What are you adding to your tank?

[Oilers]

I am looking to put in an order for some additives. Right now, I am using SeaChem Reef Calcium, SeaChem Reef plus, SeaChem Mg and Sr, Kent Marine Coral Accel and Caribsea Purple-Up Accelerator. I am just wondering if there's something else I should add to the water. I have mostly LPS and zoas. However, I am looking to get into SPS once I get my lights upgraded to LED.
Is there any advantage over using the Kent Marine Calcium buffer part A & B additive compared to the SeaChem Reef Calcium I am using?

[ScubaSteve]

I do almost strictly SPS and I add nothing other than kalkwasser. Water changes (IO Salt) and carbon dosing (VSV method) help keep parameters in check. When I started I used to dose everything but, unless I could automate the dosing (two-part dosers), it actually caused more fluctuations and hassle. And if I went away for the weekend? Everything would be out of wack. Ever since I simplified to kalkwasser and an ATO life has been great and my tank has taken off.

[Reef Supplies]

Everyone has a list of products that work well for them. Here are my suggestions...

1- Your SeaChem Reef Calcium is great for raising your levels. You will also need something to raise alk, have a look at Seachem reef Carbonate (http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/reef-carbonate-alkalinity-by-seachem-500ml/)or Brightwell Alkalin 8.3

2- Once you get your CAL/ALK levels up to where you feel comfortable you should consider dosing a quality 2-part to keep your levels stable.

There are many DIY recipes for this but there are also great off the shelf product you can buy such as Brightwell Code A and B (http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/reef-code-a-b-combo-set-2l-calalk-by-brightwell/)

3- One thing that is always overlooked in Magnesium. You need to keep mag over 1300 to maintain CAL/ALK. Brightwell has a great mag solution called Magnesion.

Id drop the purple-up. The above will get you all the coralline you need...you need Calcium to produce coralline algae.

Happy reefing
Ray

[Reef Supplies]

I do almost strictly SPS and I add nothing other than kalkwasser. Water changes (IO Salt) and carbon dosing (VSV method) help keep parameters in check. When I started I used to dose everything but, unless I could automate the dosing (two-part dosers), it actually caused more fluctuations and hassle. And if I went away for the weekend? Everything would be out of wack. Ever since I simplified to kalkwasser and an ATO life has been great and my tank has taken off.

Agreed, another great solution. I have a small SPS tank that runs Kalk and it's doing great!


The only issue with this, for me, is you need to keep PH in check and the biggest issue is kalk can only go so far. Once you reach saturation (2 tsp per gallon of top off) you will need to supplement something else.

My 60ish gallon tank is keeping Cal/alk at 420/9 very steadily and I'm using 1 tsp per gallon of top-off.

P.S. I still have to dose MAG.

[MinPhase]

Alternatively you could try doing more frequent water changes. I supplement calcium but nothing else. Your salt should have all the inorganic components that you need so save your money.

[whatcaneyedo]

Calcium Hydroxide via reactor (in addition to a Ca Reactor)
Magnesium Chloride
Magnesium Sulfate
10% weekly water changes with mostly IO salt
and a few times a year some Sodium Bicarbonate

[Flash]

i add nothing other then prime to my top-ups! lol!

[daniella3d]

I am dosing the Bulk Reef Supply 2 parts for calcium and alkalinity with a Marine Magic dosing pump. I add magnesium manually once a month or so because my tank does not consume much mag.

I add iodine (lugol) every week and Coral Vite on regular basis.

As food for corals, I use 2 drops of Zeovit amino acid and sponge power each day, and I feed Coral Frenzy, ReefRoid, Fauna marin, every day or every other day.

So nobody is starving in my tank.

[fishoholic]

I add fish, critters and food :lol: I don't dose anything nor do I check the levels.

[Reef Supplies]

Marine Magic dosing pump.

These keep coming up in conversation a lot! Can you give us some feedback on the product? Was it expensive, reliable...how long have you had it running?

