Which Supplements to Use?

[jgagel]

I was wondering what supplements I should use for my tank and/or what do other people use? I am sure there are some articles written about this, if you have a link, could you post it? I am going to be running a mostly SPS tank and will eventually get a Ca Reactor. I currently add B-Ionic #1 and #2, should I also add Iodine, Magnesium, etc.? :? I have never really added Kalkwasser because I had a tank for 3 years, never added it, and it thrived (I did add B-Ionic #1,#2).

 

[big o]

if your tank is small enough that you can afford the 2 part.then keep doing what you are doing.it does get prisey.

 

[seahawkjohnny]

I was wondering what supplements I should use for my tank and/or what do other people use? I am sure there are some articles written about this, if you have a link, could you post it? I am going to be running a mostly SPS tank and will eventually get a Ca Reactor. I currently add B-Ionic #1 and #2, should I also add Iodine, Magnesium, etc.? :? I have never really added Kalkwasser because I had a tank for 3 years, never added it, and it thrived (I did add B-Ionic #1,#2).

if you have xenia you will need the Iodine, I use the Kent Lugols solutiuon

 

[Chucker]

I have yet to see a tank that required any more than the basics - light, food, topoff, and replacement of depleted calcium and alkalinity.

FWIW, Xenia do quite well without iodine supplements. It is also worth noting that if one cannot reliably test for an additive, it probably isn't such a good idea to dose it, since you have no idea how much is already present. This is also the case with iodine.

 

[Osama]

In my 180g reef I used Bionic 2 parts for the first 18months. I started added iodine after noting some very healthy growth at LFS that added iodine. You need to monitor any supplements till you gain confidence in your ability to tell if the inhabitants are OK or not. Now after 30 months I have added a calcium reactor & a Nielsen reactor to keep my alk & kalk up. My reef tank is now quite heavily populated. My reef tank: http://hometown.aol.com/osamazaben/myho ... photo.html

 

[Anonymous]

it's my understanding that the test kits for iodine are not accurate in the least.

i hear that if a test shows a trace then you have overdosed.

 

[randy holmes-farley]

it's my understanding that the test kits for iodine are not accurate in the least.

i hear that if a test shows a trace then you have overdosed.

I'm not sure hat I agree with that statement. I agree that the Seachem kit has trouble with NSW levels of iodide (say, 0.01 to 0.02 ppm) but it reads fine at 0.06 ppm (last I tested). The Salifert kit seems to read fine at NSW levels of iodide and iodate (about 0.06 ppm) last I tested. Granted, both of these tests were several years ago, but I don't expect the kits are now worse.

FWIW, iodide drops so fast in reef tanks, IME, that if you are dosing pure iodide (not iodine (I2) or iodate (IO3-)), then it is unlikely that you are overdosing the tank unless you add more than 100% of the NSW levels every 1-2 days.

While I dose iodide, I don't not recommend to others that it is "necessary". I believe that it may help various forms of algae, and that why I dose it (they use it, after all), but tanks do fine without iodide supplements.

I would not recommend that people dose any iodine preparations except iodide. Lugols and "time released" preparations are an unnecessary compliction (IMO).

 

[Anonymous]

randy,

you would definately know better than i.

that is simply what i had heard, i have no proof whatsoever.

i have spoken with other aquarists about iodine, and am certain i have seen it published, that iodine test kits are inaccurate.

i defer to your judgement, i was sharing a rumor i suppose.

thanks