Additives question

[coolhandgoose]

I'm feeling very overwhelmed with all the products out there. I really want to have a go at making a nice reef for myself, mostly lps, but confused by all the products.

I'm going to stick to a water change regiment but wanted to open the floor to find out what others are doing. I looked through TOTM threads and everyone does something different! I know there's no magic bullet to successful reefing but I need advice on what I can do better.

Right now using active carbon in a mesh bag, skimming, water changes and dosing for mg ca and alk. That's it.

What are people using for other additives?
The whole zeovit system won't work for me since I'm often gone 4 days at a time and need the tank to be mostly on autopilot.

[coolhandgoose]

I was pm'd for some more details.

Tank is about 72ish gallons. 46Lx18Wx20H. plus 15-20 gals for sump.
Yes checking params before dosing alk etc.
Lighting is an AI hydra 52.
Right now corals are gsp, torch, cynarina, hammer that I'm pretty sure is dead, duncans, red flower, maximini anemone, candy cane, Kenya trees, finger leather

[rayjay]

In 22 yrs of reefing, all I dosed was for calcium, magnesium and alkalinity.
The theory I would go by is don't add anything that you haven't tested for and found to be too low.
I do water changes NOT to replenish elements but to LOWER them.
As food is consumed by anything in the tank the products are broken down as the waste is further processed by micro-organisms until elements/compounds are released into the water column, some good and some bad.
After years of testing for what could be tested for and never finding anything too low as far as I was concerned, I stopped testing and just kept up with water changes as I saw fit.

[Tyfighter]

With what you have there I would just keep up with regular water changes. The above poster nailed it with only dosing with what's too low. People have a tendency to want to do too much with additives but it gives a way greater chance of things getting thrown off.
I once read. "the only thing that happens fast in this hobby is when thing go wrong."
Usually the less I do to my tank the better it looks.

[brisco]

I am also away from my reef tank every week for 4 days in a row, a tank controller is a must. I also keep a IP camera on the tank, so that I can check in. I recently added a 3 Chanel dossing pump which helps keep my levels consistent. A battery back up will automatically run a circulation pump for 36 hours if power is lost while I am away...just some things to consider.

Bryce