Being prepared... (Bottles that I need to buy... Garlic, Calcium...)

[loveaddressbox]

Please guys I need your advice! I'm going to buy a test kit for the water parameters and I find a lot of interesting stuff...
So far I have the box for testing the salt on the water by Coralife.
And MicroVert by Kent.
I was thinking to buy Julian Sprung's algae pouches, but I'm unaware of which color is better...
Power Garlic by Brightwell Aquatics, I hear it can be useful for making flake food more appealing to the fish?
And wanted phytoplankton for my feather dusters!
I thought to get it by Brightwell Aquatics or Kent, is the only two brands that I find thought...

I also was thinking to have Calcium by Kent the liquid one, because the other looks very complicated D:

Is there any other bottle I need?

I'm keeping only feather dusters and some soft corals :3
Someday I want an anemone and a coco worm too! If possible...

My tank:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24058023

Thank you!

 

[MondoBongo]

i wouldn't bother with the garlic. there's plenty of dispute as to its benefits, but with some compelling evidence that it's not very helpful. if you're looking to help entice fish to eat, i would recommend selcon or some different kinds of food. i'm not sure selcon is made from, but it is oily and stinky, and my fish love it.

as far as the phyto, whichever you choose i would seriously look at maintaining your own cultures. the stuff in the bottles is some seriously weak sauce compared to what you can brew up at home with minimal effort. it is also incredibly expensive versus growing your own.

in regards to the algae, i like to go with a mix. i'll switch it up between different colors and brands for my herbivores. i do that because it is my belief that more variety is always better.

if you're just keeping softies and a feather duster right now, i wouldn't worry about the calcium supplement. get a test kit and check it regularly, but unless you get in to stony corals, regular water changes should be more than sufficient to maintain it.

 

[nuttyd]

A bottle of purple-up. Dirty word i know. but does get your coraline a kick. Also try buying a small live rock with lots of coraline from your lfs and crush it up to seed the coraline.

 

[joshbrookkate]

get a refractometer for testing salt in water. Much more accurate and that's important for salt water tanks.

 

[Sk8r]

Lol---I've never found fish reluctant to take anything I throw in the tank. Feeding frenzy is more like it. They don't mind garlic, but it's not necessary. One time I did use it---just mushed up a clove of garlic from the grocery, and, indeed, they ate it.
For a fish tank or softie reef you need an alkalinity test, a nitrate test, and an ammonia badge or alert (Seachem). Reading for alk should be 7.9 to 8.3 (get one with numbers), nitrate about 20. Ammonia should always be zero.
For a stony reef you need, besides potent lighting, calcium test (keep at 420) and a magnesium test (keep about 1300.) With all the above.
If you have an algae problem, a phosphate test may be useful.
My own tests are Salifert; my supplements (that correct a shortage) tend to be Kent.

 

[laga77]

Anything that grows on land, is not meant to be eaten by marine fish. Just because they will eat it does not mean it is good for them. That includes pellet and flake food. They contain wheat. Marine fish cannot digest the oils in it and other terrestrial plants. Stick with only fresh, live, and frozen foods.

 

[theMatrix]

Anything that grows on land, is not meant to be eaten by marine fish. Just because they will eat it does not mean it is good for them. That includes pellet and flake food. They contain wheat. Marine fish cannot digest the oils in it and other terrestrial plants. Stick with only fresh, live, and frozen foods.

...and peas for constipated fish?

 

[homer1475]

The one bottle I would never do a FW or SW tank without.... Seachem Prime.

 

[Sk8r]

Excellent product, Prime. Neutralizes chlorine, even Clorox. And is real good at getting the smell of bleach out of laundry---or your hands.

 

[loveaddressbox]

Thanks guys! That's a lot of information, well I will check it out and follow your advice! ;D
Thanks for reply!