Don't dose what you cannot test for

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Don't dose what you cannot test for
That's a common mantra that many reefers espouse, but does it really make any sense?

Reefers successfully dose all sorts of different things without measurements to back up the specific dose. Should they stop?

Here are some scenarios to ponder the question.

1. Many materials we dose simply cannot be monitored by reefers. At best, we monitor the appearance of the tank. Fatty acids such as selcon, any type of vitamin supplement, probiotics, antibiotics, algaecides, garlic, particulate calcium carbonate,

2. Some materials we dose can only be monitored for overdose by tank observation or by a surrogate measure. These types may include amino acids (surrogate might be nitrate) and any type of organic carbon dosing (nitrate may or may not be a useful surrogate).

3. Some materials we dose are often successfully used without measurement-based intervention. These include limewater/kalkwasser dosing (replacing all evaporated water), and many types of trace element cocktails or individual supplements based on a dose per day or per week, etc.. While one might argue that better results might be obtained with careful measurement and adjusted dosing (assuming one is able to), I do not see any clear evidence that folks following directions for good quality commercial supplements are causing more harm than benefit even when not measuring the resulting concentrations.

Anyway, next time you read or are thinking to write "Don't dose what you cannot test for" you might consider all the caveats that you may already agree with, and temper the generality of the statement.

Just food for thought...

Happy reefing.

 

[drolmaeye]

As a relatively new reefer, I find it difficult to make an informed decision about some of this stuff. Consider some of the food/nutrition additives listed under Section 1. I find tons of anecdotal evidence from individuals who strongly support the use of such additives, insisting their fish/coral/inverts are more healthy as a result of their use. In truth, it is possible their livestock might be even more healthy (in terms of coloration, appearance, behavior) if they did not use the supplement(s), but there is not always a good way to determine this. Or more generally, one's reef may be thriving despite the use of one or more additives rather than because of one or more additives.

Important to clarify: I am not saying these supplements do not work, I am just saying that the evidence of their efficacy seems highly subjective in many cases.

 

[merkmerk73]

As a relatively new reefer, I find it difficult to make an informed decision about some of this stuff. Consider some of the food/nutrition additives listed under Section 1. I find tons of anecdotal evidence from individuals who strongly support the use of such additives, insisting their fish/coral/inverts are more healthy as a result of their use. In truth, it is possible their livestock might be even more healthy (in terms of coloration, appearance, behavior) if they did not use the supplement(s), but there is not always a good way to determine this. Or more generally, one's reef may be thriving despite the use of one or more additives rather than because of one or more additives.

Important to clarify: I am not saying these supplements do not work, I am just saying that the evidence of their efficacy seems highly subjective in many cases.

Maybe we can get some BRS investigates on a bunch of these.

We just had the incredible fuge one, now maybe we can get stuff like
-UV
-selcon
-aminos

 

[bushdoc]

It would be very difficult to dose only substances we are able to measure/test concentration.
I earn a living by dosing medications, many in continuous infusion, some as boluses and none of those can be measured commercially and instantly in human body with an exception of anesthetic gases. There are other ways to be certain that you are not overdoing.
In reefing I try not to routinely dose “exotic” elements or substances/supplements, but I think that regular water changes are important to get rid of some “impurities”, which can accumulate with time in our tanks. You can also check ICP analysis of some salts online, but routine ICP testing of aquarium water would be cost prohibitive and would still miss many organic substances.