Reef Additives- Any Ideas

[fishnugget]

I am running the EcoSystem Miracle mud refugium. What additives other than ESV calcium would anyone recommend to enhance all the corals?

it is so mind boggling with all the alternatives. Any brands in particular?

 

[cyork]

I have had success with Kent Liquid - Calcium, Coral Vite, Stontium and Essential Elements. Also if you have any trouble with your KH Kents KH BUffer is good.

 

[sawyerc]

I've used Kent for years, but I will be soon switching to Seachem as I hear their products are prefered by the aquarium gurus. Be careful if you choose to add iron - it does wonders for macroalgae growth, but it also makes hair algae grow like crazy. Iodine might also be a good choice if your aquarium is heavily stocked with soft corals (especially xenia).

 

[Anonymous]

I have never used a SeaChem product I didn't like. That being said, I cannot recommend dosing with anything until you already know what your present parameters are.

 

[hillbilly]

I agree with seamaiden, blindly dosing your tanks with additives just doesn't make any sense.

 

[rabagley]

I use a kalk reactor and a calcium reactor to maintain ~450ppm calcium and ~11dKH alkalinity. I also dose silica to maintain a level of 1ppm (I dose dilute "water glass", a solution of Sodium Silicate available from hobby stores for preserving eggs). Once a year, I'll add some epsom salts to correct magnesium and sulfate (I only measure Mg every three to four months).

Other than that, I expect food and water changes (20% every month) to bring in all other trace minerals.

I have two rules for considering additives: (1) know exactly what's in the additive and (2) be able to reliably measure the aquarium so that dosing is to meet the predefined goal. About a year ago, I used this criteria to start dosing silica.

I would never consider buying "Coral Vite" or any of the mystery sauce products on the market today simply because they don't say what you're adding and how to know you've added enough.

Regards,
Ross