Additives

[tentacle]

I am curious what additives some of you are using. My tank is about six months old, and is doing quite well. I do however notice that some corals, although they are growing, do not seem to be thriving as much as I would like. Although I have been keeping up with water changes, and adding calcium, I have not been adding strontium, magnesium, or iodide and trace elements. When I look at the list of all the additives out there, there are way too many choices, all claiming to be the best. What has worked for you? I'll look forward hearing about this, although I fear the responses may be as varied as the additives. Thanks,
Bill

 

[mr_x]

hi bill.
i don't use any additives. i don't even add calcium.
i do weekly 20% waterchanges. before you add any strontium or iodine or anything, get a good quality testing kit and see if these are actually depleted. it might not be the lack of trace elements that's causingt the corals to not look their best.

 

[mudplayerx]

Make sure you have a respective test kit for anything you add to the tank. First do all the tests, THEN dose the chemicals if you need to.

 

[tizzo]

They only give you half truths, those manufacturers.
Sure your corals need iodine and strontium and all that other stuff, what they DON'T tell you is that you have all that in your salt mix!
Almost all tanks need alkalinity adjustments, and eventually you may need to dose calcium, but that's it.
And as said, test to know how much to add. Maybe your corals don't look as good cause they are stewing in a supplement soup!
Right now I have to tweak my alk and calcium. But once it's balanced I leave it alone til my next water change. The water changes make it all wacky.

 

[mudplayerx]

Get a calcium reactor with a solenoid valve and a ph controller to hook it up to. Cost around $1,000 to set up but I now go months without doing anything to my tank other than water changes.
I know it is a lot of money but MAN is it nice!

 

[aztec reef]

Supposing water chemistry is good.
keeping up with waterchanges is plenty for replenishing elements..
are the non- thriving corals photosyntetics?
do they have the required lighting?
do they have room to grow?
or
If they are non-photosyntectics and they have a mouth, Are you hand-feeding them now & then?