Help understanding these trace additives

[AdamNC]

So I'm looking to switch from Red Sea to Aquaforest trace elements and possibly their salt. As I'm trying to figure out the conversion from one to the other I came across this and am a bit confused.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/red-sea-coral-colors-abcd-4-pack.html
Red Sea Coral Colors B (Potassium) - promotes red colors
Red Sea Coral Colors D (Trace Element Complex) - promotes purple/blue colors

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/component-strong-a-b-c-k-aquaforest.html
Aquaforest Component K is a concentrated Potassium supplement that will help bring out blue and purple coloration in corals and clams.

One product states it brings out the red colors and the other blue/purple.

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well, maybe they are both wrong.

I'm not convinced that particular colors come from dosing particular additives, but as noted above, everyone has an opinion, and often they differ.

 

[rkpetersen]

I read about all this alleged correlation between coral colors and certain trace metal supplements when I got back into the hobby about a year ago. Quite skeptical about such simple correlations being valid, then and now. However, it does serve to sell supplements, and there are far more available now than when I was in the hobby previously. Back then it was all strontium. Strontium, strontium, strontium. Every tank needed strontium. Now apparently you don't need to dose strontium?

BTW, I'd never use either of these products. As Randy knows, my potassium is already too d*** high! My reds blues and purples are all fine, when I'm not hurting the corals with some ill-advised interference. ;Shifty

 

[jsker]

So I'm looking to switch from Red Sea to Aquaforest trace elements and possibly their salt. As I'm trying to figure out the conversion from one to the other I came across this and am a bit confused.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/red-sea-coral-colors-abcd-4-pack.html
Red Sea Coral Colors B (Potassium) - promotes red colors
Red Sea Coral Colors D (Trace Element Complex) - promotes purple/blue colors

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/component-strong-a-b-c-k-aquaforest.html
Aquaforest Component K is a concentrated Potassium supplement that will help bring out blue and purple coloration in corals and clams.

One product states it brings out the red colors and the other blue/purple.

@Randy Holmes-Farley

When I switch over from Red Sea to Aquaforest I started with the 1+2+3+ link Aquaforest's balling method. Two weeks later I switch to the reef salt. I played around with the additives and I went back to simple and just run the Reef salt and the 1+2+3+. 1+2+3+ and the salt will be all you need. With Red Sea I was dosing the coral colors program, Ca, Mg, Kalwasser in the ATO, but when I switched the colors and over all growth really took off. Jan 2018 will be the start of my 3rd year use aquaforest and I am very happy

Now back to your question, 1+2+3 has all of your minerals and elements. Aquaforest uses mineral salts in the 3+ along with potassium and Mg. 2+ is your alk and iodide and 1+ has Ca, heavy metals, strontium, and barium. If you have a large system, I have the recipe for mixing 1+2+3+ for about 60% less than purchasing the premixed.

 

[AdamNC]

Well I’d like to stay with BRS Alk, Ca and Mag because they work and are imo cheap. Currently I use the Red Sea blue bucket and then supplement with the ABCD Colors and feed with PolypLabs Polyp Booster and Reef Roids. So I’m trying to find what the conversion from one company to the next would be for just the trace elements and possibly the salt.

Another thought would be to just switch to the Aquaforest Probiotic Reef Salt and be done with trace elements dosing. And if I did use this would I still need to feed PolypLabs?

 

[AdamNC]

I guess what I’m asking is if I switch to Aquaforest brand, minus the big three, what products would I need to purchase to equal what I’m using now?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I guess what I’m asking is if I switch to Aquaforest brand, minus the big three, what products would I need to purchase to equal what I’m using now?

I don't think one can give an easy answer since even in those cases where companies say what is in the product, they rarely say how much.