Saltwater Reef Supplements
- Thread starter mike007
- Start date
- Tagged users None
redfishbluefish
Stay Positive, Stay Productive
Staff member
Super Moderator
Reef Squad
Partner Member 2024
Excellence Award
Article Contributor
NJRC Member
Hospitality Award
Not quite sure what you’re going at, but my rule is that it I can’t test for it, I’m not adding it. So these “trace” additives are crap to me.
Oh, and by the way, I've got a healthy looking tank.
Oh, and by the way, I've got a healthy looking tank.
glb
7500 Club Member
Water changes are always the first line of defense, but sometimes you need to add calcium or magnesium. They can deplete more quickly depending on what's in your tank. And steady levels are also needed to maintain alkalinity and help coral grow. Just make sure you test before you add.
For trace elements there's noting like regular water changes. 
Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk
johnanddawn
Valuable Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2006
- Messages
- 1,106
- Reaction score
- 161
Agreed, I only test the big three - Ca , ALK, and Mg - so I only supliment them. The rest is an expensive waste, regular water changes will take care of everything else.
Bulk reef supply three part products are what I use.
Bulk reef supply three part products are what I use.
If one were to read the ingredients on the labels, they are pretty much all the same. One may contain something a bit different, but for the most part, I believe they are pretty close.
One may appear to work better than an other, and I don't get that part, but I've used a few and have my favorites.
Liquid360
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2012
- Messages
- 2,966
- Reaction score
- 1,218
"Read the labels"?!?! That's insanity!!! You must be high!!!
I bet if you took five brands and tested them all. One would stand out. Run the tests again. I bet it'd be a different one.
I bet if you took five brands and tested them all. One would stand out. Run the tests again. I bet it'd be a different one.
Last edited:
redtop03
Well-Known Member
for calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity, I use BRS 2 part, it is pharmaceutical grade and mixes up well, I've never tried any other brand so I can't say it is the best, but it works well for my tank and I see no reason to change
blufin
Active Member
This is what my LFS uses. They swear by it.
I definitely believe that there is a difference in quality with the various brands of supplements even if the core elemental constituents on the label are the same. The raw materials may be the same, but the purity and refinement etc. will certainly be different. Think about the steak you get at retaurants or the produce you buy...the quality varies considerably.
Using a good quality reef salt like Tropic Marin and bi-weekly water changes will help keep your trace elements in check until you increase the coral bio load and the trace elements etc. become depleted faster than you can replace them via your normal water change routine.
Using a good quality reef salt like Tropic Marin and bi-weekly water changes will help keep your trace elements in check until you increase the coral bio load and the trace elements etc. become depleted faster than you can replace them via your normal water change routine.
OP
OP
The reason i posted this was to get your views on what you are using and if you are having success with them. There are many good products out there i want to know what you use and is your reef thriving?
Calcion- Calcium Supplimentation
Baking Soda- ALK
Kent- Tech M- (Magnesium)
Baking Soda- ALK
Kent- Tech M- (Magnesium)
