Aquarium additives overview

[themadride]

Can anyone point me in the right direction to a website that could give me an overview of reef systems additives, proper levels, etc?

 

I am a little too impatient to order a "real" book from amazon. At least at first I would like to review the basics of what corals need to survive and the best supplements for proper water quality.

 

Any help or a link would be especially great. THANKS!

[lakshwadeep]

What corals do you want? The majority of soft corals and even LPS don't require additives. Also, there is a general rule that you should be testing for whatever you dose.

[filefish949]

What corals do you want? The majority of soft corals and even LPS don't require additives. Also, there is a general rule that you should be testing for whatever you dose.

 

for the most parts, that is true, regular water changes will keep your trace in check. if you get to be successful with stony corals and they start growing you will need to TEST and add calcium, alkalinity and magnesium...

 

do not add magic purple pixie drops to your tank. there is now way of knowing if you are helping, or more likely hurting your tank without testing for each specific compound or element/compound

 

just do your regular water changes for now

[themadride]

What corals do you want? The majority of soft corals and even LPS don't require additives. Also, there is a general rule that you should be testing for whatever you dose.

 

I guess it goes without saying that testing and dosing go hand in hand. However, I have no idea what possible things I may need to test for and dose for. I am okay with all the basic water quality tests, I just want some information on the various supplements and buffers, etc. etc. that are available for corals without having to read the sales pitch on each one individually. If no one knows of such an information source...it's no big deal...I'll just look for a book on amazon I guess.

 

 

I know I can get away with basic water changes for now....but I would like to learn as much as I can about the various minerals, etc....and how to use them before I actually need to.

[filefish949]

early on in (first few months) you get to test for nitrate, nitrate ammonia, temp, SG and pH

 

as time progresses, after bout 4-6 months, you can drop the nitrate, nitrate ammonia, keep the pH, SG and temp and add on ca, ALK and MG

 

BTW, get a pH monitor, thy are not all that much more than the test kit and infinitely more valuable.

 

 

it makes no sense to test for everything from bromine to Iodide/iodate if you are doing normal water changes. those things will be fine. if you really want to know all the particulars, the cheep way to do it is AWT, if you buy 4 it is about $25 per regiment of tests.

 

I use them when I am having problems I can't figure out... then again, it is hard to do a massive WC on a 200 gallon system

 

 

here is what the AWT printout looks like... they do miss a LOT of trace elements but they get most of the important ones

 

 

[lakshwadeep]

Sorry if the responses appear oversimplified, but filefish's recommendations for calcium/alkalinity are probably all you should worry about. What I mean is that there are lots of things, like buffers, that should be avoided. This is why we're asking about what corals you want, since water changes will restore various elements (both major and minor) to their proper levels unless you have something, like SPS or clams, that is removing calcium at higher rates than the water changes will offset. In that case, adding a Ca/alk supplement will be enough, then this is helpful:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

[filefish949]

I think what lakshwadeep and I are agreeing to, and someone should take a screeshot here , is that you should not go out and buy a bunch of bottles of trace this and magic trace that, they are expensive and dangerous. water changes are fine, when you start keeping some of the more exotic SPS and clams, then we will talk about alk, ca and MG

 

but with mushrooms, a few LPS, some acans and zoas, you are stressing about stuff that does not need to be stressed about

[themadride]

Thanks for all the info guys. A big help. My big concern was just that I should learn as much as I can and "talk about alk, ca, and MG" before I go out and get exotic corals...NOT AFTER. But, maybe it's not as big of a deal as I'm making it. I'm afraid I'm going to drop 100 bucks on a coral that will quickly die from poor water quality with problems that I'm not even testing for.

Also, I guess I don't even know what is a more advanced coral...since the websites list almost every coral as moderate or advanced care level. But...here are a couple I've been looking into:

-Encrusting Montipora

-Lettuce Coral

-Chili Coral

-Various Zoanthids

-Various Ricordia

-a LPS called a "DFS" Chalice (Echinophyllia)

-Your average blue Crocea Clam

-Various Acropora

Do any of those raise any red flags for unusual or accessive water quality needs?

 

Thanks for all the help!

[lakshwadeep]

chili corals are not photosynthetic, and that makes them harder to keep because they need to be fed regularly. I'm not sure what the lettuce coral is; it looks like different genuses have that name. One thing about researching is that you should always try to find the genus name of your coral, because common names often overlap. But, don't get stressed out or confused about knowing species names; many SPS, such as Acroporas, are impossible to identify without analysis of a bleached skeleton.

 

In general you would start with the zoas and ricordias, which are easy to keep.

 

Then, you would go to any LPS or easy SPS, like Montipora, which need good water quality (near zero nitrates).

 

Finally, after roughly 6 months for the tank to get established, you could have the harder SPS like acroporas and tridacnid clams. However, SPS, many LPS, and clams require strong lighting, such as T5s or MH (zoas will look better, also), for good growth and colors.

 

This link will help you:

http://www.asira.org/caresheets

 

"DFS" probably refers to Drs. Foster and Smith, a huge online pet store that owns liveaquaria.com

[themadride]

In general you would start with the zoas and ricordias, which are easy to keep.

 

Then, you would go to any LPS or easy SPS, like Montipora, which need good water quality (near zero nitrates).

 

Finally, after roughly 6 months for the tank to get established, you could have the harder SPS like acroporas and tridacnid clams. However, SPS, many LPS, and clams require strong lighting, such as T5s or MH (zoas will look better, also), for good growth and colors.

 

This link will help you:

http://www.asira.org/caresheets

Thanks so much for the help and the link.

 

I was planning on doing something similar to what you mentioned...beginning with the zoos and shrooms. BUT....I really want the Montipora and I may risk it rigth away !?!?!?!

 

As for lighting....I have 96w T5 HO lighting with individual reflectors. I know that will be enough for everything but the clams and acroporas....and I'm hoping they will do the trick for them too as long as I place them higher in the tank.

 

Thanks again.