What are the most important elements to dose?

[vcnt]

I'm a beginner with a 110-gallon tank planning on doing a mixed reef but probably gonna start with some Zoas . I assume calc and alk are the most important, but what about other things to dose, such as mag ?

 

[Troylee]

Correct mag also… besides that just trace elements if you’re not doing frequent water changes.

 

[mattdg]

Mag #3 for sure. Honestly, you can get by for several years, with just those three and water changes. When your coral start to really grow.. is when you need to be concerned with things like a Part C additive, followed by major and minor trace.

 

[vcnt]

Correct mag also… besides that just trace elements if you’re not doing frequent water changes.

10 gallons a week would be good for trace?

 

[Troylee]

10 gallons a week would be good for trace?

Plenty till you get a large group of corals growing.. with time you’ll learn and become in tune with your tank as the corals will tell you something is off… old skool or advanced reefers don’t even use test kits we have test corals that indicate for the most part if something is off and we know from experience what it is and how to correct.. most of the time a water change will cure the majority of stuff in my experience.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Zooanthids do not consume calcium, alk or magnesium, but other organisms present may, such as coralline algae.

 

[vcnt]

Zooanthids do not consume calcium, alk or magnesium, but other organisms present may, such as coralline algae.

Once my tank matures and i have stony corals, are those the ones that eat up those nutrients?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Once my tank matures and i have stony corals, are those the ones that eat up those nutrients?

Yes. :)

 

[vcnt]

Yes. :)

I mean this in the nicest way possible and i am real sorry if it sounds like i am being rude but why is it reef chemistry by randy holmes farley?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I mean this in the nicest way possible and i am real sorry if it sounds like i am being rude but why is it reef chemistry by randy holmes farley?

Not rude or inappropriate to ask. It's always worth knowing what qualifies someone to give you advice (or not).

I'm the expert moderator of this forum (designated by the forum owner), and have a considerable chemistry background (PhD in chemistry from Harvard, for example) and lengthy experience moderating reef chemistry forums (nearly 30 years since I started as an expert moderator on Compuserve's Fishnet in the early to mid 90's).

My primary purpose here is to ensure that the discussions in this subforum are consistent with what is known and/or hypothesized about chemistry in general and coral reef aquarium chemistry in particular.

Sadly, many other online forums, Facebook, blogs, and videos are filled with incorrect chemistry notions, and one must be very careful in deciding what is believable and what is not. Since many reefers have little or no chemistry background, it can be very challenging for them to recognize and know how to solve apparent issues. Even apparent reef aquarium experts sometimes espouse serious chemistry mistakes that will mislead others, and this forum hopefully serves to hep reduce those problems.

 

[vcnt]

Not rude or inappropriate to ask. It's always worth knowing what qualifies someone to give you advice (or not).

I'm the expert moderator of this forum (designated by the forum owner), and have a considerable chemistry background (PhD in chemistry from Harvard, for example) and lengthy experience moderating reef chemistry forums (nearly 30 years since I started as an expert moderator on Compuserve's Fishnet in the early to mid 90's).

My primary purpose here is to ensure that the discussions in this subforum are consistent with what is known and/or hypothesized about chemistry in general and coral reef aquarium chemistry in particular.

Sadly, many other online forums, Facebook, blogs, and videos are filled with incorrect chemistry notions, and one must be very careful in deciding what is believable and what is not. Since many reefers have little or no chemistry background, it can be very challenging for them to recognize and know how to solve apparent issues. Even apparent reef aquarium experts sometimes espouse serious chemistry mistakes that will mislead others, and this forum hopefully serves to hep reduce those problems.

Thank You

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank You

You're welcome.

Happy reefing. :)

 

[Anxur]

Prego.

Buona ripresa. :)

Randy I would like to purchase individual elements to dose them weekly, on Sundays. I had thought about: -fluorine -boron -potassium -iron -Iodine -manganese What others do you think I should get?

 

[scotty333]

Randy I would like to purchase individual elements to dose them weekly, on Sundays. I had thought about: -fluorine -boron -potassium -iron -Iodine -manganese What others do you think I should get?

All for reef dosing supply’s those elements and regular icps will tell you what needs topping up
I have to add extra iodine, manganese and iron cos I grow algae

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy I would like to purchase individual elements to dose them weekly, on Sundays. I had thought about: -fluorine -boron -potassium -iron -Iodine -manganese What others do you think I should get?

Here’s my full take

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randys-elements-to-dose.952/

 

[Garf]

Randy I would like to purchase individual elements to dose them weekly, on Sundays. I had thought about: -fluorine -boron -potassium -iron -Iodine -manganese What others do you think I should get?

Randy has made a thread containing details, link below;

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/randys-elements-to-dose.1030557/post-12122163
Edit - beaten to it, by seconds, lol.

 

[AbyssReefs]

I'm a beginner with a 110-gallon tank planning on doing a mixed reef but probably gonna start with some Zoas . I assume calc and alk are the most important, but what about other things to dose, such as mag ?

Usually when thinking about the "most important" elements I'd say alk, calc, mag like you said but unless you have a lot of Stony corals growth you probably won't need to dose for awhile. Then if you have a ton of Stony coral growth you also wanna look at iron, potassium, iodine and strontium as the big 4 trace elements imo. That's when a general trace elements dosing regimen is a good idea. I wouldn't worry to much about anything but alk, calc, salinity, pH and temp for a bit though. Doesn't hurt to test them though!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m still waiting to see evidence of utility of strontium to hard corals. It’s been a very long wait…. :)

 

[Anxur]

Here’s my full take

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randys-elements-to-dose.952/

Randy, in your opinion, if I dose 15 grams of Tropic Marin All For Reef powder per week, do I at least replenish the minor elements that you recommend adding?

Avoid to buy all they.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, in your opinion, if I dose 15 grams of Tropic Marin All For Reef powder per week, do I at least replenish the minor elements that you recommend adding?

Avoid to buy all they.

What size tank?