We sell the GHL Dosing Unit (http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/ghl-dosing-unit-3-pump/), the best, most complete, most reliable unit on the market but not everyone has $400 to shell out on a doser.

It would be nice if we can carry an alternative unit that costs less.

thanks,
Ray

[Reef Pilot]

I dose these from Seachem.
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/ReefBuffer.html
Keeps PH up as well.

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/ReefAdvCalcium.html
Adds Mg as well as Ca.

I keep my alk at around 8 KH, and Ca around 400. Mg is around 1300. Using IO salt for now.

My tanks remain very stable, and have not had to adjust my dosing for a couple months now.

[Flash]

I add fish, critters and food :lol: I don't dose anything nor do I check the levels.

DITTO! lol!

[Cugio]

It would be nice if we can carry an alternative unit that costs less.


The Bubble Magus dosing unit is also really good and quite cheap. I'm sure you can get that through your supplier as well.

[Ryan-b]

I have been using the Marine magic doser (3 heads) for 6 months now and it works great, absolutely no problems with it yet. It can dose up to 16 different times a day per pump, and each pump has 4 different speeds. I think i paid 160 shipped from china or where ever it comes from.

The only draw back I have noticed is if the power goes out you have to reset the clock. It keeps all your scheduled dosing times/speed/length stored though.

[daniella3d]

So far I have not had to adjust anything after the initial adjustment and it's been 4 months maybe more (lost track). So far it's been very reliable and my levels stay exactly what they should.

It cost me 175$ can shipped and it took about a week before I got it from China. They have put "gift" and value of 50$ so I had no duty to pay on it, that was nice too. no taxes and no duty...175$ shipped to my door.

The motor and pump are cheap to replace if they broke.

The only negative feedback that I can give at this point is that each pump has a slightly different output, so not because one pump does 100ml at speed level 2 for 30 seconds, it does not mean that they will all do that. Some have a slightly different debit then others so they all need to be adjusted separatly. As exemple, of you want to dose 100ml of calcium and alkalinity, you cannot assume that both pump will produce the same quantity at the same setting, there is a slight difference. However once each pump is adjusted to produce 100ml per day, it will pretty much stick to this and be reliable. I tested mine each day for a week to make sure it would produce the right quantity.

Other negative is that if there is a power outage, it does not resume on its own and you must re enter the date and put it into auto mode. However you don't need to re enter all the settings for the pumps as this is kept into a flash memory, so only the date must be re-enter when there is power outage.

That's about it.. I am happy and I only test once a week or once every second week and my parameters are always spot on and it did not cost a lot.

For someone on a low budget, this is a very nice unit.

These keep coming up in conversation a lot! Can you give us some feedback on the product? Was it expensive, reliable...how long have you had it running?

We sell the GHL Dosing Unit (http://www.reefsupplies.ca/canada/ghl-dosing-unit-3-pump/), the best, most complete, most reliable unit on the market but not everyone has $400 to shell out on a doser.

It would be nice if we can carry an alternative unit that costs less.

thanks,
Ray

[Oilers]

Laurie,
Wow, I am surprised that you don't dose at all and yet, your tanks are beautiful. When is the next tank tour? I wanna go over to see your tanks again :biggrin:
Reef Supplies,
Thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely keep them in mind when I make my order. I just purchased a Marine magic dosing pump too for $160. That's why I am thinking of purchasing the Brightwell 2 parts dosing to take advantage of the pump.

Thank you all for the replies. You guys are great!!

[Mike-fish]

i dose nothing and virtually never do water changes on my cube 29G bc (drip lines for new stock top up) have 2 lps 1 geneopora 1 4" clam and tonnes of zoas.

[fishytime]

ah yes, but Lauries tank kills most coral:razz::razz:.....not sure if its the parameters or her "reef" fish.....

I on the other hand have a full blown mixed reef .....heavily sps dominant, some lps and a whack of zoas....... not 1 drop of Ca, Mg or DKH in two years(I have a profilux doser sitting on a shelf collecting dust).....tank has been on Prodibio for about three monthes and thats it........

how big is your tank David?.....I would think about getting in to the bulk chemicals if your tank is over say 100g.....this will save you a tonne of money over buying pre-mixed solutions....

