Strontium -- Yes or No?

[Snowsrfr]

Just curious if anybody has any input on the addition of strontium for good coral health/growth? Whenever I'm reading about the different corals I've got, or just purchased it seems they all "benefit" from the addition of strontium. I know so much of this is subjective so I'm just curious if some people could weigh in on this subject. Thanks.

 

[tangwang]

I believe strontium is a part of the calcification process, so I'd say you would benefit from adding strontium ONLY if you test the strontium level of your tank and it is low.....




Matt

 

[Wiskey]

I do dose SR but do it with my autotopoff to avoid sudden shock, and because it is a poison.

When I started I noticed a sharp increace in coraline growth, especially on the glass.

Whiskey

 

[tankslave]

Sr is also released by your Ca reactor, so if you dont have one, you may want to pay closer attention to the Sr level.

 

[NoSchwag]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6990143#post6990143 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wiskey
I do dose SR but do it with my autotopoff to avoid sudden shock, and because it is a poison.

Be careful doing that man, I can see you wiping out your tank like that.

 

[vessxpress1]

I add it all the time, directly to the tank, diluted in top off water. Never had a problem. When I'd test it with the Salifert test kit (35 bucks for 25 tests) it was always on the low side. I also have a lot of coraline algae on the glass. My .02.

 

[Aj_999]

Doesn't Kalk contain some strontium??

 

[vessxpress1]

I know the salts I use / have used, IO and Reef Crystals, aren't very high in strontium so in that area, water changes have their limits. That's why I supplement. A newly batch of Reef Crystals gave me 4 ppm. Natural seawater's like 7-8. The Salifert test kit says you're fine keeping them high, like 10 to even 16 is good. I don't know if you'd want to go beyond that but I think it's a lot like how some people keep their calcium over 500. Why not give them a better enviroment than natural seawater to promote growth?

 

[wahwoo]

Be Careful.

Strontium increases coraline growth, SPS growth and some Soft Corals like Ricordia.

At the same time, Zoanthids can stop growing or totally disolve with Strontium additions. Other Soft Corals may not like it either. There was a very good thread about Strontium and its affects on Zoas and SPS in the SPS Section of RC last week. Check it out.

When I added Strontium my Rics took off. They doubled in size and some even split. I had some wild caught Zoas that were doing great until I dosed sr. Then they completely closed and would not reopen for an entire month. Finally I moved them to a new tank that was never dosed and they all reopened. When I read the SPS thread it opened my eyes and I noticed that my other Aquacultured Zoas remained open but had stopped growing.

 

[vessxpress1]

wahwoo: Thanks for the advice. I didn't know that. I have a lot of zoos and I hadn't noticed any growth problems with them, but I'll watch for it now.

 

[Wiskey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6990755#post6990755 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NoSchwag
Be careful doing that man, I can see you wiping out your tank like that.

I think you misunderstood. I have a 10 gallon autotopoff, it takes 5 days to go through that. So when I fill the autotopoff I add 3 ML SR so it is dosed slowly over 5 days.

Whiskey

 

[rayjay]

In 12 plus years, I've never added strontium nor even tested for it.
The only "additives" would be limewater and for fish sitters that I don't trust with limewater, 2 part calcium/alk suppliment, presently Randy's formula.

 

[NoSchwag]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6991777#post6991777 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wiskey
I think you misunderstood. I have a 10 gallon autotopoff, it takes 5 days to go through that. So when I fill the autotopoff I add 3 ML SR so it is dosed slowly over 5 days.

Whiskey

So as long as you feel that you can dump that whole 10 gallons in the tank and nothing will happen, you should be all set.

Auto topoffs malfunction all of the time.

 

[tangwang]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6990799#post6990799 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aj_999
Doesn't Kalk contain some strontium??

No, it shouldn't. Kalk powder should be pure Calcium Hydroxide....





Matt

 

[tankslave]

Sprung and Delbeek mentioned that there is Sr in kalk, but I never saw it... I guess there could be since its mined from lime deposits, which are basically really old marine fossil skeletons, and Sr is so chemically similar to Ca...

 

[Weatherman]

Very tiny amounts.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2003/chem.htm

 

[Wiskey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6992701#post6992701 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NoSchwag
So as long as you feel that you can dump that whole 10 gallons in the tank and nothing will happen, you should be all set.

Auto topoffs malfunction all of the time.

Normaly I would dose that amount all at once every 5 days, but I felt that it was better do do it this way. If it did dump in all at once, it would be just like if I dosed it like everybody else.

Whiskey

 

[GPB]

I use C-Balance two part additive and it supposedly contains SrCL. I have never twested for Stontium. I have read an artilce or two that metions that Stontium is a requirement of successful SPS keeping.

 

[tankslave]

I tested it with the salfert and it was almost non-esistent in my tank... hmmm...

 

[Weatherman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7002236#post7002236 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tankslave
I tested it with the salfert and it was almost non-esistent in my tank... hmmm...

Apparently the Salifert test kit is one of the better ones when it comes to testing Sr, but it's still very difficult to get a precise measurement.

I practiced and practiced until I could recognize the color changes. I tested natural seawater, so I knew, approximately, what values I should have. After many tries, I am fairly confident I was reading 400 ppm Ca and 8 ppm Sr.

Then, I tested my tank water. 410 ppm Ca and around 4 ppm Sr.

Now that I know my tank levels are low, I feel comfortable dosing without fear of pushing the Sr levels too high. It should be very interesting to see what changes, if any, occur in my tank over the next month as I push the Sr level back up to around 8 ppm.