Is it worth it?

[scotty333]

Guys,
I’m sure there’s lots of you out there that dose trace elements based of icp testing

What are your thoughts on this , is there a noticeable difference?

Currently I’m dosing
Iodine
Vanadium
Molybdenum
Manganese
Iron
Nicel
Zinc

But I’m yet to get a reading on the icps as I’m going slow with the doses

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you have an icp that says those are low, I’d recommend a product such as tropic Marin A and K.

 

[scotty333]

I think it’s definitely a cheaper option
Cheers boss

 

[scotty333]

If you have an icp that says those are low, I’d recommend a product such as tropic Marin A and K.

Any ideas if they can be mixed and put on a doser head?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any ideas if they can be mixed and put on a doser head?

I would not mix them. They can be dosed using a dosing pump.

 

[scotty333]

I would not mix them. They can be dosed using a dosing pump.

I can put 1 on the doser and the other in the ato ( it’s got a pump in in case the elements settle?)

 

[Garf]

I can put 1 on the doser and the other in the ato ( it’s got a pump in in case the elements settle?)

If you are using 2 part, you can put them in there.

 

[Pod_01]

As mentioned if you use 2/3 part you can add K in calcium and A in Alk.
Also if you use AFR you can add both A and K into AFR.

 

[scotty333]

I’m using afr

 

[Pod_01]

I’m using afr

When I used TM AFR it contained 10% of each TM A and K. Hans mentioned you can increase the concentration to 15% so you can add extra 50mm per 1L of AFR of TM A and TM K.

But he did warn to be careful not to exceed maximum daily dose of A and K and that is 2ml of each per 100L of aquarium water.

I suggest you experiment with small batch of AFR and see how the tank responds.

Based on your AFR dose you can figure out how much A and K is added.

Good luck,

 

[scotty333]

So if I’m getting this right I can add or dilute I guess the afr with A and K with 50ml per 1ltr so that’s 5% increase

Or add a max of 2ml per 100ltr (380ltr) would = 8ml I guess that’s per day?

At a dose of 34ml of afr the new amount of A and K would be 5.1ml per 1ltr


So it’s a good start to aim for 5ml and check with icp

Better not add it to the afr in case I need to adjust the ratio (down)

 

[scotty333]

Since looking into TM A and K I’ve learned that I’ve not been adding all the traces previously correct as they’re either positively charged or negatively charged so what I believe is some will just bind and go unused ? Boss?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Since looking into TM A and K I’ve learned that I’ve not been adding all the traces previously correct as they’re either positively charged or negatively charged so what I believe is some will just bind and go unused ? Boss?

I'm not sure what you are saying.

The K has a bunch of cations (K is the german Kation) which are positively charged (except the boron which is negatively charged).

barium, boron, chrome, iron, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel strontium and zinc

A has the anion trace elements which are negatively charged (except the lithium with is positively charged)

bromine, fluorine, iodine, lithium, molybdenum, selenium and vanadium

Depending on exactly which forms of these they use, some combinations may precipitate if presented together, such as iron vanadate. They apparently can be mixed in AFR in the concentrations present, and that reflects the idea that many minerals are more soluble in high ionic strength solutions (that is, solutions with lots of other ions present).

 

[scotty333]

I'm not sure what you are saying.

The K has a bunch of cations (K is the german Kation) which are positively charged (except the boron which is negatively charged).

barium, boron, chrome, iron, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel strontium and zinc

A has the anion trace elements which are negatively charged (except the lithium with is positively charged)

bromine, fluorine, iodine, lithium, molybdenum, selenium and vanadium

Depending on exactly which forms of these they use, some combinations may precipitate if presented together, such as iron vanadate. They apparently can be mixed in AFR in the concentrations present, and that reflects the idea that many minerals are more soluble in high ionic strength solutions (that is, solutions with lots of other ions present).

I’m asking what will happen if I mix together
Iodine
Vanadium
Molybdenum
Manganese
Iron
Nicel
Zinc

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m asking what will happen if I mix together
Iodine
Vanadium
Molybdenum
Manganese
Iron
Nicel
Zinc

It will depend on the form of those, but I think precipitation is likely.

 

[scotty333]

It will depend on the form of those, but I think precipitation is likely.

Was doing it for 3-4 months and never noticed anything

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Was doing it for 3-4 months and never noticed anything

If you combined them and saw no cloudiness, then it will be OK.

 

[scotty333]

If you combined them and saw no cloudiness, then it will be OK.

Cheers boss
Switching to A and K tomorrow so hope that will balance things better than guessing all the different components

 

[Freenow54]

If you have an icp that says those are low, I’d recommend a product such as tropic Marin A and K.

Not a believer in dosing but in the case of what you are talking about I would try. What are the reasons and benefits of this?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Not a believer in dosing but in the case of what you are talking about I would try. What are the reasons and benefits of this?

I discuss trace element dosing in these recent articles:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randys-elements-to-dose.952/
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randys-thoughts-on-trace-elements.951/