[daniella3d]

I guess your zoanthids must be really happy because they react strongly to any sudden change in alkalinity...a very slow drop won't affect them as a suddent increase.

But what about that clam? I guess it does not have much calcium to grow its shell...

i dose nothing and virtually never do water changes on my cube 29G bc (drip lines for new stock top up) have 2 lps 1 geneopora 1 4" clam and tonnes of zoas.

[Myka]

I didn't read everyone's replies, so I don't know if anyone has pointed out yet that SeaChem Reef Calcium (the liquid) is calcium gluconate rather than calcium carbonate. I'm not a fan, and wouldn't recommend that product. If you buy a dry powder it will be much cheaper to dose. Brightwell Aquatics is usually easy to find, and I have been very happy with their products.

I think half those products you're dosing are a waste of money. Purple Up is essentially just a calcium/alkalinity booster (can't remember if it is cal or alk), and I've never found it to actually increase coralline any more than simple keeping proper parameters. Reef Plus and Coral Accel probably do little other than increase nutrient load in your tank. Nutrients make for brown SPS, although LPS and softies like some nutrients.

In my reef tanks I dose calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, and potassium (just in the SPS tank). I have been experimenting with a mild form of "carbon dosing" using Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter7 and BioFuel. The point of carbon dosing is to reduce nutrients, rather than adding nutrients. Fyi, carbon dosing has nothing to do with the black carbon you put in a filter.

[e46er]

I dose Calcium chloride, baked baking soda , and magFlake
All bought in bulk chemical form as its MUCH MUCH cheeper
Cal /alk is dosed via doser mag is done manually usually 4-6 weeks my tank will need 50 -100 ppm

[Mike-fish]

I guess your zoanthids must be really happy because they react strongly to any sudden change in alkalinity...a very slow drop won't affect them as a suddent increase.

But what about that clam? I guess it does not have much calcium to grow its shell...
all levels are normal ca2+ is a little high alk is steady. i could take water tests if you want

[Oilers]

how big is your tank David?.....I would think about getting in to the bulk chemicals if your tank is over say 100g.....this will save you a tonne of money over buying pre-mixed solutions.... My tank is 150G. Can you elaborate more on the bulk chemicals? This is what I have ordered today.
Item: Brightwell Aquatics Reef Code Part A Calcium/Buffer Additive - 2 Litre (Brightwell Aquatics)
Item: Brightwell Aquatics Reef Code Part B Calcium/Buffer Additive - 2 Litre (Brightwell Aquatics)
Item: Kent Marine Coral-Vite Additive - 64 oz.
Item: SeaChem Reef Advantage Magnesium Additive - 2.2 KG 2.2KG
Item: SeaChem Reef Advantage Strontium Additive - 1 KG 1 KG

I think half those products you're dosing are a waste of money. Purple Up is essentially just a calcium/alkalinity booster (can't remember if it is cal or alk), and I've never found it to actually increase coralline any more than simple keeping proper parameters. Reef Plus and Coral Accel probably do little other than increase nutrient load in your tank. Nutrients make for brown SPS, although LPS and softies like some nutrients. Thanks Myka. I was going to order Reef Plus and Coral Accel again but after reading your comment, I've decided to try something else instead.

[fishytime]

you can buy sodium bicarbonate (DKH), calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate in bulk.....just add RO or RO/DI water and save a boatload of cash...... Red Coral in E-town should have the "Coral Grow" line of bulk chems or you can order from places like BRS....

[Mike-fish]

Wouldn't you know my previous statement bit be in the a**. Alk is now low probably ca2+ oh well coulda seen that coming holding corals for dad since he has phosphate issues currently so looks like water changes for me

[Rice Reef]

I add bulk sodium bicarbonate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, vodka and vinegar. I also add Brightwell Potassion, Reef advantage strontium and Reef iodide. For salt I use IO.