What would be the most beneficial trace element additive for me?

[Reefs and Geeks]

As the title states, I'm looking to use an additive to dose trace elements, but don't know what would give the most bang for my buck. I don't want to buy a slew of different additives, so I'm looking for a single additive that would do the best for my tank to maintain trace elements that are being depleted between water changes. Currently I've been using Brightwell Replenish, but my bottle is about empty.

My system is a 150 gallon display with mixed coral, but mainly sps and a couple larger zoa colonies. I have a 125 gallon sump, about 80 gallons of water volume for the sump. I do about a 10% water change maybe once a month or so, sometimes more sometimes less. I recently added a 40 gallon fuge with chaeto and dragons breath macros. I feed mostly frozen chunks of seafood medley from the grocery store and also a scoop of pellet food daily. I feed reefroids about once every week or two to my coral.

I'm thinking Chaetogrow might be a good trace to try since I've added a fairly large fuge and I imagine the macros will suck up more of the trace elements than anything else. If there's a better option I'd love to hear everyone's opinions.

 

[C. Eymann]

For an all in one trace element supplement, for someone who doesn't want to test for everything like iodine, potassium, iron etc etc

The only one I feel confident in recommending is TLF's Combi-San, I dont know the chemistry behind it but supposedly the bioavailability of the trace elements are time released so to speak as the elements are chelated.

While I generally agree additions of things you dont test for isn't the most wise practice, I'd be doing half the recommended dosage.

I have used Combi-San for many years with success, it's been around forever and some reefers swear by it.

It's the only trace supplement I feel comfortable recommending.


Just my .02

 

[bigdrew]

Good question. I have a softy only tank, so perhaps I’ll arrive at a different place than you will out of this. Following along.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

Any other thoughts from other's who dose trace elements? What do you use and why did you choose it?

 

[Phildago]

I was planning on giving seachem trace a try. I'm tired of dosing my redsea 4 part every other day and sometimes forget to do it. So I figured I could put the reef trace in my spare doser and put an ml or 2/day

 

[kireek]

I really love the product Fuel by aquavitro.It's a tad expensive for me though.

 

[infinite0180]

I second aquavitro fuel! Ive been using it for over a month and its really had quite a significant impact on growth and coloration. Not sure if its the trace or the aminos but its nice having both in 1 bottle. Only downside is it needs to be kept in the fridge...

 

[Jesse571]

I second aquavitro fuel! Ive been using it for over a month and its really had quite a significant impact on growth and coloration. Not sure if its the trace or the aminos but its nice having both in 1 bottle. Only downside is it needs to be kept in the fridge...

I have been using Fuel as well and my corals are doing great since using it.

 

[Chortanator]

I use Red Sea Trace Colours - it's aimed at coral colours but it's just trace elements. Naturally if more trace elements are available then corals will thrive. The dosing can be a little confusing though, because you're supposed to "dose by calcium", meaning 10% of whatever you dose of Red Sea Foundation A is how much you would dose of each bottle. So if you don't use Red Sea calcium additives, I'm not sure what the dosing instructions would be.

Red Sea Trace Colors A | B | C | D – The coloration program.

Red Sea's TRACE COLORS A | B | C | D SUPPLEMENT contain the 31 minor and trace elements present in the skeleton and soft tissue of all corals.

www.redseafish.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I use Red Sea Trace Colours - it's aimed at coral colours but it's just trace elements. Naturally if more trace elements are available then corals will thrive.

That's true if they are excessively low to begin with, but not true if they are already within acceptable ranges to begin with where there may be no effect. If one or more are already too high, the dosing more may be detrimental.

Trace element dosing when you do not have an accurate measure of the amount present should be treated as an experiment, not as a win-win.

 

[Chortanator]

That's true if they are excessively low to begin with, but not true if they are already within acceptable ranges to begin with where there may be no effect. If one or more are already too high, the dosing more may be detrimental.

Trace element dosing when you do not have an accurate measure of the amount present should be treated as an experiment, not as a win-win.

I was actually thinking of another post that you made when I wrote that - how you mentioned that you don't believe specific trace elements bring out specific colours (if I'm recalling correctly). What I meant by my statement there is that coral colours are improved by having healthy and stable parameters with trace elements in them, replenished either by water changing or dosing, and so the individual colours the on each bottle that Red Sea claims to improve should be disregarded.