just a ? about Boron & Potassium

[arredondojason]

So my 90G tank is almost done with its cycle and am going to be doing alot of the higher end SPS corals.
My question is about dosing Potassium and Boron any ideas i have been doing some research online but just wondering if the coloration is worth the cost of the supplements and test kits.
Thanks for any help.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I think you'd be better served doing large regular water changes with a quality salt mix. I don't know much about dosing boron or potassium, but I do know they're trace elements included in reef salt mixes. I've kept plenty of high end SPS as have many other guys around here and as far as I know, they don't dose either. They do huge water changes.

Where did you read about it? I'd be interested in giving it a quick read.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Giving it a quick read after doing a search. I remember a ways back when there was a "bad batch" of Reef Crystals (that they never admitted). I was considering switching to SeaChem Salt. They had a higher level of boron (borate, boric acid) which is supposed to help with pH stability. But it also affects the way most test kits read. It gives you a (higher or lower, can't remember) reading on your Alkalinity. Either way, I didn't want to mess with it. On top of that, I wouldn't want to dose it. As to how it pertains to coloration, I'm not sure. I'd like to at least read how.

Potassium is in the Reef Crystals trace elements I think. So again, after rethinking it, IMO, I'd just spend the cash on salt and plan on doing big frequent water changes. I was doing 40 gal a week on my old 285 gallon system. I plan on doing 30-40 a week on the new 230 gal system. I think that's what most guys on here with SPS dominant systems do.

I'll be following along to see what others have to say. Interesting topic.

 

[tmz]

Boron when added to salt water becomes boric acid, B(OH3) and borate.B(OH)4-. These two change back and forth relative to ph( the availability of H+) At seawater ph they are about 70% boric acid and 30% borate. As they shift , borate picks up H thus acting as a ph buffer. The natural seawaer level for boron(boric acid and borate) is 4.4ppm. Most salt mixes provide this amount.Foods are another source.
Boron is toxic to marine fish and invertebrates at elevated levels. So if you are inclined to dose it be sure to test for it. It is useful to some diamtoms and algaes. Much of it is stashed by corals in their skeletons in co preciptant with calcium carbonate.
It can also skew your alkalinity readings in terms of carbonate content, making it appear higher than it is.

Potassium(K), comes in with salt mix and foods. Most tanks have plenty. nsw is about 398ppm. Trouble with adding it is finding a reliable test kit.Assays on reef tanks have shown most have no shortage.

Iodine may also be toxic if iodine( I2) is dosed. Lugol's solution uses I2,for example. Iodide is much safer. Probably not of any benefit in most tanks. Certain gorgonian species are high users. It is also plentiful in salt mixes and foods. I haven't found a useful test kit.

Personally, I don't dose4any of these. I've tried K and Iodide and noted no positve or negative changes.

 

[arredondojason]

hum i live in Oregon now and there is one shop up here in hillsboro area that has some awsome coloration on his corals and i was talking with him about what he doses and he said aside the calcium reactor and mag the others where boron and K so that is where i started getting the idea for this.
I am getting test kits for both and will try it for a month and i will post results if i see any or not should be interesting.
The boron is suppose to boost the red coloration in corals, but you have to monitor it because as stated that it can mess up alot if over dosed and the K is suppose to up the blue colors in the corals.

 

[tmz]

There is no data to support any of that but good luck with it.
Boron is part of alkalinity and serves as a buffer for ph swings but is not known to be useful to corals. It is not consumed very much and buildups would be a concern. It doesn't take very much to be harmful or to leave you with less carbonate alkalinity than needed.