Alright, I am dosing with C-balance A/B right now. But I want opinion's from you old timers. I keep hearing about home made two part solutions and everything else. My question is with Calcium, Strontium, Iodine, Alkalinity, ect. What should i be putting in my tank. It will eventually have anything from shrooms to acro's. I don't want to spend money on reactors and this and that right now. So lets see what you all have to say.... Thanks in advance. fellow reefer
What should I be dosing...
- Thread starter 200gallon
- Start date
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
Dose absolutely nothing unless you have a good test kit for that particular thing, use it regularly and know it is deficient in whatever it is.
Do you have hard corals presently which would create a demand for calcium/alkalinity? Do you monitor the calcium and alkalinity?
Its really easy to get a system out of whack by adding things that you do not need and canot test for. I would not add anything at all until such time as you are moderately stocked with SPS and LPS and actually have a need for calcium, possibly magnesium and some alkalinity adjustment. Until that time regular water changes with a good salt mix will take care of everthing you could possibly need. Most packaged additives and supplements are right next to snake oil in my book. A simple calcium reactor which I use or kalk addition takes care of just about everything.
Do you have hard corals presently which would create a demand for calcium/alkalinity? Do you monitor the calcium and alkalinity?
Its really easy to get a system out of whack by adding things that you do not need and canot test for. I would not add anything at all until such time as you are moderately stocked with SPS and LPS and actually have a need for calcium, possibly magnesium and some alkalinity adjustment. Until that time regular water changes with a good salt mix will take care of everthing you could possibly need. Most packaged additives and supplements are right next to snake oil in my book. A simple calcium reactor which I use or kalk addition takes care of just about everything.
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
Mostly soft corals and some LPS but not much that requires any additions especially in a 200 gallon system. Water changes will easily keep up with those. When you start getting melon sized digitatas and plate sized caps then its time to start worrying about additions or supplements. I wouldn't fret things yet.
stagefright13
New member
I have great success with this simple recipe. Do all your top off water with Kalkwasser. I use Kent superbuffer to keep DKH at 12. And I use Kent liquid calcium to keep Calcium over 400. I use reef crystals salt at 1.025 and that's it. I test for DKH, CA, and NO3 only. Even tho I have most Salifert tests. Testing for and keeping these 3 parameters in check will grow most pets.
However I am not a big coral guy. Mostly nems. I only have 2 corals. They may need some additional supplements. But I doubt it if you do regular water changes. And as said before don't stick it in if you can't test for it!!
And not trying to be a product sponsor or anything. The Kent stuff works so I didn't try anything else...
However I am not a big coral guy. Mostly nems. I only have 2 corals. They may need some additional supplements. But I doubt it if you do regular water changes. And as said before don't stick it in if you can't test for it!!
And not trying to be a product sponsor or anything. The Kent stuff works so I didn't try anything else...
Dittos to the Rat, you need a Ca reactor to do what you are asking.
get a GEO, in the long run(less than 1 year), you'll be glad that you did, fluctuations are detrimental to sps, I would not do sps w/out a Ca reactor--just monitor parameters, and watch out for low alk values--dose what you need--alk--CaCl2.
Your corals should flourish if you maintain the proper Ca, alk values w/out much drift.
get a GEO, in the long run(less than 1 year), you'll be glad that you did, fluctuations are detrimental to sps, I would not do sps w/out a Ca reactor--just monitor parameters, and watch out for low alk values--dose what you need--alk--CaCl2.
Your corals should flourish if you maintain the proper Ca, alk values w/out much drift.
virginiadiver69
New member
I dissagree!
While a Ca reactor can be helpful it most definitely is not needed. Many sps tanks rely solely on kalk top off and/or two part doing. The two part can be dosed either manually or via a cheap drip system.
Ditto on the Mag testing.
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
The calcium reactor takes all the work and guesswork out of it. Install it, get it set right and basically forget it until it needs media in 6 months. Other methods require work and I am basically lazy.
Alright, I am dosing with C-balance A/B right now. But I want opinion's from you old timers. I keep hearing about home made two part solutions and everything else. My question is with Calcium, Strontium, Iodine, Alkalinity, ect. What should i be putting in my tank. It will eventually have anything from shrooms to acro's. I don't want to spend money on reactors and this and that right now. So lets see what you all have to say.... Thanks in advance. fellow reefer.... Also has anybody heard or used the new line from seachem Aquavitro I think it is...
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
If you have test kits for calcium and alkalinity continue dosing with C Balance if the tests indicate a need for it. Don't dose anything else as it is all contained in a salt mix.
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
There is not much difference between all the quality salts on the market. I ahve sat in on a couple of presentations by the guy who blends salt for IO and Reef Crystals and he says most any name brand salt will work well today.
I use Ocean Pure myself and used to use Oceanic with good results. Years ago it was IO or Red Sea and they all worked fine.
I use Ocean Pure myself and used to use Oceanic with good results. Years ago it was IO or Red Sea and they all worked fine.
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
Lots of people mixed Oceanic and IO together to get the high calcium of Oceanic which was weak in alkalinity and the alkalinity of IO. I never bother since I have the reactor.
