Red Sea Trace Colors Dosing with Reef Crystals

[Vintageblues]

I’m a little a stumped. I use Reef Crystals and haven’t dosed a single thing until this point. I noticed that my colors haven’t been there with my corals, specifically blues, reds, purples. I purchased the Red Sea Trace colors ABCD but I’m confused by the directions because they’re mostly in terms of dosing calcium. I don’t dose calcium because there’s enough in my water changes to keep my levels high enough to support what I have stocked. I change 20% monthly in my 70 gallon system (includes refugium as well). I’m terrified of overdosing and losing my livestock. It’s a mixed reef with both SPS/LPS. Below are my numbers:

Salinity - 1.026
Calcium 460 ppm
KH 11
PH 8.0
Phosphate .25ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Potassium - 344 pm
Iodine - 0.06
Iron - 0

 

[SPR1968]

You can dose the Coral Colours by calcium uptake as per the instructions, but of course you need to be dosing calcium or at least be able to measure how much is used. This is because there is a basic relationship between calcium uptake and the various elements in the colours.

I would ask the question that if your doing regular water changes do you need to dose the coral colours at this stage with no need for additional calcium etc?

Also with you alkalinity at 11 maybe look at Red Sea Coral PRO which contains much of what you need and runs at higher foundation element levels.

I’ve used them for 2 1/2 years in my mixed reef and I manually dose them rather than auto dose, and I air on the low side to remove or at least reduce the potential for over dosing.

The only real way to tell if you need them, or to work out a rate without using calcium uptake is to use the test kits. I sent them back as it was like a science kit! Lol

On the numbers, your phosphate is a bit high at 0.25ppm (ideally 0.03ppm) and also you don’t want 0 nitrate (cyno etc) but that’s another subject for you to read up on.

 

[Sherman]

Can share what they mean in term of dosing calcium?
I actually do not understand what they mean

 

[DMG Reef]

Can share what they mean in term of dosing calcium?
I actually do not understand what they mean

When your corals consume more calcium than you are adding back into your tank with water changes, you must dose calcium at the rate it's being used up. For example if you test your calcium in the morning and it's at 420 ppm, then you test the next morning and it's at 400 ppm, then your corals have consumed 20 ppm in 24 hrs. So your calcium will continue to drop every day unless you dose 20 ppm daily to keep it stable. I use calcium chloride from Bulk Reef Supply, but there are many good products you can use. You need to dose alkalinity as well in equal amounts. There are lots of good threads with info about dosing a reef tank. Hope this helps.

 

[Sherman]

When your corals consume more calcium than you are adding back into your tank with water changes, you must dose calcium at the rate it's being used up. For example if you test your calcium in the morning and it's at 420 ppm, then you test the next morning and it's at 400 ppm, then your corals have consumed 20 ppm in 24 hrs. So your calcium will continue to drop every day unless you dose 20 ppm daily to keep it stable. I use calcium chloride from Bulk Reef Supply, but there are many good products you can use. You need to dose alkalinity as well in equal amounts. There are lots of good threads with info about dosing a reef tank. Hope this helps.

Thank You for the clear explanation. But I still cannot relate the calcium consumption with trace dosing
Then how the trace dosing can be tie to the daily calcium consumption?

 

[TexasTodd]

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/using-brs-kalkwasser-with-red-sea-trace-colors-brstv/

Watch the above video. Makes it very simple. Start with a low amount of kalk if your system isn't needing much. I mix in 5 gallon where 10 tsp of kalk is max for kalk, you could start with maybe 2 tsp of kalk per 5 gal and watch and test alk.

If you are at 11dkh without adding anything, you might want to change salt and/or get another test kit to be sure. I shoot for 8's dkh.

 

[Billldg]

I believe you dose 1 ml of trace elements A,B,C,D for every 20 ppm of calcium dosed daily.

 

[DMG Reef]

Thank You for the clear explanation. But I still cannot relate the calcium consumption with trace dosing
Then how the trace dosing can be tie to the daily calcium consumption?

The instructions state to add 1 ml. of trace elements for every 20 ml. of calcium that you dose. So in the above example of your tank using 20 ml. of calcium daily, you would dose just 1 ml. of each of the trace elements. It's not very scientific at all, but Red Sea assumes that if your corals are utilizing calcium, they are also using trace elements. I would hope that RS did testing to back up that theory, but I don't know. I've used the Red Sea Colors for almost a year with no ill effects by following their instructions.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

I believe you dose 1 ml of trace elements A,B,C,D for every 20 ppm of calcium dosed daily.

