Supplements for the Saltwater Reef Aquarium

[The_Orca]

I have a 55 Gal that has been running for over 1 year with FOWRL and now I’m going to add corals.
I have a question about supplements for maintaining the proper levels of Calcium, Strontium, and Alkalinity etc. I’m going to purchase supplements to maintain these levels in my tank. My question is does anyone recommend a certain brand or supplement package. I see there are different types of supplements. Some alone and some you use with others. Before I buy one and try it, I’m looking for some feed back on what people like.

 

[trido]

What you use to dose may depend on what kind of corals you are going to have. If you have only softies you may not need to dose at all as water changes will replenish all the trace elements necessary. If you have a mix of softies, LPS and SPS, a two part solution like b-ionic a couple times a week with regular water changes would still be fine. Other tanks use only a kalk stirrer. Others only a calcium reactor. Every tank is different and everyone has different likes and dislikes. I quickly tired of dosing b-ionic every day with my 90% SPS tank so now I drip kalk.

 

[mr_X]

yo! what the heck are you doing putting corals in my sump? :lol:
if you are going bigger, i'd wait until the move has been made. alot less chance of losing a valued critter. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

What is your Ca/Alk testing at now Orca? Really IMO, if you do regular water changes, the stronium, etc should be fine without supplementation at this stage in your tank.

 

[The_Orca]

I'm buying a ca test kit this weekend. The reason I was asking is because of research on the web about corals and Ca. Alot of what I'm reading talks about corals and levels of calcium in the water. Before I buy them I wanted to have the calcium at the right levels. I do water changes once a month by Vaccuming the tank. It comes out to about a 10% water change each time. I have a standard test kit = ph, nitrate, nitrite, alk amonia. All parameters are great. I will get a ca test kit and check. I think you might be right with routine water changes I might not have to use supplements. My tank has always been very clear and clean with routine maintenance. I have had no problems. " knock on wood " Lol
Thanks Lawdawg

 

[Anonymous]

Lots of good info here on Ca/Alk and how to best biffer a tank. Do a search and there's tons of articles.

 

[shavo]

hey orca, I don't know what the calcium levels are in the water you use for water changes or in yuor tank now but on my test kit it says to keep the calcium between 480 and 520. Also I have noticed that my calcium test kit varies in accuracy from other test kits. I saw there is an expensive test kit that a few people swear on as being the best. (not sure of the name off the top of my head) anyhow, In my reading everything says to do things slowly as in don't go from 0 ppm calcium to 500 in one step, rather in a weeks time or something like that instead, more gradual.
GL
shavo

 

[shavo]

hey i did some looking around and i think i found the calcium test kit that I was talking about.
marine depot has it for 22 dollars

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... uct=SC4115

my test kit is kinda cheesy, i would suggest going for a better kit to be more accurate. i feel mine was only ten dollars but it is worthless.

shavo out

 

[Anonymous]

Get Salifert test kits. They are pretty accurate. Get a CA and ALK test kit. You will need to measure both to keep the tank inline.

 

[trido]

my test kit it says to keep the calcium between 480 and 520.

IMO that seems a little high. If I were to get my Ca that high my alk. would be through the roof. If you look into some threads around here the general consesus is that Ca. between 350-450 and alk between 7-10 is a good target My Ca. has been around 370 since day one and I have excellent coral growth. MY alk sits around 9.2

 

[shavo]

hey thanks, i am no expert and i am still in the learning curve,

so use salifert test kits and calcium not aas high as i thought.

ok, I will, but why does my test kit say to get up to the range of 480 to 520? outdated info? just curious.

last i checked my calcium was 500 even and i had somebody test my alk and said it was low, i am getting an alk test in the very very near future

thanks!!!!
shavs

 

[shavo]

hey one more question if you don't mind, I have two people that swear up and down on this sea chem calcium test kit, religiously as the best one for testing calcium. they say don't even try something else.

what is better about the salifert test kit?

what is the difference in your opinion?

wondering shavs would like to know

also i bought the aquarium pharma calcium test kit and i think it really sucks.

thanks for the info and anything else you throw my way!!!!

 

[bleedingthought]

A lot of times, when your Ca rises, your Alk drops.