Dosing red sea's coral colors

[willthethrill]

Got the coral colors test kit and it seems my tank is pretty low on iron and potassium. Iodine is ok. How important are these levels? Should I bring these levels up to correct amounts and dose the abcd coral colors weekly? Only dosing I'm currently doing is BRS 2-part and Red Sea reef energy a&b

 

[Diesel]

What is low on the Potassium and Iron?
How many gallons tank we talking here.
Can you post a picture of your tank?

 

[willthethrill]

What is low on the Potassium and Iron?
How many gallons tank we talking here.
Can you post a picture of your tank?

I don't remember what the potassium level was, but the chart had recommended levels on it and I was low. The iron was reading zero. 120g display mixed coral, 160g total including sump and the refugium.

 

[Bunnee911]

I dose some iron every few days for my macro algae. About a ml in my BC29.

 

[Diesel]

Iron can be important to a reef but not for corals, let be clear that every test on iron comes out always to 0.0.
You might think huh.......... why??
Simply cause the iron level in NSW is 0.000006 ppm, that said we really can't measure that with our home test kits.
So what your dosing is always way to much, maybe 100x the max limit of your tank volume.
Read up this article and do understand about iron.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/chemistry

Now dosing K and I can be important but only if you know where your numbers are.
If a chart is telling you that your levels are low, you need to ask your self how low in order to know how much you need to dose.

 

[willthethrill]

Iron can be important to a reef but not for corals, let be clear that every test on iron comes out always to 0.0.
You might think huh.......... why??
Simply cause the iron level in NSW is 0.000006 ppm, that said we really can't measure that with our home test kits.
So what your dosing is always way to much, maybe 100x the max limit of your tank volume.
Read up this article and do understand about iron.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/chemistry

Now dosing K and I can be important but only if you know where your numbers are.
If a chart is telling you that your levels are low, you need to ask your self how low in order to know how much you need to dose.

So the biggest thing I got from that article is that dosing iron will help macroalgae grow faster absorbing more nutrients as well, kind of eliminating the need for gfo if you think about it. What's crazy to me is that if the iron levels are always going to read 0 like you say, why is it that the Red Sea iron test kit shows 0.0 and 0.05 as low and 0.15 as "ok".

 

[Diesel]

So the biggest thing I got from that article is that dosing iron will help macroalgae grow faster absorbing more nutrients as well, kind of eliminating the need for gfo if you think about it. What's crazy to me is that if the iron levels are always going to read 0 like you say, why is it that the Red Sea iron test kit shows 0.0 and 0.05 as low and 0.15 as "ok".

Don't ask me my friend............ good question for Redsea but you will not the only one in the last 15 years that asked WHY!!
Many believe that iron will get the yellow out of SPS corals, I have tested that over and over and the best way to get the yellow out of the SPS is just place it higher up for more light.
Of course you need to have the right spectrum of light as many running too much blue on their tanks.

 

[willthethrill]

Don't ask me my friend............ good question for Redsea but you will not the only one in the last 15 years that asked WHY!!
Many believe that iron will get the yellow out of SPS corals, I have tested that over and over and the best way to get the yellow out of the SPS is just place it higher up for more light.
Of course you need to have the right spectrum of light as many running too much blue on their tanks.

I've been in the hobby for 4 years now. And on a daily basis I have like 10 questions lol. I love it

 

[BluewaterLa]

I've got the Red Sea colors kit as well and have not tested or dosed any of it yet.
I read through each mini booklet for instructions and warnings.
One thing they all have in common is a warning about overdosing. Red Sea warns of each element having negative effects of coral health and color if overdosed.
This common warning has prompted me to find as much information as possible on these trace elements.
Not much out there that I've found with actual experience dosing Red Sea colors kit.

I've also wondered about the accuracy of the test kits provided, this may be worth having some triton test done.
My thought is to get an accurate analysis of my tank water and see how the Red Sea test kits measure up before dosing based upon their provided kits.

 

[20 gallon nano]

So the biggest thing I got from that article is that dosing iron will help macroalgae grow faster absorbing more nutrients as well, kind of eliminating the need for gfo if you think about it. What's crazy to me is that if the iron levels are always going to read 0 like you say, why is it that the Red Sea iron test kit shows 0.0 and 0.05 as low and 0.15 as "ok".

I've read somewhere that you need to test for iron within the 24 hours of dosing it, after the 24 hours it becomes undetectable.

 

[onetire]

Following .... I just purchased Red Sea colors and tests also .

 

[20 gallon nano]

Following .... I just purchased Red Sea colors and tests also .

Tell us how it goes, and if you see any improvements in color over time.

 

[onetire]

Ok ,my tests show I am low on iron and potassium my iodine and magnesium never seemed to change though and I use around 30 ml of bionic 2 part a day . Put my first dose of Red Sea colors in yesterday ,only used b,c and d .

 

[20 gallon nano]

Ok ,my tests show I am low on iron and potassium my iodine and magnesium never seemed to change though and I use around 30 ml of bionic 2 part a day . Put my first dose of Red Sea colors in yesterday ,only used b,c and d .

I read that iron will only be detected the first 24 hours of dosing it,after that it becomes undetectable.

 

[rlman41299]

I have been using the red sea color program and test kit for 2 months now but never tested. I base my dosing from my calcium uptake which is 10ml per day. I dose 2 ml of colors a,b,c and d plus 8ml of reef a & b everyday. I am following the rapid growth program recommended by red sea and so far I have noticed positive results. I also use red sea nopox.
I have noticedincreased growth but the colors remain the same. Once I get my sps to the size of my liking I will switch to the enhanced coloration program

 

[arman]

According to Ranndy's article about algae's growth in a tank,there are 3 parameters restricting this growth and they were nitrate and phosphate and iron.Im scared if you add iron you increase macro algae growth in your tank.

 

[20 gallon nano]

I have been using the red sea color program and test kit for 2 months now but never tested. I base my dosing from my calcium uptake which is 10ml per day. I dose 2 ml of colors a,b,c and d plus 8ml of reef a & b everyday. I am following the rapid growth program recommended by red sea and so far I have noticed positive results. I also use red sea nopox.
I have noticedincreased growth but the colors remain the same. Once I get my sps to the size of my liking I will switch to the enhanced coloration program

Are you having great success growing sps?

 

[onetire]

I read that iron will only be detected the first 24 hours of dosing it,after that it becomes undetectable.

Yea I haven't got that deep into it I just wanted to test before adding anything . I am only dosing a smaller dosage for now to see how it goes . I actually have exceptional sps growth running a very simple system but would like some colors to be a little brighter and thought I would give this a try .

 

[rlman41299]

Are you having great success growing sps?

Oh yes!!!!! My sps have never been happier. I have tried aquaforest supplements but never had success with it, with red sea everything has been positive so far.

 

[20 gallon nano]

Oh yes!!!!! My sps have never been happier. I have tried aquaforest supplements but never had success with it, with red sea everything has been positive so far.

What do you run for your filtration? Great pictures.