1:10

 

[GoVols]

I don’t dose calcium because there’s enough in my water changes to keep my levels high enough to support what I have stocked.
Below are my numbers:

Salinity - 1.026
Calcium 460 ppm
KH 11
PH 8.0

FWIW:
If your reef is not in-taking cal and alk, then don't use the color's program.

For Now:
Those water changes are providing enough trace elements...

 

[Sherman]

The instructions state to add 1 ml. of trace elements for every 20 ml. of calcium that you dose. So in the above example of your tank using 20 ml. of calcium daily, you would dose just 1 ml. of each of the trace elements. It's not very scientific at all, but Red Sea assumes that if your corals are utilizing calcium, they are also using trace elements. I would hope that RS did testing to back up that theory, but I don't know. I've used the Red Sea Colors for almost a year with no ill effects by following their instructions.

Oic. So just follow the instructions on the bottle.
Hope no ill effect if any of the trace dose build up due to less consumption

 

[YumaMan]

You don't have to dose Ca either manually or automatically to use the Red Sea Colors. Simply do the following:
Day 1: Do your 20% water change using new salt water. Measure your Ca in ppm using a quality test kit. Say the result is 460 ppm.
Days 2 through 10: No water changes.
Day 11: Measure your Ca in ppm using the same quality test kit. Say the Ca now measures 350 ppm.
Your ten day Ca in ppm is Day 1 Ca results minus Day 11 Ca results, or 460 - 350 = 110 ppm. Your daily calcium drop in the water (equals the calcium uptake of your corals) is 110 ppm/10 days = 11 ppm. So the RS Colors instructions would have you add 1 ml per every 20 ppm Ca uptake. Round 11/20 to 10/20 = 1/2.
So use about 1/2 ml per day of RS trace elements; or 1 ml every two days.
If you are squeamish dose half that amount, or 1 ml of trace elements every four days.

 

[SPR1968]

FWIW:
If your reef is not in-taking cal and alk, then don't use the color's program.

For Now:
Those water changes are providing enough trace elements...

+1 to this

As I said above, and as per Red Sea, there is a very basic relationship between uptake of calcium and the elements in the coral colours, so if your not adding calcium because it’s not being used, I wouldn’t dose the coral colours for the time being. Otherwise you may get an unwanted buildup and cause issues.

 

[TexasTodd]

YumaMan, you'd have to figure in gallons of system, correct?

I will say I've noticed nice improvements since using. I just follow the add to kalkwasser per BRS and it works great. I did have one lighter encrusting monti that had some recession, but, recovered and came back with much better color.

 

[GoVols]

@Vintageblues

Your nitrates are two low.

Also:
If you change to the the Red Sea "Blue Bucket" salt mix (7.8 DKH), it may help too.

11 dkh is pretty high and a lower alk may help out your colors.

 

[Reefahholic]

You can dose the Coral Colours by calcium uptake as per the instructions, but of course you need to be dosing calcium or at least be able to measure how much is used. This is because there is a basic relationship between calcium uptake and the various elements in the colours.

I would ask the question that if your doing regular water changes do you need to dose the coral colours at this stage with no need for additional calcium etc?

Also with you alkalinity at 11 maybe look at Red Sea Coral PRO which contains much of what you need and runs at higher foundation element levels.

I’ve used them for 2 1/2 years in my mixed reef and I manually dose them rather than auto dose, and I air on the low side to remove or at least reduce the potential for over dosing.

The only real way to tell if you need them, or to work out a rate without using calcium uptake is to use the test kits. I sent them back as it was like a science kit! Lol

On the numbers, your phosphate is a bit high at 0.25ppm (ideally 0.03ppm) and also you don’t want 0 nitrate (cyno etc) but that’s another subject for you to read up on.

Solid advice here. I wanna weigh in too. Sounds like your tank is very low demand. Monthly water changes are keeping your major elements in check and most likely your minor and trace elements.

You will appreciate much better color if you lower your PO4.

Let me let you in on the biggest secret in reefing. Dose Nitrates if they're depleted! This will also help your colors.

You should also supplement a good Amino Acid product like AcroPower. wink wink.

 

[Reefahholic]

I believe you dose 1 ml of trace elements A,B,C,D for every 20 ppm of calcium dosed daily.

You are correct sir. That's with 100/Liters or 26.4/Gallons of water volume.