Dosing Reef?

[archie]

What additives should I add to my reef? as in chemicals

 

[who dey]

IMO you dont need to dose at all. If you do 10%water changes every week your new water will replenish all used up trace elements in your system. i occasionally dose with calcium to ensure great coraline growth

 

[archie]

OK. I think I should metion that I have a 75gal tank. and a protien skimmer sized for a 300gal thank.

 

[bang guy]

Dose whatever has a low level. Typically only Calcium and Alkalinity become low. Occationally Magnesium.

 

[archie]

Thanks For the replies

 

[who dey]

thattsahellovaskimmer!!!!but listen to bang!!

 

[dmitry]

What about iodine? Or something like that... Doesn't the skimmer pull that out in big quantities?

 

[who dey]

it will, because it's organic, from what i've heard. but excessie iodine can increase phosphates to fuel algae blooms. 10% changes every week is considered high maintenance to me and should solve any dosing issues, unless tesing low. i like high maintenance!!

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Dmitry
What about iodine? Or something like that... Doesn't the skimmer pull that out in big quantities?
No, it doesn't.
I see nothing wrong with trying to maintain your Iodide level at NSW levels but don't dose Iodate or I2 in my opinion. I don't know why you would but just make sure you don't overdose.
Don't dose any Iodine if you don't have an accurate test for it. My understanding is that the new Salifert Iodine test kit is the only hobbiest kit that can give accurate results.
Never dose Iodine immediately after a water change.

 

[liverock27]

I agree that the 10% water changes should help keep your water quality high, as long as you are using a quality salt mix. I dose Kalkweisser, but you have to watch your alkalinity and pH doing that. Like they said only dose what you have test kits for and I would stay away from all the cheap test kits you can find at your LFS (ex. Haggen), they don't work.

 

[adam2817]

I currently use SeaTest to test my water qual. I like it for basic teses,ie. Ph, Nitrate/nitrite, ammo, but it sucks for calcium. Real hard to figure out when it REALLY turns blue. What would be one of the better test kits all around. I wwant the accuracy.

 

[diadema]

Personally, I dose nothing.
Drip Kalk, run 10% weekly water changes.

 

[reefnut]

Originally Posted by adam2817
I currently use SeaTest to test my water qual. I like it for basic teses,ie. Ph, Nitrate/nitrite, ammo, but it sucks for calcium. Real hard to figure out when it REALLY turns blue. What would be one of the better test kits all around. I wwant the accuracy.
Salifert makes very nice and accurate calcium, alkalinity and magnesium test kits.