Tank additives?

[rustypixel]

I'm curious to know what everyone here uses for tank additives (if any at all). Please post what you think works best for your needs.

Thanks

 

[duec22]

Honestly with a nano tank, if you are doing 15-20% weekly water changes I wouldn't worry about any additives. That is unless you are running some demanding corals...like alk and Ca if you have an SPS dominated tank.

 

[icenine2005]

Yep.. I would agree. None are really needed. ..one of the nice things about a nano.

 

[chip721]

1 year old 29g. Nothing but regular water changes.

 

[ycrazyy]

I have a 6 month old 24g and I just do 5g water changes every week to two weeks. However I did just buy the Kent Nano-Reef A+B to try it out and see if it helps my tank at all.

 

[calvin415]

My SPS 40 is getting B-Ionic on a dosing pump to keep up with Ca demands. Other than that, just regular water changes.

 

[Agu]

I drip kalk to replace most of my evaporation.

A Simple DIY Kalk Dripper

 

[Jim Z.]

I add 2 liters of kalkwasser every night (Ca at 430), an occasional 2 tsp baking soda and weekly water changes to keep everyone happy. If my water changes are late, I will sometimes add 1/4 cap of reefchem iodine solution....Jim Z.

 

[flameangel88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7155611#post7155611 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ycrazyy
I have a 6 month old 24g and I just do 5g water changes every week to two weeks. However I did just buy the Kent Nano-Reef A+B to try it out and see if it helps my tank at all.

I started that about 2 weeks ago and after 3 doses the algae (both red and green) began to boom and hopefully the critters will be in tonight will take care most of the hair algae and it's begainning to cover some of the rocks. I read somewhere here that hair algae could be caused by too much nutrients and phosphate in the water. I will stop adding the additives for 2 weeks and see what happen.

Any suggestion/comment are welcome. Thanks.

 

[Jim Z.]

An added benefit of Kalkwasser is that excess calcium will bind with the phosphate which can then be picked up by the skimmer. Once you figure out the micronutrient demands of your tank, you may or may not need to add anything when weekly water changes are made....Jim Z.

 

[Lakeside518]

10 % weekly water changes with Reef Crystals brand salt.

Also, Sechem Reef buffer & builder with water change. As well as B-Ionic from time to time.

 

[chaseracing]

Basically the weekly water changes are the main thing I do also. The only other things I add are a capful of Cycle and a Calcium supplement.

 

[chocolateblnt]

Magnesium, Strontium, Calcium, Buffer, Iodide, & Iodine.

Results ... LR like this

I use this to top-off ...

 

[icenine2005]

Don't dose for anything you don't test for....
the only reason you might need to watch CA levels is if you have lots of stony corals or clams. ...being this is your first reef, probably not part of your stock right?

chocolateblnt, why are you dosing iodine? Magnesium and Strontium as well for that matter?

 

[rustypixel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7161896#post7161896 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by icenine2005
Don't dose for anything you don't test for....
the only reason you might need to watch CA levels is if you have lots of stony corals or clams. ...being this is your first reef, probably not part of your stock right?

It isn't quite my first reef tank (I had a reef set up before I got married that did excellent for three years without a single water change!) but it is my first nano. Also, I've been out of the reef loop for some time and have noticed a slew of new additives onto the market and just wanted to see what everyone's using. For my nano I have no plans for clams or stonies, that will be for the 90 I plan in the basement.

 

[tripstank]

I add C-Balance daily and top of with Kalkwasser mixture. If I am adding a lot of top through out the week, I may dose with strontium, iodine, and iron. Of course, I have an Mixed reef with clams!

 

[Paladin]

I just drip kalkwasser and do water changes for my 29g, and just do water changes for my 12g and 7g.

 

[chocolateblnt]

IceNine: I dose iodine because if added in large quantities as specified on the bottle it can become as toxic as chlorine to a reef system... but I still have to add Iodine to promote proper molting for inverts and crabs.

Magnesium and Strontium are elements found in my Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium that I dose in order to achieve dissolved calcium and not just calcium (Ca++ is what you're looking for, other wise your calcium could just deposit anywhere on your tank instead of being used up by corals and rock). From the look of my LR and tank I don't think I am doing anything wrong.

... "don't dose for anything you don't test for" You should be testing for about nearly everything everytime you make an addition/deduction to your tank because parameters DO change. So does this mean you don't test for Iodine levels because you don't dose it ?! How do you keep your inverts alive/protect them from improper molts and ensure your reef isn't being poisoned?! You also don't dose bad things like phosphates (unless you use tap water) but you still should test for it.

 

[chocolateblnt]

oops extra post

 

[chocolateblnt]

omg oops :lol: