Best trace element product?

Jmas4 · Nov 12, 2019

I am dosing cal, alk, and mag. These are doing great. But I want to get more color out of my sps and if I want to space my water changes father apart, I need to dose trace elements. I only have 1 dosing pump open. What trace element product as an all around minerals. I have heard about red sea coral color abcd but like I said I only have 1 pump and I do not believe I can mix these four together. What supplement do you use? How is it working out? Any advice?

Thanks and happy Reefing

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 12, 2019

Others certainly have preferences, but i do not have a "best" trace element additive.

Trace elements are not generally a magic elixir for color the way some companies suggest.

The best way is figure out what your tank needs and dose just it.

Second best is pick a brand and try it on your system and see if there's a benefit.

vetteguy53081 · Nov 12, 2019

I use Kent and aquaforest and generally dose it two weeks after water change or if I find myself adding water to make up for evaporation

Brian W · Nov 12, 2019

I've had great success so far using Red Sea ABCD Trace Elements in my current tank. All the corals have colored up very nicely after a couple of months use. The used to be pale and dull, now they are bright and glowing. All I have added was Red Sea ABCD Trace elements. I highly recommend it!

Jmas4 · Nov 14, 2019

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Others certainly have preferences, but i do not have a "best" trace element additive.

Trace elements are not generally a magic elixir for color the way some companies suggest.

The best way is figure out what your tank needs and dose just it.

Second best is pick a brand and try it on your system and see if there's a benefit.

Ya l, understand that. Companys do exaggerate a product.

vetteguy53081 said:
I use Kent and aquaforest and generally dose it two weeks after water change or if I find myself adding water to make up for evaporation

I'll look into those, Thanks!

Jimmy Lee said:
I've had great success so far using Red Sea ABCD Trace Elements in my current tank. All the corals have colored up very nicely after a couple of months use. The used to be pale and dull, now they are bright and glowing. All I have added was Red Sea ABCD Trace elements. I highly recommend it!

Can you mix these containers together? I only have 1 dosing pump. Are the 4 different products for marketing or is there a legit reason as to why they separated?

Thanks for the help!

HB AL · Nov 14, 2019

I haven’t done a water change in over 2 years now so I need to supplement trace elements somehow. Around a year and a half ago I started dosing Red Sea’s ABCD trace elements and continue to do so since they seem to work since I haven’t done a water change in so long and fish and corals continue to grow and have great color.

RevMH · Nov 14, 2019

Jmas4 said:
I am dosing cal, alk, and mag. These are doing great. But I want to get more color out of my sps and if I want to space my water changes father apart, I need to dose trace elements. I only have 1 dosing pump open. What trace element product as an all around minerals. I have heard about red sea coral color abcd but like I said I only have 1 pump and I do not believe I can mix these four together. What supplement do you use? How is it working out? Any advice?

Thanks and happy Reefing

I'm on the Triton Method (standard, not the "Other"), I enjoy it and it works for my system. My elements, when tested, are always where they "should" be (according to Triton's calculations - take that as you will), minus Manganese, which I dose. However, this covers the big 3 AND trace elements, so you cannot mix the 4 together.

Nasir · Nov 14, 2019

Tropic mariner all in one.

Brian W · Nov 14, 2019

Jmas4 said:
Ya l, understand that. Companys do exaggerate a product.

I'll look into those, Thanks!

Can you mix these containers together? I only have 1 dosing pump. Are the 4 different products for marketing or is there a legit reason as to why they separated?

Thanks for the help!

I've never really though to check and see if you can mix them together. I would assume no only because they are sold separately in larger quantities as well as a ABCD kit. I'm only dosing 1 ml per each container daily and it's a pain but it starting g to become a habit. If you miss a day you can make it up on the next dose (not confirmed but I have had no issues skipping days yet) I would like to hear more from @HB AL about his experience using ABCD

Brian W · Nov 14, 2019

Nasir said:
Tropic mariner all in one.

Which product are you referring. Do you have a link?

Emon · Nov 14, 2019

I have been using red sea trace elements. At first I didn’t think it did anything but, after a month or so I started seeing my corals getting more color to them. I have a dragon soul torch , when I bought it it didn’t look anything like a dragon soul now when I look at it , it’s obvious that it is. Never tried any other brand either than Red Sea

TexasTodd · Nov 14, 2019

Another vote for Red Sea Colors. I dose per calcium use like BRS video.

HB AL · Nov 14, 2019

Jimmy Lee said:
I've never really though to check and see if you can mix them together. I would assume no only because they are sold separately in larger quantities as well as a ABCD kit. I'm only dosing 1 ml per each container daily and it's a pain but it starting g to become a habit. If you miss a day you can make it up on the next dose (not confirmed but I have had no issues skipping days yet) I would like to hear more from @HB AL about his experience using ABCD

I dose 20ml of each every 2 weeks. Having not done a water change in over 2 years I’m sure the corals and fish to an extent are benefiting from the trace supplements.

Brian W · Nov 14, 2019

HB AL said:
I haven’t done a water change in over 2 years now so I need to supplement trace elements somehow. Around a year and a half ago I started dosing Red Sea’s ABCD trace elements and continue to do so since they seem to work since I haven’t done a water change in so long and fish and corals continue to grow and have great color.

How much of each part

HB AL said:
I dose 20ml of each every 2 weeks. Having not done a water change in over 2 years I’m sure the corals and fish to an extent are benefiting from the trace supplements.

So you dose all in 1 day or do you spread it out over a certain number of days?

HB AL · Nov 14, 2019

Jimmy Lee said:
How much of each part

So you dose all in 1 day or do you spread it out over a certain number of days?

20ml of each, one after the other, takes 30 seconds.

X-37B · Nov 14, 2019

HB AL said:
I haven’t done a water change in over 2 years now so I need to supplement trace elements somehow. Around a year and a half ago I started dosing Red Sea’s ABCD trace elements and continue to do so since they seem to work since I haven’t done a water change in so long and fish and corals continue to grow and have great color.

Awesome tank.
No water changes here either. 120 almost 5 months old.
I dose DSR trace elements daily 3ml
Esv strontium weekly 3ml
Esv 2 part daily
For me I test for big 3 and strontium and iodine.
35+ corals and 1 12 head frogspawn for a clownfish.
So far vey stable with good growth.

Worthy1 · Dec 1, 2019

This article is a great read as another way to enhance coral colours. It talks about the correlation of nutrient and Alk levels and growth and coral colors '

In higher nutrient tanks, lower alkalinity would create poor coloration with poor growth. With higher alkalinity along with higher nutrients, both can keep up with each other's pace resulting in much faster tissue and skeleton growth, however, due to higher nutrients, you won't get those amazing colors.'

Something worth thinking about.

Personal Experience - Correlation of Alkalinity and Nutrients (N and P) From My Experience

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures with results because this was back when I was 15 years old, with no social media accounts, and no knowledge of reef forums. Worst yet, I never had a phone until I became 18 (I'm 20 now). However, I did some...

www.reef2reef.com

Personally I dose Aquaforest AF amino Mix as it got really good reviews. My colors are really perking up but I have also been playing with my levels and nutrients are increasing since adding a butterfly and a tang. https://aquaforest.eu/en/product/af_amino_mix/

SDK · Dec 2, 2019

Jimmy Lee said:
Which product are you referring. Do you have a link?

He is probably referring to Tropic Marin All For Reef....

User1 · Dec 2, 2019

HB AL said:
I haven’t done a water change in over 2 years now so I need to supplement trace elements somehow. Around a year and a half ago I started dosing Red Sea’s ABCD trace elements and continue to do so since they seem to work since I haven’t done a water change in so long and fish and corals continue to grow and have great color.

Have you looked at the DIY Tropic Marin All for Reef (one part dosing solution)? I understand the bottle TM sells is a bit expensive and usually for nano tanks due to cost. However, the DIY recipe seems interesting. Figured I would ask since your photo caught my eye. Nice looking tank btw.

Pondweed · Dec 2, 2019

If you're dosing Randys there's a product from Aus called coral essentials. It's being brought to the US via Dalua so I think it should be available.

You just add a couple of drops of trace a b and c to the randys mix and it covers everything

i don't use it yet but am swapping to it after my ATI runs out, you should be able to google some reviews