How yo Mix or Mixing Chemicals ??

[Prismaco]

I am going to be buying some of these soon and have been told that they need certain chemicals:

-Anthelia coral.. about 150 to 200 polyps on a small rock
-Flower anemone
-And a few mushrooms

I was told I need Calcium, Iodine, trace element at a min. Magnesium, Vitamin and Strontium are also good to have.

My questions is how do I go about mixing them into the water ? Do I mix it like salt or do I put drops in ?


-Paul

[Prismaco]

This also...

[RWD]

Hi Paul,
I'd guess that 75% of reefers nowdays only use some sort of calcium and a buffer. Not that there is something wrong with using additives or even experimenting wih them to see if they improve that tank. I used to add all kinds of stuff (strontium, iodine, Combisan, etc) to my tank hoping to improve it but they never did much IME. Now I have a calcium reactor and add buffer when needed. I also do about a 20% waterchange per month.

[sessydude]

B-ionic has worked really well for me....it is two parts and keeps alkalinity and calcium at good levels.....You simply add it one at a time.....I do alk first to the sump ( I pour it directly into my submersible return pump).....Pour it slowly and when it has dissipated then put in the calcium.

Always shake well before adding.

it takes a little while to figure out how much of each to use, but once you get it right it is very simple......just add first thing in the morning when the ph levels are lowest.

I have been told by my lfs.....to put in all the other stuff too.....but I have also over time discovered that they just like to sell stuff.

My tank has many many corals already and all are growing great....softies have doubled in size in 2 months.....

All of this is in my oh so humble opinion of course

Good luck with the corals

[_ReefFer_]

i agree with Craig (sessydude) i just started using B-ionic recently and it works great, i saw a big difference with my polyps, flowerpot, and hammer corals. they bloomed almost twice the size than they use to.. i use to add stron, iodine, and kent calcium.. i also found that B-ionic works better..
unlike craig i dont have a sump so i pour directly to my tank using alk first then calcium.

[binylee]

Well,
I started doing this recently. I hope it's OK.
I have 5G bottle filled with DI water. Then I dosed one week of addictives for one each into the bottle. Like Calcium add, trace elements, odine, strontium, etc... ). Then I use this water to use for makeup. I figured by doing this I don't need to dose the addictives saparately...
Do you think it's OK?
Thanks

[Mrs Smith]

Our anthelia and 'shrooms grow like weeds, and we don't add any additives or supplements at all. Waste of money, IMHO. We add B-Ionic when we aren't dripping kalk, and you do have to add those two components seperately. We put them in the sump, but pre-sump, just dumped in the tank about 30 seconds apart.

Water changes should take care of any depelted micronutrients, and really, if you aren't going to test for something, why add it? (Unless you're going to go out and get a strontium test kit, which is awfully expensive.) Iodine varies. Lots of reefers use it, lots don't.

Just MHO,
Danielle

Oh, and do research on the anemone. They do take a lot more care than other critters, and have much-shortened lives in captivity.

[Prismaco]

So for these guys that I am getting, all I need to get is "B-ionic" ?


-Paul

[Mrs Smith]

I don't know about the anemone. They are difficult to keep and require some extra conditions.

B-Ionic basically buffers your water from pH swings, provides calcium and stabilizes alkalinity. This is more essential with corals that are more dependent on calcium like SPS or LPS, but softies will definitely benefit from the buffering if nothing else.

Again, I'd encourage you to pass on the anemone for now. They are very difficult to keep and it would be better to get the reefing experience from the more forgiving anthelia and shrooms before jumping into anemones. If you need any more convincing, there are lots of lots of anemone threads out there - just run a quick search and you'll get the gist of the debate.

Danielle

[RWD]

Paul,
You may not even need to add anything. B-ionic is mainly a calcium suppliment and those corals you mentioned need very little calcium. Regular waterchanges might be enough to keep up with demand. I'd check the calcium and alk. levels and go from there. Bob

[Prismaco]

The guy that I am getting them from is making me up a mix so that when I get them I can just add the mix...Once they get those, will they thrive them if I dont add them anymore ?? Also whats "alk"


-Paul

[Jimmer]

alkalinity