Red Sea trace element overdose?

[Miami Reef]

Got a question for you guys:

My Alk drops .5dkh a day. I’m putting a schedule for water changes 10% a week. I’m just thinking out loud over hear: I have quite a bit of corals and clams, but they are mostly small.

BRS said didn’t even dose trace elements until their tank got to this rate and it took a year and a half of growth from frags because their water change schedule covered the consumption of trace elements.

I think I have an idea. I’m going to purchase the Red Sea salt and do my weekly 10% water changes and do an ICP test in about 2 months. Then I can check to see if dosing is required.

 

[Miami Reef]

The first 2 pictures is red seas recommendation. The 3rd picture is the BRS tank which took 1.5 years without dosing trace elements. Only using the tropic marin salt. I will post pictures of my book pad to see if it makes sense to dose.

 

[Miami Reef]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The only way to know what trace elements are needed in any given tank is either by trial and error dosing and observation, or by ICP measurement.

Both ways are imperfect and have substantial limitations.