I think before anymore criticism of the op in this thread happens. All reefers need to remember that their tanks/ecosystems are different. I dont doubt that a tank shown in sabellas post which is stunning would definitely take supplementation to maintain. It is packing so many flourishing sps corals in such a comparatively small water volume compared to a natural environment that it would be impossible to accomplish without supplementing trace elements and alk. On the flip side. I kept a lps and soft coral dominated tank by doing 20% water changes weekly and had great growth and extension on all including clams, etc with the salt mix i was using. I didnt dose. Polymate said it well, you have to monitor and see what your tank is telling you. Responsible hobbyists do their research first, set their tank up hopefully based on a stocking plan that happens over time, not overnight. Cycle their tank properly, make sure your biologic filtration, however you accomplish it is sufficient, be cognicent of over feeding and excess nutrients and at least have a rudimentary understanding of water chemistry and the needs of the inhabitants of the tank as they stock. My next build will have a controller, dosing equipment, etc and it will be in place in advance as i plan on doing more sps corals, but it will not be turned on until the tank needs it. I expect it will be a good 6 months of research and planning before i even fill the system. This hobby is expensive, one way or the other. You can try to cut corners but ultimately success is based on close monitoring and small incremental adjustments as your system matures and the changes are needed. Ultimately we all need to remember its no different than having a dog. We are responsible for providing the best environment we can for the living things we choose to keep and that means educating ourselves responsibly.
