Snake oil - bottled additives

[X-37B]

I have kept it simple over the last 7-8 years.
Esv 2 part in smaller system.
Carx in a larger system.
5-10% monthly WC.

I only dose 2 things.
Esv strontium once a week.
DSR EZ-Trace daily.
Current ext 50 is esv and
ext 170 is a Carx.
Old 120 and current 170.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

ok im trying to absorb all this. so you use this EZ-TRACE in place of something like AFR?

 

[X-37B]

ok im trying to absorb all this. so you use this EZ-TRACE in place of something like AFR?

No. Its a trace element additive with 2 macro elements K & Mg.
Alk and Ca come from the carx or esv 2 part.
In the 120 I was dosing only 6ml daily and 3 ml in the current 170.

Do some research on DSR and Glenn Fong for more info.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I only dose what is needed for my tank.

 

[GARRIGA]

Noticed too many coral farms not dosing beyond the main three and being successful. Granted they might be feeding heavily and keeping parameters proper as well as the constant water change due to replacing that loss to fragging and sales.

Will say this. Not sure if this is consider supplemental but carbon dosing does work and CheatoGro showed positive results for macro therefore for me as essential as the big three plus trace. Granted macro eliminates the need for carbon.

Going to keep it simple. Alk, calcium, mag, trace and perhaps diy ChaetoGro based off testing for iron. ICP-MS to quarterly balance everything not hand tested. Tropic Marin A&K or perhaps their upcoming trace supplements based on groups to keep it simple. ICP-MS can validate those worked yet items such as amino acids or secret juice marketed not so much therefore having success likely can't be conclusively attribut4ed to dosing them. Hobby will forever be anecdotal until we can test everything and dispel marketing BS from essential life elements.

 

[GARRIGA]

I use AFR, hydrogen peroxide, restor, manganese, and MB7. Once a month I add live phytoplankton. One of my tanks is less than 3 months old and growing acros like nobody’s business. Something is working. Oh! And I don’t do water changes.

Going to follow same path although running ChaetoGro therefore manganese plus iron. Honestly believe iron not just feeds macro but also helps eliminate dinos as that's one of the treatments used to solve my six month battle. Soon will be running tests with peroxide to determine a therapeutic plus in tank batch along with UVC. Seeing lots of promising reports on HumbleFish. Just finished reading 125 pages although focused only a few as I'm never reading 125 anything

 

[crazyfishmom]

I’ve read a lot of those threads. I believe they saved my tank!

 

[sohal tang]

There are sooo many products these days that claim everything from magically stable nutrients to algae eradication. Unfortunately the folks who end up using these products are often newer reefers that end up doing more harm than good.

I am a big proponent of “less is more” and the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid). I don’t think a majority of these bottled products do anything other than add complexity, and often the need for more bottles of stuff. Ex. No-pox often results in the need to buy nitrate and phosphate supplements to keep from zeroing out.

So, other than Alk, Ca, Mg, and maybe carbon, what are you putting in your tank and why?

I'm waiting for a product that comes out and you dose the tank and ONLY APTASIA DIE! hahqahahaha Can you imagine how RICH the company that comes out with that would be? hahahaha Elon would buy it!!!!!! lol