Supplements and The Party Fix

[JSlamka5685]

Alright, as of 3 nights now, my corals have survived, my anthelia is looking really bad...the "fingers" on the polyps no longer have the feathery look to them, they now look like just "fingers".

 

But, on the bright side, I now have 5 gallons of saltwater mixing, I purchased 2.2 gallons of nutri-seawater which should replace all of the bio-material that has died. I then told the story to the usual guy I get advice from there and he told me to take some water from the aquarium and place it in three seperate containers with my coral in each one. Then, he told me to do a 75% water change rather than doing it in steps like what was recommended on here. I feel better about changing a little at a time, what does everyone else say? I would rather not have to touch the corals.

 

Also, I didn't have supplements up to today. I purchased Two Little Fishies brand C-Balance mixture as well as Marc Weiss brand Reef Vital DNA. For my trace elements, I bought Kent brand Essential Elements and I was told awhile ago at my LFS (different branch of the same store I bought the Anthelia from) that Anthelia can't be kept in a 12 gallon Nano-Cube (not the deluxe version, just the regular one).

 

So tell me, did I make good purchases or were they money wasters? Also, is there any truth to the Anthelia information I was given and which is the better way to change the water out?

[tinyreef]

...I was told awhile ago at my LFS (different branch of the same store I bought the Anthelia from) that Anthelia can't be kept in a 12 gallon Nano-Cube (not the deluxe version, just the regular one).

that sounds a bit discriminatory to me. i didn't realize that some corals can only grow in certain tanks.

 

why, i've been doing this whole thing @ss-backwards! <forehead-slap>

 

...

 

i'm not a big fan of c-balance but some swear by it (pers pref i guess, i like b-ionic). and marc weiss stuff... i guess it can't hurt anymore than the p!ss dose your collegiate party-goer added that started this whole mess.

 

while i do tend to like kent's stuff, i've also recently weaned myself off those addicting dru...uh, additives. i'm down to mostly waterchanges-only (i do drip kalk and b-ionic for ca/alk supp though).

 

imo you can do either massive or partial waterchanges. calfo does something like 90% changes at a time. actually leaving his entire setup high and dry for a short period (i think there's a thread on that from last year).

 

the partials can't hurt imo BUT the massive can if done incorrectly imo. as noted by kahunacorals in another thread, temp matching often is not considered in waterchange by hobbyists. for a small percentage/partial it isn't a biggie. for a massive change it's like a freezing shower wakeup call.

 

also some mixes also are formulated on the high side of pH initially (8.6+). a massive change forces everything in the tank into such a high pH environment (for those specific salt mixes) and adds to their stress. partials, even at that high pH, doesn't upset the entire tank as the pH quickly levels as the water is mixed with the greater volume that's "normal" pH.

 

i'll leave it at partial changes can't hurt, massive changes can't hurt either if done correctly but can hurt if not done correctly. hth

[JSlamka5685]

that sounds a bit discriminatory to me. i didn't realize that some corals can only grow in certain tanks.

 

why, i've been doing this whole thing @ss-backwards! <forehead-slap>

 

...

 

i'm not a big fan of c-balance but some swear by it (pers pref i guess, i like b-ionic). and marc weiss stuff... i guess it can't hurt anymore than the p!ss dose your collegiate party-goer added that started this whole mess.

 

while i do tend to like kent's stuff, i've also recently weaned myself off those addicting dru...uh, additives. i'm down to mostly waterchanges-only (i do drip kalk and b-ionic for ca/alk supp though).

 

imo you can do either massive or partial waterchanges. calfo does something like 90% changes at a time. actually leaving his entire setup high and dry for a short period (i think there's a thread on that from last year).

 

the partials can't hurt imo BUT the massive can if done incorrectly imo. as noted by kahunacorals in another thread, temp matching often is not considered in waterchange by hobbyists. for a small percentage/partial it isn't a biggie. for a massive change it's like a freezing shower wakeup call.

 

also some mixes also are formulated on the high side of pH initially (8.6+). a massive change forces everything in the tank into such a high pH environment (for those specific salt mixes) and adds to their stress. partials, even at that high pH, doesn't upset the entire tank as the pH quickly levels as the water is mixed with the greater volume that's "normal" pH.

 

i'll leave it at partial changes can't hurt, massive changes can't hurt either if done correctly but can hurt if not done correctly. hth

 

I am going with the partial changes (20% at a time). How long should I wait the changes tomorrow since the pH is going to be adjusting? Think 20 minutes is long enough?

[Caesar777]

Just do a giant water change. It'll be great as long as the water's warm and to salinity.

[kahunakatz]

Just do a giant water change. It'll be great as long as the water's warm and to salinity.

 

Right on Flo

 

Barry

[ebin]

I am very big on a large change every now and again. I am really big on it when you gotta get the peepee out. at least you don't gotta fish out turds.

[JSlamka5685]

I just fear killing my corals and snails...at least right now they are alive. If there is somewhat of a temp. difference, is that ok with such a change? I have my s.g. set at 1.024 and haven't done a pH test on the water.

 

Tonight, I added essential elements to my actual aquarium water. Should I put all my supplements into my replacement water so that the water is good to go when I dump it in?

[Caesar777]

No need for all those bull###### supplements. pH, alkalinity, and calcium are the only supplements you need. Everything else is in your salt mix.

[JSlamka5685]

No need for all those bull###### supplements. pH, alkalinity, and calcium are the only supplements you need. Everything else is in your salt mix.

 

 

Doesn't the life in the aquarium use up those stuff in the salt mix? Plus, I have a smaller lighting system with the regular 12 gal. nano-cube...wouldn't it be better to use supplements so that if they aren't getting enough light, they could still get enough food through the water?

[tinyreef]

caesar means that the elements/compounds that the livestock would typically use can be supplemented through waterchanges alone. sometimes supplementation via additives is not needed if your waterchanges is frequent enough.

 

but sometimes supplementation is needed though.

 

better water usually cannot makeup for poor lighting and vice versa. that's why the reefs only grow in a very narrow zone on the planet. the conditions need to be just right.

 

otoh, some corals can supplement their energy needs (photosynthesizing) through active predation in the water column. but that means plankton of some sort, not chemical compounds (food versus vitamins). chances are though, most setups do not have an adequate plankton supply/ecosystem.

[kahunakatz]

Doesn't the life in the aquarium use up those stuff in the salt mix? Plus, I have a smaller lighting system with the regular 12 gal. nano-cube...wouldn't it be better to use supplements so that if they aren't getting enough light, they could still get enough food through the water?

 

Kinda. Most salt mixes are going to have certain elements that the corals need for skeletal and tissue growth, but these elements have no nutritional value. Supplements such as Iodide, Magnesium, Calcium, Alk don't have any nutritional value, so dosing those because you have low levels of light will not help. If your lighting intensity is low, then just extend the photoperiod, up to 12 hrs per day. If you do regular water changes, every week or two then you are constantly replenishing the elements that the corals use to grow.

 

Barry