Reef Discussion

[RobbieMVFC]

Hi all , As you would know if you are dosing 2/3 part system that means that your corals are consuming elements faster that WC can replace.
I assume this next question is more for people using Randy’s recipe.
Apart from the big 3 ( Cal, Alk & Mag) what else are you dosing ?

I am currently dosing amino acids,strontium & potassium . I wonder if I should dose anything else?
what are the risk/rewards?

 

[daveH]

I use Randy's Recipe and for the past 12 months have also been dosing Seachem's Reef Trace and Reef Plus with brilliant results.
Along the way I've tried a number of different additives like A & B and similar stuff but the Trace and Plus just gives such good coral growth across the board that I find it hard to use anything else.
I manually dose because the products should be kept in the fridge. Other reefers on this forum have had similar good results from these 2 products also.

 

[macca_75]

Are you measuring Strontium/potassium? If not, you shouldn't dose. (dosing is better, but shouldn't you measure so you know what you have as a baseline and how much you consume?)

Don't dose what you can't (don't) measure is an older rule I believe in reefing.

Ammino's are more of a food rather than a single element I believe

 

[RobbieMVFC]

Are you measuring Strontium/potassium? If not, you shouldn't dose. (dosing is better, but shouldn't you measure so you know what you have as a baseline and how much you consume?)
yes mate i do , hence why I am only dosing those 2 parameters.

 

[Rob]

After being a "dose" head for many years this years newyears resolution was not to dose anything except for 2 part+mag & NoPox and just do auto water changes. Its worked for me not loosing or browning out any SPS, plus I got to keep a blue SPS all year. Something I was never able to achieve whilst dosing supplements etc.

Now in saying this year better than its ever been (with no dosing elements) I am going to try @daveH Trace & plus formulae as I have a 12 month baseline where I can really see if its of benefit or not in my setup. I will start this jan 1st.

 

[daveH]

After being a "dose" head for many years this years newyears resolution was not to dose anything except for 2 part+mag & NoPox and just do auto water changes. Its worked for me not loosing or browning out any SPS, plus I got to keep a blue SPS all year. Something I was never able to achieve whilst dosing supplements etc.

Now in saying this year better than its ever been (with no dosing elements) I am going to try @daveH Trace & plus formulae as I have a 12 month baseline where I can really see if its of benefit or not in my setup. I will start this jan 1st.

With the dosing of Reef & Trace, I've found the best result was to dose 1 one day and the other the next day and so on.
I keep them in the fridge especially the Plus and dose manually. I'm currently dosing 3ml of each (100L tank).
Hope you have good results. :)

 

[ReeferRob]

Seachem Reef Trace and reef Trace Plus as well as Alk/Cal/Mag.

 

[riley]

dosing randys and water changes all i need atm. these look really cool mite need to give them a try when they come out if i ever get back into the sticks.

http://reefbuilders.com/2014/11/26/zeovit-automatic-elements-reduce-cost-dosing-iron-potassium/

 

[ezza]

I use Seachem plus and trace. I have been for ages. Before that I used Red Sea ABC which I had bought in an auction .Plus and trace is easy to get and does the job. I dose Alk from Randy's. My calc and mag have always been perfect and don't deplete as I have mostly softies. Out of interest, I did throw in the contents of one of my personal magnesium sups when I had just bought my coral beauty. Magnesium is a relaxant for out nerves and muscles in our bodies. They're Wagner Magnesium Forte 400mg (which equates to 1ppm) capsules I buy at the chemist for my muscles and nerves due to my spinal "condition". I figured it wouldn't hurt to toss it in (empty the capsule in, do not add the capsule). Aside from it being not particularly soluble, it has no negative effects and it is such a small quantity.

I have been considering whether the chlorophyll supplements being sold these days in the supermarket vitamin aisle might be beneficial. Given that chlorophyll is obviously the cornerstone to photosynthesis... I was thinking that I ought to read up on it.

 

[slin1977]

My tank was going in the right direction. My frags were colouring up strongly.

Decided to dose some elements and browned out my frags overnight. I am really pissed off at myself for hurrying my tank along like that.

Keep it simple , keep water quality as a high priority and stable as possible. And when you dose best to under dose !

 

[ReeferRob]

Most of the time with reef tanks, less is more.

 

[daveH]

Keep it simple , keep water quality as a high priority and stable as possible. And when you dose best to under dose !

Totally agree!!!!

 

[BlakeyBoyR]

Having worked in a few LFS I can tell you that most dose without actually checking baseline parameters. That being said, I haven't noticed any significant positives or negatives from doing this. I really do think keeping water quality high and stable is far more important than anything you could dose :)