Using Red Sea Trace Colors A/B/C/D with ICP?

[Hooz]

So I have a bunch of the Red Sea Trace Colors sitting around, and I'd like to use them. I was wondering if dosing them according to ICP test results would work out like a cheaper, easier Reef Moonshiners method. Cheap as in not having to keep a dozen or more bottles of elements around all the time, and easier just having to dose 4 things instead of who knows how many.

My question is this... Each of the ABC bottles has a "major" element you can test and dose for. Iodine, Potassium, and Iron. What would you use for the D elements? As I understand it, D contains Silver, Gold, Vanadium and Tungsten. Would dosing according to Vanadium make sense? All of the dosing instructions in the manual and on the bottle are for dosing based on calcium uptake, whereas the others have instructions based on their "major" element. I use All for Reef currently (no direct measure of calcium uptake), so how would I even know where to start?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I have a bunch of the Red Sea Trace Colors sitting around, and I'd like to use them. I was wondering if dosing them according to ICP test results would work out like a cheaper, easier Reef Moonshiners method. Cheap as in not having to keep a dozen or more bottles of elements around all the time, and easier just having to dose 4 things instead of who knows how many.

My question is this... Each of the ABC bottles has a "major" element you can test and dose for. Iodine, Potassium, and Iron. What would you use for the D elements? As I understand it, D contains Silver, Gold, Vanadium and Tungsten. Would dosing according to Vanadium make sense? All of the dosing instructions in the manual and on the bottle are for dosing based on calcium uptake, whereas the others have instructions based on their "major" element. I use All for Reef currently (no direct measure of calcium uptake), so how would I even know where to start?

Dosing by ICP will be a bit tricky since they are not individual solutions, but combos, but it sounds like a fine plan to as as best you can do it.

I think if we saw your ICP result it would be easier to make a specific recommendation.

 

[Hooz]

Dosing by ICP will be a bit tricky since they are not individual solutions, but combos, but it sounds like a fine plan to as as best you can do it.

I think if we saw your ICP result it would be easier to make a specific recommendation.

I just sent out the latest test on Friday, so it'll be a bit before results are back. Just going through some old tests, all of the D elements (Silver, Gold, Vanadium and Tungsten) seem to be perpetually zero. I've seen recommendations on a "good target" for Vanadium, but I'm not sure how I would even know how much to add to get there.

Is there a way to figure my calcium uptake using AFR based on my water volume and current dosing amount?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I can’t really see a reason to supplement any of those except vanadium. Gold, silver and tungsten are not needed.