Trace elements debate

[Troylee]

That is not so bad…. mine is also not flat and I had 1dKh swings.

Brings up another question, how critical is the alk stability in our boxes?
Or what alk swings are detrimental?

Dunno… still waiting for a definitive answer on what’s considered a spike?

 

[Lavey29]

Stable alk is boring… I like to keep my acros guessing lol…

You really run it up there high huh

 

[Troylee]

You really run it up there high huh

Normally at 9 but I’ve been playing high doses of kalk to keep my ph 8.3 or better. Wanted to see if I noticed any changes which I haven’t it’s only been a week thou.. my alk keeps climbing and then drops so I’m assuming the corals are taking it pretty well and I haven’t noticed any stn or rtn so I’ll give it a couple more weeks and see what happens..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, foods can be a bigger source of trace elements than water changes.

 

[lil sumpin]

I call it “bro science”

cowboy chemistry, if you will

 

[killer2001]

In my opinion trace don’t really matter as much people say.

You can test this hypothesis out yourself by putting a clump of chaetomorpha into say a 10 gallon tank, get the proper refugium light, get it to tumble and maintain the big 3 (alk, cal, mag). You will see that after about a month, it will stop growing, despite having your big 3 parameters in check as well as salinity / pH / temp etc.

Then after you notice a halt in growth, simply dose a supplement of traces say, chaetogro from brightwell and you will magically see the chaetomorpha explode in growth again. I witnessed this first hand so I can no longer deny the importance of trace elements.

 

[danimal1211]

This tread is for reefers who are opinionated and don’t really know what they are talking about. (on trace elements.). Not the reef chemistry guy.

Who’d a thunk I’d so obviously be called on to take part in such a high-brow discussion. Hold my beer got some sperimentin’ to do…
Grab a can of table salt from Walmart mix it up with some RODI and toss in some Stratocaster Zoas. We gonna take bets on how long they survive?

 

[LPS_guy]

Who’d a thunk I’d so obviously be called on to take part in such a high-brow discussion. Hold my beer got some sperimentin’ to do…
Grab a can of table salt from Walmart mix it up with some RODI and toss in some Stratocaster Zoas. We gonna take bets on how long they survive?

5 seconds.

s.

 

[LPS_guy]

You can test this hypothesis out yourself by putting a clump of chaetomorpha into say a 10 gallon tank, get the proper refugium light, get it to tumble and maintain the big 3 (alk, cal, mag). You will see that after about a month, it will stop growing, despite having your big 3 parameters in check as well as salinity / pH / temp etc.

Then after you notice a halt in growth, simply dose a supplement of traces say, chaetogro from brightwell and you will magically see the chaetomorpha explode in growth again. I witnessed this first hand so I can no longer deny the importance of trace elements.

Yes but there is no nitrogen or phosphorus.

 

[LPS_guy]

I’m saying that people act like trace elements are the most important thing in the hobby just because it’s a buzz word. I will admit that is but not as important as people say most of the time.

 

[Doctorgori]

perhaps that ReefMoonshiners method with trace could be valid but definitely is some work with a lil complexity and some cost…

TBH I’ve tried them all and currently trying Red Seas “Reef Colors” (again) …allegedly it’s testable or has some basis for dosing…again allegedly

If my longevity in the hobby has any cred then just by weight of effort, water changes may ultimately be both simpler and cheaper…I hate WC’s and I do have a open mind

 

[LPS_guy]

What does WC even stand for anyways?

 

[Dburr1014]

I have to say, reefing is a puzzle, without ALL the pieces, you will never see the completed picture.
Some say the edges are more important, some say the middle pieces are more important. They are all important to see the picture.

 

[LPS_guy]

What does wc mean

 

[Doctorgori]

What does WC even stand for anyways?

Water Change. apologies for another overused acronym, one of the few I know
….. I'd fail in twitterverse

 

[Troylee]

Water Change. apologies for another overused acronym, one of the few I know
….. I'd fail in twitterverse

Water changes and feeding your fish a variety of foods is plenty to replenish any trace elements you need.. ask Randy or crt…

 

[areefer01]

Water Change. apologies for another overused acronym, one of the few I know
….. I'd fail in twitterverse

They are a new hobbyist thus some acronym trouble.

Edit: I guess I should have said "maybe they are a"

 

[bubbgee]

Stable alk is boring… I like to keep my acros guessing lol…

Is your Alk really that high? Some of my torches have BJD and I was told it's the alk being at 14 being the cause of that. I blame reef crystals. I have now have it at 8.8 - 9.4 at the moment.

 

[LPS_guy]

1 gallon daily Wc right now. It’s pain and suffering for 75% wc

 

[CivicS14]

Personally, I don't test, nor care about looking at what my trace elements are. I don't plan to dose it either. 10% weekly water changes seem to do just fine.