To Many Chemicals?

Kenny Graham · 06-24-2006, 05:52 PM

everyone have been extremely helpful. As before you know I'm bad at keeping a good reef system. I'm starting a new "24 GALLON NANO" using my old reef water, live rock, fish etc. It has to be in the chemicals I've been told several different large reef shops. Now will see how good you really are. Here's what I'm using:

KENT STRONTIUM & MOLYBVENUM
" CHROMAPLIX
" ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
" CORAL VITE
" PHYTOPLEX
" MICRO VERT
" TECH 1
" TECH M
" LIQUID CALCIUM
" PRO BUFFER DKH
" CALKWASSER
" CORALIFE STRONTIUMPLUS
PHOS ZORB
REEF PURE GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON
LTC MARINE MARINE S.A.T.
SEACHEM DI NITRATE
" MARINE BUFFER
" REEF BUILDER
" PRIME SALTWATER

What can I stop using if this is my problem?????

drsyme · 06-24-2006, 06:26 PM

Honestly you can probably stop using them all.

If you have a high load of stony corals, then you would need a calcim/alkalinity supplementation system like kalkwasser or a two part buffer. Otherwise, just water changes should do the trick.

abigtroutt · 06-24-2006, 07:06 PM

WOW !! I just use kalkwasser, Ph Buffer, Alkalinity, Calcium and water changes

Wiskey · 06-24-2006, 07:16 PM

A good rule of thumb is "don't use anything you can't test for"

Spend your money on a good set of salifert test kits, and a great skimmer, keep CA at about 420, alk at about 9 and do 10 percent weekly or bi-weekly water changes with a good quality salt and you will be fine.

Dose mag to keep it around 1250-1300 if needed.

Whiskey

Raccio · 06-24-2006, 07:16 PM

Yah that really is a lot. All I use is Kent essential elements and strontium along with Purple up for calcium. I have a kent buffer for my alkalinity but i only use it when its low. I dont keep any SPS corals except a piece of montipora which is pretty easy. I mostly have LPS and some soft corals and they are all doing great. I add the chemicals once a week. If you are adding all that stuff on a regular basis it might cause some problems in your water quality.

Kenny Graham · 06-24-2006, 09:33 PM

Thankyou all,

That's probably my problem all the time. You just can't believe retail sales people.

VWD · 06-24-2006, 09:47 PM

Kalk and regular water changes for most tanks is all that is needed.

tdwyatt · 06-24-2006, 10:06 PM

Keepers in red, others to your hazardous waste disposer in your county:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenny Graham

KENT STRONTIUM & MOLYBVENUM
" CHROMAPLIX
" ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS
" CORAL VITE
" PHYTOPLEX
" MICRO VERT
" TECH 1
" TECH M
" LIQUID CALCIUM
" PRO BUFFER DKH
" CALKWASSER
" CORALIFE STRONTIUMPLUS
PHOS ZORB (can be detrimental to some octocorals, esp to Sarcophyton spp.)
REEF PURE GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON
LTC MARINE MARINE S.A.T.
SEACHEM DI NITRATE
" MARINE BUFFER
" REEF BUILDER
" PRIME SALTWATER

What can I stop using if this is my problem?????

The above selected (red) items are either buffer builders, calcium builders, or filitrtion substances (the GAC) that you will be able to use when djusting your calcium and alkalinity to reach balance. Once you reach balance for Ca as suggested above, then you will be able to use the Kqlkwasser to supplement your calcium and alk in a balanced manner, and replenish your trace elements through the regular use of 10% water changes.

Everything else is snake oil, expensive excuses for lack of water changes. Spend you money on acquiring and keeping a few buckets of IO (Instant Ocean ASW mix), a good RO/DI filter, a 55G rubbermaid on wheels, a waste container on wheels to discard your old ASW, dedicated siphon hoses, and some good test kits (Salifert) for Calcium, Mg, Alk, and a good refractometer. This is all you need to do the replenishment of minerals and removal of suspended/dissolved wastes in the water. Couple this to a weekly blasting of the rock with siphoning to keep nutrient levels in export and you should see dramatic improvements in your system.

HTH

jenajet · 06-25-2006, 08:44 AM

I have a 24 and the only thing I add is a calcium block that dissolves slowly over time and gets replaced when it's gone. Other than that I just do frequent water changes.

Hardhead Cat · 06-25-2006, 10:11 AM

I agree, I would forget most of the additives unless you can test for them. I drop in a bit o'iodine for my xenias and polyps but nothing else. I am pretty strict about WCs every two weeks at minimum - - they seem to provide most of the trace elements every one in my 135 and 12 need.

HHC

Kenny Graham · 06-25-2006, 12:09 PM

Thankyou to all. I'm assuming my fish will be OK.

Petunia · 06-25-2006, 02:18 PM

Kenny, are have you joined the local reef club? Lots of nice and knowledgable people in the group.

Great advice from everyone here. I agree. I was all gunho on the chemicals when I first started my 9 gallon - don't use any of it anymore. I stick with the additives that are tested for. I only use the nano a and b for the nine gallon now. The thirty gallon is only getting the necessary elements and nothing more.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.