water change/trace elements/dosing...

bilge rat

New member
happy sunday woo-hoo

water change-ish/dosing question-

are their additional trace elements which I should
be adding with each water change?
not speaking specifically towards any particular inhabitants needs
but generally...or specifically either i suppose considering whats in my tank. I have read up on the known inhabitants of my tank and as far as I can tell no-one in here requires any SPECIAL needs. Other than maybe feeding the candy canes 1-2 times per week to increase their growth rate.
Realizing my tank is just a pup and still a long ways from being "stable" i just want to be sure i am not missing anything. Will not be adding any new inhabitants for a few months while tank matures.

I have a 34g cad
11 days old in tank (+10 days in rubbermaid waiting for tank)
initial cycle complete...
only livestock is what hitched in with established LR/LS
which actually has turned out to be ALOT...
-3 shroom colonies (1 blk, 1 red, 1maroon with wht stripes)
each colony was only 2-3 at first now they are like 7-10 sm, but many
-2 3 headed candy canes 1 red and green, 1 white and pink (looked like hell at
first but are looking great now and seem to be growing)
-1 dk green zoo colony (1), 1 brown zoo colony(2) and 1 lime green zoo colony
(7); all are sm ones but all are spreading...
-some kind of leather or SPS frag??...has small brown dots i think r polyps which
come in and out...branches seem to be expanding/swollen heres pic
whutami-1.jpg

wahtamI-c.jpg

-some marg snails, 1 turbo, 1 snail i cant id yet
-TONS of bugs...copos are multiplying like crazy (no pred yet)
-have LR rubble in fuge with chaeto

I have been reading and researching before and after start up but am still overwhelmed by amount of info and am wondering if i will ever reach a point where i am competent in reef care/husbandry....
dont get me wrong i am loving it and finding out new things every day but i just want to be....a good father to my tank and its inhabitants.
have been doing water tests and have had LFS as well for comparison as of this am;
trites/trates/amm = 0
ph = 8.0
sg=1.025
calc = 450
temp 78-80, higher end when MH kicks on

thanks
joshuah
 
Decent salt mix will take care of the 70 essential trace elements. Additional trace elements are not needed. Keep up with water changes and you will be fine.

Jeff
 
No need to suppliment trace elements. You will make up for any losses with weekly water changes. I would, however, get on an alkalinity/calcium supplimentation program. I use Randy's diy 2-part and it's great. 2-part suppliments deliver a balanced ratio of alk/ca so there is no fiddling with individual suppliments. The frag could be a really bleached finger leather, but hard to tell.

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

Reef chemicals calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

:)
 
agree with drummereef on the weekly changes and using randy's for your top-off water, remember to check (test) levels before supplementing and you can figure out what you need to add on a regular basis
 
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