Totally Overwelmed By Coral Requirement Additives. Need Advice

rastaangel

rastaangel

Member
Now that I have all my ligthing settled for supporting corals I have been lookin at all of the additives for susatining corals and I am so overwelmed...
Some things say it requires this other thing to work and another additive says it has to be dripped... making me go crazy lol
So basiclly im looking for someone to "dumb it up" for me and tell me what it is I need to get to keep the corals healthy.
I know I need calcium, and all that stuff, I kinda know what I need a lil bit element wise, more kinda need to know which produces are recomended amounst the vast amount that have overwelmed me
 
twood

twood

Member
The easiest thing to do is use a good quality reef salt mix. Something like Seachem ReefSalt or Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. Reef salt mixes have the additional trace elements needed to sustain most corals. Regular water changes will replenish the trace elements that are consumed by the corals. You should also invest in good quality Calcium and Kh test kits. Even with regular water changes, your Calcium levels may still drop off. In that case, you can supplement Calcium with a Kalkwasser drip or a Calcium reactor. You need to monitor your Kh level as well. If you find your Kh levels dropping, you will need to use a supplement to raise your Kh without raising your PH. Something like Seachem Reef Builder.
 
S

shrimpy brains

Guest
I agree with twood. I would also add that as long as you are doing regular water changes (10 percent weekly or biweekly)
you probably won't even need to add calcium unless you have a lot of sps/lps.
Get the test kit, but I think it will be some time before you need to worry aboout a calcium reactor or drip line!
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Twood is right...
I add 1/4th tsp of reef builder to my 3g jug of RO top off water to stabilize PH and keep my KH at the right level. I also use Instant Ocean reef crystals. The only thing I add to the tank is coral food twice each week.
 
rastaangel

rastaangel

Member
So your saying with regular water changes it should give me all the little things I need?
What about if my tank is stable enough I dont have to do regular water changes? Which products would be recomeended?
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by rastaangel
http:///forum/post/3291216
So your saying with regular water changes it should give me all the little things I need?
What about if my tank is stable enough I dont have to do regular water changes? Which products would be recomeended?

I knew a guy who didn’t do water changes, 26 years he only used coral food and buffer for Ro top off water. So it has been done.
Me…I am going to do water changes. I tried things his way for a year, soft corals were just fine..other corals not so good, and my rocks looked old and dark grey. Just after a water change my corals look so happy and beautiful. I can almost judge by the way my corals look at when it’s time to do a change.
 
rastaangel

rastaangel

Member
Just looking at the prices of some of the supplements its the same as 50g salt mix for 1 thing you use up alot faster doing every other day.
My tank is 90g. So your sayin even a 10%, 9gal weekly change would be sufficent? Whould the reef builder you mentioned be a good invesment?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Forget the supplements......I have a 225G, 54G, and 29G.....regular water changes keeps everything where I need it to be....and I have sps, lps, zoas, shrooms, a clam...etc....etc....etc....
I use instant ocean salt....and instant ocean reef crystals
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Originally Posted by rastaangel
http:///forum/post/3291240
I use regular instant ocean right now but I cant get reef crystals so ill have to switch to Seachem Reef Salt
UH...you don't have to switch IMO....I have used the regular IO for close to 2 years....never had an issue with calcium or anything else for that matter
I bought reef crystals to see if I would notice a difference...I have not
 
rastaangel

rastaangel

Member
Will only 10% change be sufficent for suppling them with what they need? I dont do water changes now, my tanks totally stable, but a FOWLR so ill have to work it into my week
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
how often? 10% is kinda the minimum I would recommend....and if you only do 10% you should do it weekly.....I try to do 20% bi-weekly if that helps
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Try looking up dr Randy holmes-farley's improved diy two part additive.
For what it's worth water changes will reduce but not prevent calcium/alk/magnesium depletion or nitrate/phosphate build up. You need to consume the nitrates/phosphates and replenish the calcium/alk/magnesium to maintain levels.
my .02
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Originally Posted by beaslbob
http:///forum/post/3291359
Try looking up dr Randy holmes-farley's improved diy two part additive.
For what it's worth water changes will reduce but not prevent calcium/alk/magnesium depletion or nitrate/phosphate build up. You need to consume the nitrates/phosphates and replenish the calcium/alk/magnesium to maintain levels.
my .02
Agree
 
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