ADDITIVES, the GOOD & the BAD

[MUCHO REEF]

What additives to you add daily, weekly or monthly to your tank to keep it thriving? For the sake of this thread, lets consider anything that you add to your system an additive. Even though it isn't considered an additive, lets say that it is, for the sake of this discussion.

Mucho Reef

 

[InADream]

I add phytoplankton everyother day, calcium and alk everyday... I dose magnesium once a week, top-off 1/2 gallon of water everyday... I drop a cube of rotifiers in the tank once a week...

What do you add?

Dream

 

[Lytehouse]

phyto everymorning along with frozen food for fish and pellets for snails.

I dose magnesium and calcium as testing shows a need and top of with ro/di water if salinity changes between weekly water changes.

 

[Peter Eichler]

Calcium, Baking Soda (home made 2 part) Magnesium.

 

[stoneroller]

I dose 2-part daily. Iodine and strontium, bimonthly. Frozen zooplankton every other day or so, flake and pellets every day.

 

[650-IS350]

selcon, vitaC, ZOE, stornium/iodine/calcium etc.....

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I made a mistake, I meant to also ask, why do you do or add these solutions, foods etc to your tank?

Thanks

 

[650-IS350]

selcon for inverts, zoe/vitaC for everything and fish. and the others to keep up with stuff that might get used up by the tank and just need to add more

 

[MUCHO REEF]

I add 18 mls of ESV's Bionic 2 part Solution everyday, Reef Plus twice a week, Special Blend by Micro Orb-Lft when I clean the substrate once a month, live brine twice a month, Strontium and Mag when needed and Coral Frenzy twice a week.

Mucho Reef

 

[ct_vol]

I run a Calcium Reactor and dose Kalkwasser daily... I feed PE mysis two or three times a week, and flake food twice daily, I add phytofeast once a week, and rotifeast once a week... I do regular bimonthly or monthly water changes in order to keep my trace minerals up...

 

[dustin Combs]

Mucho,

How do you like the coral frenzy? What benefits are you getting from dosing these goodies?

 

[Dave12678]

Kalk every night and Dt's

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Hello Dustin, to be very honest, I have read and heard all the arguments for and against feeding. There was a time when I never fed many many years ago. I tried almost everything on the market. As you know the polyps we collect are photosynthetic, and many have said the feeding is not necessary. I don't think feeding should be a primary source of nutrition, however I do believe it could and should be used as a secondary means of supplementation, maybe 2 or 3 light feedings per week. Now I'm not saying this because I know both the owners who Produce/Developed CF, but my corals seem to grow faster, maintain coloration, seldom if ever to I have any die off, many of my corals clamp down on CF instantly and I know all the ingredients in CF and I give the stuff a big nod. I also fed live brine and phyto every blue moon.

Mucho

PS, just can't believe that no one else has more to share on this.

 

[dustin Combs]

Mucho,

I have since purchased some CF and wow. All of my corals love it. I have been target feeding some of the Palys and Yes they do close up on it. I will continue to give twice a week mixed with Phyto and we will be able to track the growth rate over time. Great to hear from you. Hope the trip was good.

 

[dustin Combs]

I have heard a the big kick that going on is adding potassium to your system. Anyone have anything to say about potassium and Zoanthids?
The SPS world continue to use it with good success in coloring corals. Wonder if it will do the same with Zoanthids?

 

[skeeter-doc]

How do you target feed your coral frenzy?

 

[dc_909]

Homemade 3-part once a week now, but will be twice a week once my tank matures a little

 

[DrBegalke]

Regular additions:
Top off water, usually distilled water
Saltwater
Rod's Food/Phyto/Zooplankton
Two part to adjust Ca++/alk
Iodine (only if it tests low)

Occasional additions:
Stability and Clarity from Seachem

Have used in the past:
Iron (tanks with macros)
AZNo3

 

[DrBegalke]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11108524#post11108524 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dustin Combs
I have heard a the big kick that going on is adding potassium to your system. Anyone have anything to say about potassium and Zoanthids?
The SPS world continue to use it with good success in coloring corals. Wonder if it will do the same with Zoanthids?

This is interesting. To they does it over NSW values?

My potassium is running 384 (natural seawater is 390)...

 

[Jon in SW Ohio]

For my 12g AquPod mixed reef I add:

2-3 two gallon water changes per week of Reef Crystals mixed 5/8 cup per gallon of RO water (SG of 1.025)

After each water change, I usually add 4 drops of Kent Iodine since my levels are always on the low end, possibly because I'm overskimming. Many of my zoas/palys were turning transparent before I started testing and dosing Iodine.

I add 15 drops of Kent Tech-M after each water change as well, since my Magnesium levels also run around 1300 ppm and I'd prefer it be at 1400 ppm.

To make up for the possible nutrition I'm removing from skimming and frequent water changes, I add 1 ml of DT's Phytoplankton and 1 ml of Reef Plus after each water change as well.

To keep up with Calcium, I'll add a capful of Reef Complete once a week...but only if levels test below 400 ppm

To keep up with Alk, I add about 1/8 tsp. of Reef Builder around once or twice a week...but only when levels test below 8 dKH

For feeding, I use New Life SPECTRUM for small fish daily, frozen cyclopeeze mixed with DT's frozen oyster eggs once or twice a week, frozen mysis once a week, and newly hatched brine shrimp once or twice a week. The food is mostly for my Purple and Helfrich firefish, and the corals get the leftovers. I've also got a very healthy pod population and that provides some additional food as well.