What Do you all Like to dose in your reef systems?

[SteadyC]

Potassium daily, important for SPS, levels should be on par with calcium. Iodine daily for metabolic functions and macroalgae. Amino acids, acropower and LPS aminos switching off every other day.

 

[Dj24680]

I dose brs 2-part and add the ultra fauna marin balling light trace additives to that all 3 bottles

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Iodine daily for metabolic functions and macroalgae.

Metabolic functions? Of what organism?

 

[BigJohnny]

Dose Acropower once a week otherwise follow the Red Sea recipe. Have run all of the other systems and have found this to be the most bang for the buck.

Do you mean red Sea ABCD and no3po4x or just alk/calc/mag?

 

[BigJohnny]

Potassium daily, important for SPS, levels should be on par with calcium. Iodine daily for metabolic functions and macroalgae. Amino acids, acropower and LPS aminos switching off every other day.

Do you actually have to dose potassium/iodine daily or are you just guessing? What test kits do you use?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you actually have to dose potassium/iodine daily or are you just guessing? What test kits do you use?

FWIW, iodine does deplete rapidly (in my tank, it went from NSW levels to almost none in a few days) as algae and possibly other organisms take it up, but I also have not seen any evidence that it is useful. I dosed it for years then stopped and saw no difference, and many reefers have had that same experience. There's no evidence in the scientific literature that most organisms we keep need iodine in the water.

 

[BigJohnny]

FWIW, iodine does deplete rapidly (in my tank, it went from NSW levels to almost none in a few days) as algae and possibly other organisms take it up, but I also have not seen any evidence that it is useful. I dosed it for years then stopped and saw no difference, and many reefers have had that same experience. There's no evidence in the scientific literature that most organisms we keep need iodine in the water.

I knew it got used up but had no idea it could be so rapid. I also thought I read that the hobby grade test kits aren't really accurate and that always prevented me from trying to monitor/dose it. That and I know a lot of epic tanks that dont dose it. You said most organisms, which have evidence that they need it in the water besides algae?

I do dose potassium but only because of bad salt mix. My actual consumption is veryyy slow overall though, definitely don't need to dose daily.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I knew it got used up but had no idea it could be so rapid. I also thought I read that the hobby grade test kits aren't really accurate and that always prevented me from trying to monitor/dose it. That and I know a lot of epic tanks that dont dose it. You said most organisms, which have evidence that they need it in the water besides algae?

When I wrote these articles, they included all that I could find that needed/used iodine (not necessarily in the water, perhaps in foods, but needed it somehow; having it in the water is not necessary or perhaps not sufficient for some organisms). I'm not aware of any additional revelations since I wrote the articles, but there may be.

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/chem.htm

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine In Reef Tanks 2: Effects On Macroalgae Growth ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2003/chem.htm

 

[BigJohnny]

When I wrote these articles, they included all that I could find that needed/used iodine (not necessarily in the water, perhaps in foods, but needed it somehow; having it in the water is not necessary or perhaps not sufficient for some organisms). I'm not aware of any additional revelations since I wrote the articles, but there may be.

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/chem.htm

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Iodine In Reef Tanks 2: Effects On Macroalgae Growth ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2003/chem.htm

Ah sorry I forgot you linked those. Thanks

 

[Oldreefer44]

Do you mean red Sea ABCD and no3po4x or just alk/calc/mag?

Reef nutrition A & B daily, 10% water change every 2 weeks or so. Coral colors every other week between water changes. Have found that this keeps parameters in range and grows coral.

 

[sil40sx]

In addition to B-Ionic's Alk and Ca, I started dosing Phols extra special and Aquavitro Fuel 3 months ago (around June).

I dont know if it was those two helped, or just anecdotal, but here's one progress photo. As you can see, From Dec 2016 to June 2017 (6 months), there isn't much growth, but when I started dosing June, just 3 months later, it exploded.

December 2016

June 2017

Current

 

[cFloor]

I've tried dosing a bunch of different things over the years, but nothing ever made a big difference and a lot of these additives were somewhat pricey. I've found my best results have come from dosing 2 part and doing 10% weekly water changes.

 

[Big E]

I've tried dosing a bunch of different things over the years, but nothing ever made a big difference and a lot of these additives were somewhat pricey. I've found my best results have come from dosing 2 part and doing 10% weekly water changes.

Same here 2 part and 10% water change.

 

[A13X]

I dose Strontium, Potassium and Acropower. All on the recommended dose on the label. It's automated by my apex using BRS 1.1 pumps.

 

[BigJohnny]

I dose Strontium, Potassium and Acropower. All on the recommended dose on the label. It's automated by my apex using BRS 1.1 pumps.

Have you ever done a triton test to see what your strontium and potassium are?

Beautiful tank btw

 

[A13X]

Have you ever done a triton test to see what your strontium and potassium are?

Beautiful tank btw

No I haven’t. I’ve had good luck with my doses that I think I got it dialed in.
Still Probably something I should consider.

 

[BigJohnny]

No I haven’t. I’ve had good luck with my doses that I think I got it dialed in.
Still Probably something I should consider.

Definitely. High potassium can cause issues at a certain point.

 

[SteadyC]

Do you actually have to dose potassium/iodine daily or are you just guessing? What test kits do you use?

No, I’m not just guessing. Triton and Aquamedic tests used. Triton And Aquamedic both test K, and both recommended, over several test samples. Here’s from Triton, and screen shot of last test:

K: We have detected a lack of potassium.
A potassium dose may have the following advantages for your aquarium:
- Can promote the coloring of SPS
- Can have a positive effect on the bacterial flora

K Potassium
Analysis: 319 mg/l
Setpoint: 400 mg/l

I also attended a coral coloration seminar, and those speakers said potassium should be same levels of calcium. Triton is basically saying the same, setpoint of 400 mg/l for potassium. 440 mg/l for calcium.

 

[SteadyC]

Metabolic functions? Of what organism?

From Triton, just what I was going off

I: We have detected a lack of iodine.
A Iodine dose can have the following benefits for your aquarium:
- Improves overall health of SPS corals and macroalgae
- Promotes metabolic processes in the reef aquarium
- Can be helpful against parasites and inhibit their reproduction

Also, I stopped dosing I daily, latest Triton test, my I was a tad high.

 

[BigJohnny]

No, I’m not just guessing. Triton and Aquamedic tests used. Triton And Aquamedic both test K, and both recommended, over several test samples. Here’s from Triton, and screen shot of last test:

K: We have detected a lack of potassium.
A potassium dose may have the following advantages for your aquarium:
- Can promote the coloring of SPS
- Can have a positive effect on the bacterial flora

K Potassium
Analysis: 319 mg/l
Setpoint: 400 mg/l

I also attended a coral coloration seminar, and those speakers said potassium should be same levels of calcium. Triton is basically saying the same, setpoint of 400 mg/l for potassium. 440 mg/l for calcium.

I quoted a13x, not you