What do you look for with new additives?

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

Hi all,

When you are looking to use a new chemical, supplement or additive is there anything you always look up beforehand? I ask because I'm now much more careful with what I add to my tank than when I started. I'm just curious if others feel the same.

E.g. You search r2r, or Google it, or you look to make sure it doesn't change the chemistry of your tank, do you specifically check for safety?

 

[Fish Fan]

I'd suggest that you research everything you want to add here on R2R first, and don't dose or add anything that you're not testing for, or have some other solid indication that you're deficient.

 

[OSHA Violating Shrimp]

I mean in a more general sense. Say you do an icp and have an iodine deficiency for example. You look at all the iodine supplements, but what do people specifically check before they go for an additive.

A better example might be for removal of phosphate. There are a ton of options with different mechanisms. What do you check, or do people just generally read in r2r?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Either you will research it, or at least ask the LFS or another hobbyist, or else you just try your luck. If you're more careful now, then I gather you've been unlucky a few times. Very few people come into this hobby proactively researching every little detail, a lot of us have learned the hard way, me included.

 

[Reefering1]

I ask myself, "is this too good to be true?". If it advertises to solve all your problems, avoid it at all costs. Example if that iodine product simply states it ingredients, concentration, and dosing instructions: great, I might use it. However if another iodine product is promising extreme color, polyp extension, and coral health; while not disclosing ingredients.. I will not use it