Common Additives for A reef tank

[tired_boy_mike]

Hello everybody,
Like usual, I'm unprepared. Alsways buy stuff first, believe what the LFS tells me, and when things go wrong.....do some research on the internet. And of course, ask the people on this message board.
So it started with my mushrooms getting smaller and smaller until they are all shriveled up. Did some research on the net and it seems like I need to add Iodine and keep it away from the light.
what do you think?
Also,
I did a search on common addtives for a reef tank
Calcium, Strontium, Magnesium, Iodine, and PhytoPlankton.
Does this sound correct?
So far I got some mushrooms and a daisy coral both are not doing to well. These are my first corals in my tank some I hope they won't be dead before I learn to take care of them. On a good note my fishes are doing well.
thanks,
Mike

 

[nm reef]

Unlike most LFS's we need additional info. Post recent results for water chemistry. Also details on your system...lighting/filtration/how long has it been set up...the more info you provide the easier it may be to help.
Common additives are calcium/alkalinity/magnesium. All other trace elements can be maintained via routine water changes.

NMREEF website
“Whiskey for my men...beer for my horses.”
nmreef@cox.net

 

[tired_boy_mike]

NM Reef:
100 gallon plexi-glass
75 lbs of live rock
2X metal Halides 175Watt
1 day flourescent
1 night flourescent
Overflow sump and retun pump
Aqua-C 150 protein skimmer
2 powerhead for water flow
Chiller to keep my temp at 76
Inhabitants
Clean up crew ( scarlet, bluelegs, emerald crab)
2 yellow tangs
2 bangai cardinals
2 percula clowns
1 starbust something (forgot)
1 daisy coral
1 dying mushroom (use to be green)
1 star polyp ( recently purchase)
--thanks
Mike N.

 

[tired_boy_mike]

My tanks has been setup a little over a year.

--Mike

 

[tired_boy_mike]

Think I need to do some more research:
calcium is for live rock/ coraline algae growth
Iodine: Is food for the mushrooms
Strontium: what is this for?
Magnesium: what is this for?
Plankton: what is this for?
Might be silly questions, but I am still a beginner.

 

[tired_boy_mike]

Thanks Kipass....
you saved me a lot of time....

 

[tired_boy_mike]

Thanks Kipass....
you saved me a lot of time....

 

[nm reef]

1 day flourescent
1 night flourescent
In the info you provided I'm curious about the above statement...do you run a light during the night? If so this may be a source of your problem. Most corals...mushrooms included...need a normal day/night cycle the same as most other life forms. Not saying that is the source of your concern...but it may be worth looking into.Lots of reefers run "moonlights" but they are normally in a spectrum that does not alter the night time portion of the cycle. Most night lighting is of the red spectrum and basically is not visible to the fish/corals etc.
On the addition of iodine...I try to avoid addition of any additive that I can not accurately test for...iodine is one of those additives. I maintain iodine levels via water changes and do not suppliment it directly. If allowed to build up in your system it can be lethal and I've yet to find a dependable means of testing for iodine.

 

[tired_boy_mike]

Sorry about the lighting, I kinda misrepresented it.
I am running Coral Sun 10,000k
abd Coral Sun Actnic. I run them an 8 hours a day. I also run my
Metal Halides for about 6 hours a day. So those two flourescents come on an hour before the metal halides and one hour after.
Also, water changes. My LFS tells me I don't need to do any water changes since I bought this expensive Aqua-C 150. So I haven't done any water changes for about 8 months now.
These are my additives that I am using now.
Kent Calcium
Kent Strontium and Magnesium
and Kent Coral-vite (this is some mineral/vitamins additives).
Also about Iodine, I read on the internet that Iodine is a food source for mushrooms, and that it is needed.
Temperature: I try to keep my temperature about 76
thanks
Mike N.

 

[tired_boy_mike]

Ok..
I think I will get myself Sea Chem Reef Complete: this product has calcium, magnesium and strontium. I will also get SeaChem Iodide..
Is this good enough:
All I have for corals are
some mushrooms
daisy coral
star polyp..
Please let me know what you think..
thanks again.
Mike

 

[tired_boy_mike]

thanks mnreefman
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