justincredabel

Experienced Reefer
Location
New London, CT
Over the years I've become familiar with Potassium and its role in coral health in my aquarium systems. There are several products on the market now that are solely for raising Potassium levels.

Generally Potassium is not depleted as quickly as other elements such as Calcium, but it can get depleted over time, especially in tanks with Macro Algae, and soft corals.
Many systems are able to maintain levels around natural sea water (420ppm) simply with water changes. There are also small amounts in some trace element additives.

I personally prefer to maintain levels in the mid 500's to the 600's which I believe maintains a similar ratio of NPK as seen in the wild, since most reef tanks have higher levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorous than wild reefs.

For my husbandry regime Potassium is part of what I call my "Photosynthesis 2 Part" dosing strategy. I also dose Iron/Manganese, which along with Potassium is crucial for photosynthesis and chemical processes in the coral's tissue. I find some tanks that are lacking somewhat on color, but with all other parameters in check, are often in need of these elements to reach full potential. I will discuss Iron in more depth at a later time.

Some coral may not exhibit all their color potential without adequate Potassium. Dosing will noticeably increase Pinks, light Greens, bright Reds, and Magenta/Purple fluorescence, especially in SPS.

As with any new dosing or change in husbandry regime, take small steps. I often start off at half recommended dosage on the product bottle and slowly increase dosing over weeks or months. This will let you gauge the effects on your tank, and reduce accidental overdosing if you happen to be adding Potassium from other sources.

Anyone have experience with any of the Potassium test kits? Any recommendation for you fellow hobbyists on the easiest and/or most reliable?

Anyone dosing Potassium now? What was your experience?
 

coralcruze

Advanced Reefer
Location
Westchester NY
I'm dosing potassium and Iron. However, I try and keep potassium around the recommended 420 level. I would like to hear more about your explanation of raising potassium to 600 level. I keep mainly sps and carbon dose to maintain low trates and Po4. I do have macro in my system with an inline refugium. I have been using brightwels potassium. I have heard that raising potassium levels too much can cause algae blooms. Please advise!!!


particular chalenge I find is an accurate test kitc to test iron and potassium. I use red sea with mixed results on these.
 

oh207

Advanced Reefer
Apex Freak
Location
Amityville, NY
I don't measure it, but I recently started dosing RedSea Reef colors (ABCD) based on every 20ppm of Calcium consumption.
I'm hoping that if I stick to this regimen that I won't have to test for any of the elements that I'm dosing from the 4 different bottles.
I know thats a bad practice...you should never dose something that you don't measure...but it seems that RedSea's Reef Colors (ABCD) is a good system of maintaining all these trace elements based on Calcium uptake.
Time will tell.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
 

greg 45

Advanced Reefer
Location
bayonne / nj
I never did dose potassium , don't trust all the test kits on the market. Some are accurate some not. I do send out triton results and they all read low . If I measure with red sea test kit they test ok. So who do I trust.
 

coralcruze

Advanced Reefer
Location
Westchester NY
I never did dose potassium , don't trust all the test kits on the market. Some are accurate some not. I do send out triton results and they all read low . If I measure with red sea test kit they test ok. So who do I trust.
interesting... how low are the results from triton? and when do you send the sample out? right after water change, right befor or somewhere in between. if in between how many weeks after water change. Those can all have an effect on potassium from my exp. Pot does get depleted in a reef over time. Most salts have enough Pot to start you at 420 or so.

Personally I would trust lab results more than home test kits although I never used them. I use Red sea with fairly consistant results. There is more human error in those kits so they are 10% up or down you choose. :D
 

greg 45

Advanced Reefer
Location
bayonne / nj
I was 700 ml low on potassium / system is 1200 gallons / test are sent out twice a year so est about 100 mil a month. Trying out new salt by company called Fritz happy so far with result's . The system doesn't look like crap after a water change system seems stable after a change. The red sea test kit always reads that there is enough when triton states its low. Going to send in a triton soon want to put another 200 gallons of fritz salt in first. I will test potassium before sending out and see what the difference is.
 

salpet

Advanced Reefer
Location
westchester
i always thought that if you do regular water changes weekly you do replenish potassium since its used up slowly by the inhabitants, have i been mislead? there is still so much to learn about all the nuances of all these dosings, following along great thread.
 

greg 45

Advanced Reefer
Location
bayonne / nj
Coralcruze I have also had very good luck with ME CORAL Amino POLYP Extender. I was struggling with newly imported anemones , most people that I trust were using meds for bacterial infection. Yes some are to far gone to safe like anything else in this hobby. I think it is lack of light and no food after being collected. I have no scientific proof just something that worked for me. I used other companies amino with no results .
 

coralcruze

Advanced Reefer
Location
Westchester NY
i always thought that if you do regular water changes weekly you do replenish potassium since its used up slowly by the inhabitants, have i been mislead? there is still so much to learn about all the nuances of all these dosings, following along great thread.


Yes this is correct and I confirmed it with test results... however, what the OP is suggesting is that there is benefit to raising POT beyone natural sea levels all way to above 600. I would hope he returns and gives more info on his results.

One thing I can say is dosing POT has yeilded health and super greeeeeen Chaeto. Other than that I have not seen great benefits to coral colors. However, I keep it at 420 level.
 

salpet

Advanced Reefer
Location
westchester
Yes this is correct and I confirmed it with test results... however, what the OP is suggesting is that there is benefit to raising POT beyone natural sea levels all way to above 600. I would hope he returns and gives more info on his results.

One thing I can say is dosing POT has yeilded health and super greeeeeen Chaeto. Other than that I have not seen great benefits to coral colors. However, I keep it at 420 level.
i just wonder what the long term effects are in keeping the doses at the maximum end of the spectrum ,is it beneficial or detrimental, lets see if we get some more info on the matter from other members. as i said great thread
 

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