Supplement Choices?

[JR8999]

I am starting to prepare for corals and want to have some supplements on hand. I need to supplement calcium, magnesium and alkalinity.
What kind/brand do you use?

 

[Gibsonnnn]

Been having good results with the aquavitro products. They have all the supplements you will ever need for a reasonable price.

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

If adding calcium and alk start getting expencive, you can alwasy look into a kalk drip. For most people you can get away without adding 2 part Ca and Alk supliments, as long as your tank demand isn't too high, say from a well stocked SPS dominated tank.

 

[Crooked Reef]

If you do regular water changes you may not need to supplement. Especially not at the beginning. What are your parameters for calcium, magnesium, and kh? You may just be spending money on something you don't need. Just get high quality test kits for now.

 

[mpekoske]

The cheapest high quality ones that i have found have been the powders from BRS that you mix with RO water. very easy and cheap and they last a while depending on how much you dose

 

[OnceTrueFalseBr]

Check your parameters first, then decide if you need to dose...

 

[gone fishin]

If you do regular water changes you may not need to supplement. Especially not at the beginning. What are your parameters for calcium, magnesium, and kh? You may just be spending money on something you don't need. Just get high quality test kits for now.

I agree very much with this. I think a lot of times people get themselves in trouble by dosing to early. There are numerous threads with all kinds of dosing troubles. I went for quite awhile with just WC's and testing, eventually I hit a tipping point and needed to start dosing.

FWIW when I needed to start dosing I bought the BRS 2 part dosing kit.Good luck

 

[JR8999]

Calcium is 330
Mg is 1180
Alk is 9.4
Tested multiple times with Red Sea

 

[billdogg]

Calcium and Magnesium are a bit n the low side. Do you have corals yet?

Get the Mg in line first - if it is low it is just about impossible to get your Ca+ and Alk where you need them

Aim for Mg = 1350, Ca = 400-450, Alk someplace between 8 and 10 as long as it's consistent

I use the BRS powders also. I find them to be easy to mix and use, and a reasonable price for the quality of the product

 

[JR8999]

No corals yet. Once I get numbers up I will add. I'd like to start with LPS maybe. I like torch and hammer from a looks standpoint. Not sure how difficult to take care of.