Which Seachem Supplements?

[blkdrgn]

I only have LR. I did my tests and I have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate, pH 8.0, Salinity is 1.025-26. but calcium is very low, 310ppm. I did multiple 10% water changes but it did not help. I just ordered Reef Complete and Reef Calcium but it says it's just to maintain. Do I need to buy all the other ones and add them all? If I get real salt water from our State's aquarium do I still need these supplements? I use Instant Ocean. Do I need to get E.S.V. B-Ionic 2-Part Calcium Buffer as recommend by Seachem for depleted calcium or is their calcium enough? This is pretty confusing.

Reef Complete
Reef Strontium
Reef Iodide
Reef Plus
Reef Carbonate
Reef Trace
Marine Trace

Then they have powder form

Reef Advantage Calcium
Reef Advantage Strontium
Reef Advantage Magnesium
Reef Builder
Reef Buffer
Reef Kalkwasser
Marine Buffer

I also read good stuff about CaribSea Purple Up Algae Accelerator. Is that the equal as one of the above or can I add that too?

 

[BurntOutReefer]

IMO....only add what you can test for.
I only dose Iodine (1 cap a week)...thats it. Weekly water changes should replace most everything thats used up.....
Calcium is low and you can use an additive if you want....A/B is pretty good....
IMO...everything else is a waste....
I think this thread should get pretty active with differing opinions though.....

 

[bertoni]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

That article covers all the water parameters and the need for supplementation. Personally, I'd suggest getting some B-Ionic or an equivalent product for the short term. That'll provide calcium and alkalinity, which are the basics that need supplementation for most tanks. The tank might require some magnesium over the longer term.

 

[blkdrgn]

so Kent Marine's Nano Reef Parts A & B is almost the same as E.S.V. B-Ionic 2-Part Calcium Buffer?

 

[BurntOutReefer]

neah....IMO...
let me back out of my A/B statement....forgot that it contains all sorts of things....
B-Ionic (with regular water changes) would be all that you need.

 

[bertoni]

The Kent product will work, but I thought someone had determined it was more dilute and thus perhaps more expensive than some of the others.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

out of that whole laundry list, I could see some use in one of those powdered buffers(check for the sodium borate though = not needed)

and for calcium(if you are keeping corals/clams/snails etc) the kalk and calcium may be useful


save the rest of your cash for good alk, ca and pH testing and reefcrystals(whatever)