things and some people say that water changes add some of these elements. I personally don't really dose trace elements. I add iodine and iron only when I notice my crabs are molting, and as for calcium I use a reactor.

I think you should add the coral first and see how your parameters remain without adding any elements. Watch the growth of you coral and check your calcium levels. You should only have to add as much calcium as your coral consume.

nikon70 · 06/19/2007, 02:08 PM

fair enough, thanks

thrillreefer · 06/19/2007, 02:29 PM

Until you have corals, don't worry about Ca and alk additives, but use them once you start adding corals. DO NOT use the iron additive unless you have a very good reason to think iron is low (i.e. bad inhabitant health and verification by a test kit). Iron will just encourage algae to grow, and can be toxic at higher levels.

Travis L. Stevens · 06/19/2007, 02:35 PM

It would be good to have a Magnesium test kit. In all reality, almost all water parameters can be controlled with water changes. That is until you get about to the point of Tank of the Month nomination status. By then, you're probably going to have a heavy demand on Calcium that water changes alone won't take care of.

06/19/2007, 01:21 PM	#1
nikon70 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: london, uk Posts: 161	to add or not to add addatives right here are my measurements: ph 8.3 temp 27deg c calcium 430ppm mag no idea ppm strontium no idea ppm iron no idea ppm iodine no idea ppm sg 1.026 kh 9.6 nitrate,ammo,etc all zeros been running tank since jan. should i get a test kit for Magnesium, strontium, iron and iodine?? i have calcium, magnesium, and iron addatives... what is the general preference??? i do regular top ups of RO water 50L a week. and salt water change of about 50L a week also. i have a main tank of 125G and a sump if about 25G its a reef tank - no corals yet still waiting for water param's to be correct.

06/19/2007, 01:52 PM	#2
alkataz Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: New York Posts: 859	I would say that if you don't have corals yet then you don't need to add these things and some people say that water changes add some of these elements. I personally don't really dose trace elements. I add iodine and iron only when I notice my crabs are molting, and as for calcium I use a reactor. I think you should add the coral first and see how your parameters remain without adding any elements. Watch the growth of you coral and check your calcium levels. You should only have to add as much calcium as your coral consume. __________________ Hungry for knowledge, please feed!! 180 + 65 sump 2x25" CPR HOB fuge Euro CS12-1 Ozonizer Korallin C 1502 Delta Star 1/3 hp 2x250W 65K Iwaski, 400W 10K Ushio, 2x160W URI Super Actinic Current Tank Info: 2 Black & White Percs, Fire Goby, 2 Golden Neon Goby, 2 Red Head Goby, Clown Goby, Royal Gramma, 2 Blue Favivertex Pseudochromis, 3 Filamented Flasher Wrasse, 2 Green Mandarin, 2 Banded Possom Wrasse, 3 Blue Green Reef Chromis, Group of Mollies

06/19/2007, 02:35 PM	#5
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	It would be good to have a Magnesium test kit. In all reality, almost all water parameters can be controlled with water changes. That is until you get about to the point of Tank of the Month nomination status. By then, you're probably going to have a heavy demand on Calcium that water changes alone won't take care of. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

06/19/2007, 02:08 PM	#3
nikon70 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: london, uk Posts: 161	fair enough, thanks

06/19/2007, 02:29 PM	#4
thrillreefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Newton, MA Posts: 308	Until you have corals, don't worry about Ca and alk additives, but use them once you start adding corals. DO NOT use the iron additive unless you have a very good reason to think iron is low (i.e. bad inhabitant health and verification by a test kit). Iron will just encourage algae to grow, and can be toxic at higher levels.