Post-ICP trace battle!

[danberger]

Hey everyone, I just got my first Reef Labs ICP results.

The tl;dr is (1) keep fighting PO4 (already down to .15 since), (2) water change (switching salt mix to Red Sea coral pro tomorrow), and (3) add trace elements.

The first two are easy and I'm handling.

My question is regarding the #3: trace elements...

I was thinking about getting the Red Sea ABCD trace element supplements (from my LFS) and dose as needed... but given that I pretty much need everything, I'm wondering if there's something else I should dose... and maybe even put it on my Neptune DOS so it's consistent. Something like All-for-Reef or Tropic Marin A and K?

Any ideas for products, methodology, or general feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Dan

 

[TokenReefer]

Can I ask how often you do water changes?

 

[danberger]

Can I ask how often you do water changes?

My tank is 75 day sold. I water change every two weeks but have been using red sea salt (not pro) and will be switching salt mixes starting with tomorrow's water change.

 

[rtparty]

Red Sea Coral pro won’t solve any of the issues with trace elements.

Get the Reef Moonshiners handbook and read it twice. Even if you don’t use the RM products, it’s still the best resource for understanding trace elements IMO.

How are you managing alkalinity and calcium?

 

[danberger]

How are you managing alkalinity and calcium?

Using Trident + DOS control intervals. Here are the results from 2 hours ago:

 

[rtparty]

Using Trident + DOS control intervals. Here are the results from 2 hours ago:

Are you dosing a 2 part? If so, you can likely add Tropic Marin A and K right into those and it will dose a little bit of trace

 

[TokenReefer]

Those 3 look good but why would the traces be so deficient? Do you have a lot of corals?

 

[danberger]

Red Sea Coral pro won’t solve any of the issues with trace elements.

Get the Reef Moonshiners handbook and read it twice. Even if you don’t use the RM products, it’s still the best resource for understanding trace elements IMO.

How are you managing alkalinity and calcium?

Yes, I know. I'm just trying to get better quality salt mix as my base going forward.

Re RM - Awesome resource. Never heard of it. Thank you!

 

[danberger]

Those 3 look good but why would the traces be so deficient? Do you have a lot of corals?

Yes, I have many corals... many

 

[danberger]

Are you dosing a 2 part? If so, you can likely add Tropic Marin A and K right into those and it will dose a little bit of trace

Yes, dosing Alk, Ca, and Mag. Perhaps drop the Mag and dose TM A and K instead of messing around with Red Sea ABCD

 

[TokenReefer]

Oh! OK so you've been busy those 75 days . Guess wc can't keep up... Looks good btw!

 

[danberger]

Oh! OK so you've been busy those 75 days . Guess wc can't keep up... Looks good btw!

Thank you. I have a problem and need medical help.

 

[TokenReefer]

I know the feeling

 

[danberger]

OK so I did a comparison of Red Sea ABCD and Tropic Marin A- and K+

Bold is what one has and the other doesn't...

I think the move is to go with TM and then dose Potassium... I'm not sure about how much Aluminum (Reef Labs says Optimal range is 0 - 0.020), and Gold, Silver, and Tungsten (all three of which are not even analyzed by Reef Labs) are even needed.

 

[TokenReefer]

Aluminum is an oddball to me... Why?

 

[rtparty]

Yes, dosing Alk, Ca, and Mag. Perhaps drop the Mag and dose TM A and K instead of messing around with Red Sea ABCD

You can add the A and K right into the Alk and Cal solutions. I do this with my BRS 2 part plus TM Part C that dose. The recipe is on BRS’ website under Other Information or something like that

 

[Big E]

Is the A mixed in your alk or calc solution?

 

[rtparty]

Is the A mixed in your alk or calc solution?

A in alkalinity and K in calcium

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

.. I'm not sure about how much Aluminum (Reef Labs says Optimal range is 0 - 0.020), and Gold, Silver, and Tungsten (all three of which are not even analyzed by Reef Labs) are even needed.

You do not need any of those at any concentration, except possibly tungsten which is used by some microorganisms. The others have no known biological role.

 

[danberger]

You do not need any of those at any concentration, except possibly tungsten which is used by some microorganisms. The others have no known biological role.

Thank you Randy!