reef aquarium concerns..

[b0wenj]

I am new to the saltwater aguarium world and I currently have a 30 gallon fish tank that has been up and going now for a little over a month and has already cycled. I have about 50 lbs of live rock in my tank 2 clown fish and lots of astrea snails and blue legged hermit crabs.

My question is how many different checmicals do most people add to their salt water reef aquariums per week and what chemicals are they?

 

[bertoni]

If you just want to keep fish, you're probably fine if the pH is okay. For reefs, most tanks require adding calcium and alkalinity regularly, often daily. This article covers all the basic chemistry that's needed:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

 

[mg426]

Randys recipe 1 and regular water changes work great for me.

 

[Paintbug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7280862#post7280862 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mg426
Randys recipe 1 and regular water changes work great for me.

same here. until you start adding corals, just keep an eye on the pH, temp., SG, nitrates, and alk. water changes should keep all those balanced.

 

[RLMainers]

We don't add anything to ours. We use Tropic Marin Pro. Even have an sps that is growing fast! Just regular feedings and strict weekly water changes. Tropic Marin Pro provides all the minerals that the tank needs.

 

[Jocko]

The main things you would need to replenish would be alk and calcium. Of course calcium usually only depletes when you have a bunch of stoney corals. If you are going to be going that route, you will want to read up on calcification and how that works with alk, magnesium, etc.

But for the most part, the trace elements tend to remain ok just via water changes. As a newbie, you don't need to spend your time worrying about them. Focus on other things. I remember looking at all the additives when I first started and feeling overwhelmed. Looking back, the best advice is to ignore them! Most are wastes of money.

 

[m3rcury]

the other thing i would suggest is supplements for your fish. i learned the importance of proper nutrition the other week when dealing with a sick fish.

check this article for further information: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=785228

 

[b0wenj]

I appreciate all the great information and will read up on it. My plan is to start a reef tank and have lps and sps in the tank and I relize the calcium, alkalinity, nitrate, nitrite, amonia, and ph need to be at the correct levels. I am wonder if people add anything to the water to help promote these types corals to grow as well as do they add anything to help promote growth for snail shells or hermit crabs..........I have heard something about adding iodine as well as keeping the other chemicals balanced.

So I am wondering what others do? If anything about this.

 

[J4Life]

I am not so sure that I agree with Jocko's statement that most additives are a waste of money. It really depends on a lot of variables as to whether you should use additives or not. Based on your tank size and if you are willing to perform weekly water changes you might be able to get by with out them. However on much larger tanks doing weekly water changes doesn't always fit the bill so to speak.

I add iodine, Kent Tech CB Part A & B weekly and do water changes about every three weeks. I also add Kent's turbo calcium and DKH buffer to help maintain my alkalinity and calcium levels since I do not have reactors for either.

So far this regiment has really worked well for my 75 gallon tank. I use Instant Ocean salt and that is about it. From my readings as of late there doesn't seem to be a single salt mix out there that doesn't need some additives to maintain certain corals. If you read some of the articles in Randy Holmes-Farley's forum they will answer pretty much all of these questions that you have.

Hope that helps and good luck with your reef tank. I am sure its going to be a nice one.

Catch you around the Triad.....
Bill:lol: