dosing trace elements.......comments?

AKsaltlife · Sep 22, 2015

So I have been in the hobby for just over a year now and have gone through 4 different tanks starting at 4 gallons, up to 30 gallons, then a 14 gallon frag tank and now my 75 gallon. I dose calcium and alkalinity but would like some input on dosing trace elements.

ReefMadScientist · Sep 22, 2015

I 2-part as well. For trace elements I do water changes once a month to get those in my tank

Love the banner btw! You should add a Coast Guard Cutter to float on your water

AKsaltlife · Sep 22, 2015

Thank you. Can't say I have thought about that yet but is a pretty good idea hahaha. I guess by doing my every 2 weeks water changes I should be good then.

AKsaltlife · Sep 22, 2015

I'm going to have to start looking for a little cutter to put in there

ReefMadScientist · Sep 22, 2015

AKsaltlife said:
Thank you. Can't say I have thought about that yet but is a pretty good idea hahaha. I guess by doing my every 2 weeks water changes I should be good then.

Yes you will be good. I have a pretty dense SPS tanks and LPS tank.

spspirate · Sep 22, 2015

If your not doing regular waterchanges then dosing trace could be beneficial.

NanaReefer · Sep 22, 2015

I dose once between bi-weekly water changes just for general purposes-lol.

reefwiser · Sep 23, 2015

I do DSR following GlennF After testing you learn how much of which elements your corals are currently using. Then dose to reach Natural Saltwater levels.
http://reefbuilders.com/2014/03/06/dsr-successful-method/
DSR website.
http://dsrreefing.nl/
Makes a big difference.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 23, 2015

Unfortunately, there's no suitable way for reefers to test for natural levels of many important trace elements.

That leaves trial and error the only way to know if you might benefit from elements like iron, copper, chromium, cobalt, etc.

FWIW, in addition to water changes, I dose only iron, and silicate, as well as calcium and alkalinity via limewater.

I'll also move this to a more appropriate forum.

AKsaltlife · Sep 23, 2015

reefwiser said:
I do DSR following GlennF After testing you learn how much of which elements your corals are currently using. Then dose to reach Natural Saltwater levels.
http://reefbuilders.com/2014/03/06/dsr-successful-method/
DSR website.
http://dsrreefing.nl/
Makes a big difference.

Good info sir I do appreciate the help. I just need to get some tests to make sure I'm at the right levels.

AKsaltlife · Sep 23, 2015

Currently I'm just using the 4 part red sea trace elements kit and just adding what I think needs to be there according to the instructions.

Damon · Sep 23, 2015

I recently(about a month to two ago) began dosing the kz trace elements(single bottle). I am finding a ton of vigor and increased growth in my stones. I don't use a ton of the kz stuff, but some things have worked well. And then, some things have surprised me. Their trace elements has been one. I only, at max, dose half strength, but it's been very, very good so far..

AKsaltlife · Sep 23, 2015

I will certainly take that into concideration. Thank you. Guess I will be trying a few new things. I'm about to make up 20 gallons of water today and get my frag tank hooked up. Should buffer things out a bit adding an extra 20 gallons of volume to my system.