What unusual additive are you adding to your reef tank?

[jda]

Garlic was another strange one that might have worked out - while not likely curing anything like some think, it does appear to make food more tasty for some fish.

You see folks who use like lemon juice for pH and have not been slapped by Dr. RHF yet for this notion, but the orange squeeze was not even for any comprehensible reason.

Experiment with some stuff. See if you like anything. Put a label on it and sell if if you like it. If you think that the reefing additive companies are doing anything more than this, other than wild claims, I suggest that you reconsider. People might buy pasteurized, concentrated orange supplement to keep their fish from getting Scurvy - BRS will probably do a video on it.

 

[Joe462]

stump remover. not sure its really that uncommon, but it sounds funny, its just potassium nitrate, to boost my nitrate.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

This really wouldn't fit in vettguys question but I'll chime in as it's so new to me, but probably not to others. I've been adding Rhodopseudomonas palustris bacteria. Or as known as PNS ProBio.

For me just learning about this product has been a game changer, and very helpful in my new journey in the hobby.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

stump remover. not sure its really that uncommon, but it sounds funny, its just potassium nitrate, to boost my nitrate.

FWIW, it's also a poor choice that is easily improved. Excessive potassium and no purity grade, while both food and ACS grades of sodium nitrate and calcium nitrate are readily available, inexpensive, and avoid the potassium and purity concerns.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This really wouldn't fit in vettguys question but I'll chime in as it's so new to me, but probably not to others. I've been adding Rhodopseudomonas palustris bacteria. Or as known as PNS ProBio.

For me just learning about this product has been a game changer, and very helpful in my new journey in the hobby.

What has it accomplished?

 

[ReeferHD]

ive been dosing 10ml of SpongeExcel by Brightwell every other day to induce a diatom bloom in hopes of beating dinoflagellates, i was skeptical at first but so far it is working and almost all the dinos are gone.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Garlic was another strange one that might have worked out - while not likely curing anything like some think, it does appear to make food more tasty for some fish.

You see folks who use like lemon juice for pH and have not been slapped by Dr. RHF yet for this notion, but the orange squeeze was not even for any comprehensible reason.

Experiment with some stuff. See if you like anything. Put a label on it and sell if if you like it. If you think that the reefing additive companies are doing anything more than this, other than wild claims, I suggest that you reconsider. People might buy pasteurized, concentrated orange supplement to keep their fish from getting Scurvy - BRS will probably do a video on it.

I'm not concerned about anyone using it for pH lowering, although it wouldn't be my choice. Soda water or vinegar are better options, IMO.

I did run across someone using it to reduce alkalinity, which I think it will fail to do, just like dosing vinegar fails to reduce alkalinity in the long run because the acid in citrus is organic (a mix of citric acid and malic acid) which, once metabolized, end up as just CO2.

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/335343

"The acidity of lemon juice is due chiefly to citric and malic acids. If other acids are present, they exist in very small amounts. "

 

[I never finish anythi]

Got to be the vodka for me . The uneducated think I'm crazy when they see me dose vodka into my tank !! I get some strange looks from some of my family members

 

[00W]

No judgements please.
3 tsps kent buffer and a gallon of club soda once a week.
That's not a joke.

 

[vetteguy53081]

No judgements please.
3 tsps kent buffer and a gallon of club soda once a week.
That's not a joke.

What made you resort to club soda?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No judgements please.
3 tsps kent buffer and a gallon of club soda once a week.
That's not a joke.

No judgement, but why do you use the club soda?

 

[Salty_Northerner]

What has it accomplished?

Been seeing lower nitrates and phosphate. More phosphate at the start of dosing and nitrate slowly following as well. Haven't been doing anything else while dosing, Corals that were doing really bad (previous fail) were recovering from the past, but now I believe they've been accelerated in there health. Glass is cleaner, diatoms went away as quick as they showed up. So far that's what I've noticed.

 

[00W]

I would bring home club soda in gallon jugs from the restaurant to soak my pumps in and to clean coffee cups at home.
Well a few years ago one of those was used for top off water. I realized too late but the next week my rocks were completely clean.
Probably coincidence but us reefers are superstitious so I've done it every Wednesday since then.
My rocks are still clean so I go with it.
Granted this is just carbonated water from the soda gun. Nothing else.
Don't know what would happen if I did a whole water change with it, but, yeah there you have it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Been seeing lower nitrates and phosphate. More phosphate at the start of dosing and nitrate slowly following as well. Haven't been doing anything else while dosing, Corals that were doing really bad (previous fail) were recovering from the past, but now I believe they've been accelerated in there health. Glass is cleaner, diatoms went away as quick as they showed up. So far that's what I've noticed.

Ive seen this stuff which I believe is red in color and turned my nose at it , but now you got me wondering

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would bring home club soda in gallon jugs from the restaurant to soak my pumps in and to clean coffee cups at home.
Well a few years ago one of those was used for top off water. I realized too late but the next week my rocks were completely clean.
Probably coincidence but us reefers are superstitious so I've done it every Wednesday since then.
My rocks are still clean so I go with it.
Granted this is just carbonated water from the soda gun. Nothing else.
Don't know what would happen if I did a whole water change with it, but, yeah there you have it.

OK, I cannot argue with superstition. lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

I would bring home club soda in gallon jugs from the restaurant to soak my pumps in and to clean coffee cups at home.
Well a few years ago one of those was used for top off water. I realized too late but the next week my rocks were completely clean.
Probably coincidence but us reefers are superstitious so I've done it every Wednesday since then.
My rocks are still clean so I go with it.
Granted this is just carbonated water from the soda gun. Nothing else.
Don't know what would happen if I did a whole water change with it, but, yeah there you have it.

Makes me think, may be a substitute or similar behaviors to Hydrogen Peroxide.
This thread is producing many ideas

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Been seeing lower nitrates and phosphate. More phosphate at the start of dosing and nitrate slowly following as well. Haven't been doing anything else while dosing, Corals that were doing really bad (previous fail) were recovering from the past, but now I believe they've been accelerated in there health. Glass is cleaner, diatoms went away as quick as they showed up. So far that's what I've noticed.

OK, thanks.

 

[Patientman]

I've been dumping all kinds of money into my tank for years ... but I am happy with the results! Sorry ... couldn't resist!

 

[Baka Mop]

H2O2 with UV for parasite management. I don't know if its working yet, but I haven't had any disease related fish deaths yet.

 

[littlefoxx]

Lately Ive seen persons posting addition of yeast, bananas, cilantro, banana leaves, homemade supplements such as coral snow and even sugar. Most speak of adding these unusual items but rarely do I see the why's and the benefits they see, if any

I add nothing other than the alk-CA-Mag When needed as well as aminos, Trace elements and even flatworm Exit for SPS and stony coral health.

Without being judged by others -
What unusual additives or items do you add to your reef tank and how long have you been adding the named item(s)
What benefits have you seen from doing this?

In the past I tried yeast, and really did not after a month see any significant change to coral appearance, so I pulled off

Mines not super unusual as far as what it is but how I prepare it is! My lionfish nala hates big chunks of food (yeah weird for a lion I know) so I have to cut her predator food into small pieces for her to show interest!