Which Additives/Supplements???

[AnemicOak]

Well, with any luck my 75 will be wet in the next week or two. I was thinking now might be the time to start picking up whatever Additives/Supplements I should have. Of course I won't be using them right away, but this way I can get things over a few weeks & have it on hand. I didn't use anything in my 15, but know I'll eventually want at least Kalk for this tank when I get the corals going. If you have a brand to recommend that's cool too, or more importantly a brand to specifically avoid.

Also, below is a list of test kits I have. Any others I should look into getting?
Ammonia - Salifert & Tetra
Nitrite - Salifert & Tetra
Nitrate - Salifert & Tetra
Calcium - Salifert
Alk - Salifert & Tetra
pH - Tetra & Red Sea, Milwaukee Handheld (probably get a Pinpoint)
Phosphate - FasTest



Thanks

[Loverotties]

You should get a different Phoshate one,cause I think Fastest only goes from 10 down to 0. And you should keep it lower like, anything below 0.015

[David Grigor]

If your not going to be using a CA reactor, the only real additives you will need are Calcium and Alk ( depending on the salt and how often you plan to do water changes. ). Optional is a Strontium additive that may help with the building of coraline intially until the tank has matured. I am a believer but not everyone agrees with me. Also, depending on the Salt you will likely want to get some Magnesium as most salts can't keep the level quite up to par with natural levels.

I have used many different types of these additives and my favorite from a ease of use and cost effectiveness is the Seacheam Reef Advantage Calcium ( comes in powder form ) and Seachem Reef Builder for the Alk ( also in the powder form ). Both are very similiar to the two part liquids only you mix it with fresh water (which only takes a second ) just before use and is cheaper in the long run than the two part liquids. For Magnesium I also use the Seachem. If you go with that brand go ahead and get the 1kg size and it should last you at least a year.

I use Instant Ocean and because I do 5g water changes in a 58g tank twice weekly ( siphon at detritus at the during the water change ) , I don't normally need the Alk supplement but if you don't plan to do water changes that frequently you will need some. I add 2 teaspoons of CA and 2 teaspoons of Mag. to each fresh SW mix and it keeps those levels at 450+ on the CA and 1350+ on the Magnesium with just the water changes.

Kalk will aid both the CA and Alk levels but will likely not be able to keep up solely on it's own. Initially it might until the livestock load gets started. No particular brand of Kalk some are purer than others but the impurities settle out in the bottom of the container anyhow so I don't think it's going to matter which brand you get or it you use the grocery store stuff ( If you can find it ). I just get the 25lbs bucket of the ESV Kalk which will last a really long time and be done with it.......

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Loverotties

You should get a different Phoshate one,cause I think Fastest only goes from 10 down to 0. And you should keep it lower like, anything below 0.015

The scale on the FasTest kit is 1.0 down to .2

I've been reading a bit about Phosphate kits & it seems there are to many types of P to test for. None of them test for it all apparently. I guess testing for some is better than none. I only used it when I was having problems in my last tank.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by David Grigor

If your not going to be using a CA reactor, the only real additives you will need are Calcium and Alk ( depending on the salt and how often you plan to do water changes. ). Optional is a Strontium additive that may help with the building of coraline intially until the tank has matured. I am a believer but not everyone agrees with me. Also, depending on the Salt you will likely want to get some Magnesium as most salts can't keep the level quite up to par with natural levels.

I have used many different types of these additives and my favorite from a ease of use and cost effectiveness is the Seacheam Reef Advantage Calcium ( comes in powder form ) and Seachem Reef Builder for the Alk ( also in the powder form ). Both are very similiar to the two part liquids only you mix it with fresh water (which only takes a second ) just before use and is cheaper in the long run than the two part liquids. For Magnesium I also use the Seachem. If you go with that brand go ahead and get the 1kg size and it should last you at least a year.

I use Instant Ocean and because I do 5g water changes in a 58g tank twice weekly ( siphon at detritus at the during the water change ) , I don't normally need the Alk supplement but if you don't plan to do water changes that frequently you will need some. I add 2 teaspoons of CA and 2 teaspoons of Mag. to each fresh SW mix and it keeps those levels at 450+ on the CA and 1350+ on the Magnesium with just the water changes.

Kalk will aid both the CA and Alk levels but will likely not be able to keep up solely on it's own. Initially it might until the livestock load gets started. No particular brand of Kalk some are purer than others but the impurities settle out in the bottom of the container anyhow so I don't think it's going to matter which brand you get or it you use the grocery store stuff ( If you can find it ). I just get the 25lbs bucket of the ESV Kalk which will last a really long time and be done with it.......

Thank again Dave, I appreciate all your help in my various threads.

I wasn't planning on a Ca reactor, at least not now. For some reason they seem like they'd be complicated to dial in.

I do plan on using IO for salt, even though I've got a pail and a half of Oceanic sitting here.

My plan was probably a holding container with RO/DI & Kalk hooked to a Litermeter III. Just have to wait for the new LMIII's to hit stores. Apparently they started shipping this last week.

If I do dose Strontium & Magnesium I guess I'll also need test kits for them. I assume Salifert is the kit of choice.

I see some folks dose Iodine, what for?

[jules77]

if you are heavy on inverts you should keep iodine levels within range. Shrimp, and crabs need proper levels in order to molt. Anemones are also ones that needs the iodine to keep the symbiotic algae healthy within them. As far as dosing chems I have 3 anemones an dose 1 x per week of stronium, iodine, etc based on the reccomendations on the bottles.

[AnemicOak]

Ok, so here's what my order looks like so far can anyone think of anything else?

Seachem Reef Advantage Ca 1kg
Seachem Reef Builder 1kg
Seachem Reef Advantage Mag 2kg
Seachem Reef Advantage Strontonium 600g
ESV Kalk 4lb
Salifert Mag test
Salifert Phosphate test
Salifert Strontonium test

I'd like to get it all in one order so shipping breaks out better.