Trace Elements

[bkhunt]

I have been using Seachem Reef Trace and burn through a bottle pretty fast being it only does about 250 gallons and I have a 90 gallon the sump. I dose 25ml twice a week. I know many people have much larger tank so what to these folks use and where do they get it?

 

[rayjay]

I have many tanks and I've never dosed any trace elements in my 19yrs of reefing.

 

[OKDOHK]

Since you are concerned with trace elements. Have you thought of running a calcium reactor?

 

[tmz]

I do not use trace elements either for my mixed coral reef tanks or my seahorse tank. I do use a little iodide mainly since I keep soime gorgonians and a little iron for the macro algae. Plenty come in with food and water changes. Two part alkalinity and calcium mixes contain some too.

 

[Steve Wright2]

Not used any in my current set up for over 3 years
water changes along with foods etc as mentioned above, seem to be working out for me

Steve

 

[bkhunt]

I think I will stop dosing Trace Elements. i just test and dose as needed to keep calcium and kh at proper levers (about 1-2 times a week). I am changing 10g of water also per week with IO Reef Crystrals. I am having no issues with tank and prefer the less is more system. When I had a tank 10 years ago I killed alot of stuff by trying to be exact then went simple and a lot had a lot of success.

Nitrates - 0
Nitrites - 0
Ammonia - 0
ph 8.2
salinity - .025-.026
calcium - 400-480
kh 10

 

[tmz]

Good plan.

Just keep the alk in range 7 to 11 dkh and steady. calcium over 380ppm and magnesium over1280 and it should be fine.

 

[kevensquint]

you wanna see the unbalance trace elements can cause? take a look at my tank water analysis. I had my RO/DI water checked as well as a fresh batch of salt. The chemist agree's most if not all the higher metals is from the popular coloring additives I had been dosing.

ppb first number is NSW, second is my tank level
Ag Silver 0.28 <0.2
Al Aluminium 1 22
As Arsenic 2.6 0.7
B Boron 4450 2170
Ba Barium 21 30.3
Be Berilium 0.001 <0.4
Bi Bismuth 0.2 <0.1
Cd Cadmium 11 0.8
Co Cobalt 0.4 1.3
Cr Chrome 0.2 2.2
Cu_63 Copper 0.9 5.1
Fe Iron 3.4 19
Hg He Mercury 0.15 <0.1
Li Lithium 170 420
Mn Manganèse 0.4 <0.9
Mo Molybdène 10 33
Ni 60 Nickel 6.6 5.1
P Phosphorus 88 26
Pb Lead 0.03 7.8
Sb Antimony 0.33 0.6
Se Sélénium 0.9 1.2
Si Silicon 2900 137
Sn 118 Tin 0.81 34.9
Sr Strontium 8100 2570
Te Tellure <2 <2
Th Thorium .0004 <0.2
Ti Titanium 1 <6
Tl Thalium 0.2 0.3
U Uranium 3.3 0.15
V Vanadium 1.9 1.5
W Tungsten 0.9 <0.9
Y Yttrium 0.013 <0.2
Zn 66 Zinc 5 27.5
Zr Zirconium 0.03 <5


PPM
Ca Calcium 411 494
K Potassium 392 495
Mg Magnésium 1290 1350

 

[tmz]

Most aquariums are high in many minor and trace elements and metals from foods and other sources like salt mixes and calcium supplements. Fortunately they bind to organics and are not toxic in those forms unless they are released somehow. Hobbyists can't test for most of them in any case so adding them to pools where they are likely quite high already is jus t not a good idea,imo.

 

[Dr. Reef]

i have a gal of trace element i think i bought it 15-18 yrs ago. its still in my lab. barely used. i am aging it and waiting for it to qualify for reef museum.lol. i dont dose it either.