SPS (acros) best coloration: what elements do you add?

reefstacks · Jul 1, 2016

Thanks again for all the input everyone, learning new things every single day

Mwells · Jul 17, 2016

Great information! Can't wait to give some of this a try on my set up

SeaDweller · Jul 18, 2016

Fish poop!!!

Fercho · Jul 20, 2016

Hebby said:
Heres my system and i don't dose anything i run a calcium reactor and change 25% water every 10 days apart from that my coral eat what my fish get fed

Nice color, especially on those montis.
What are your nitrates and phosphate levels?

M3ace9 · Jul 20, 2016

Calcium reactor, seachem trace elements, Zeo Potassium and Iodine tabs . I firmly believe potassium is very important by the way.

Vaughn17 · Jul 20, 2016

Orly20 said:
Where could one find a good and reliable potassium test kit? I know salifert has one but can't seem to find them anywhere.

I just bought one on Amazon.

Sir Chris · Jul 20, 2016

that Reef Guy said:
I have never used it but alot of people swear by Oyster Feast.

I use oyster feast 1/2 a cap daily and I take weekly micro picks 2 compact and yes I continually purchase it. I want 2 truly chili as well

Sir Chris · Jul 20, 2016

Got this guy a week ago from a colony he broke off for me since he likes me and my tank is a 30g HOB and Gravity fuge. 2 weeks ago I got it and new growth. My nitrates r high as well. Fuge is only 1 gal for mandarin and alittle for sps.

Reef Pets · Jul 20, 2016

I use Beightwell Aquatics Kalk+2 in an Avast Marine Kalk Stirrer. I've been using this methods for years with great success of SPS. All of my top off goes through the stirrer 24 hours a day. I don't dose anything else and no additives.
400w 20k Radium Metal Halides

Reef Pets · Jul 20, 2016

Hebby said:
Heres my system and i don't dose anything i run a calcium reactor and change 25% water every 10 days apart from that my coral eat what my fish get fed

I've always found your methods to be best. Keep it simple and none of the hyped additives or trying to get my fish drunk with Vodka.

rs1831 · Jul 20, 2016

Sabellafella said:
Honestly for me, it was testing and dosing potassium. Feeding alot of nutrient/vitamin rich fish food. Playing with p04 levels, and flow/placement worked. I tryed acropower worked great for everything else but my acros, couldnt really tell wether or not if my acros benefited from it.

Sabellafella, which potassium test kit do you use?

Mr. Fancy Pants · Jul 20, 2016

I just feed Reef Roids, Oyster Feast twice a week and dose acropower.

Microbubble 3 hours a night.

metrokat · Jul 20, 2016

Brightwell Potassion. Strontium. Microbacter7. Continuum Reef Basis Sustain (Iodine)

Reefer4Ever · Jul 20, 2016

With sticks sometimes if you have all parameters stable and within range, patience can be your best answer. I have had sticks begin to color up in as few as 3 to 5 days showing improvement and then their are those that take months. Sticks are a total test of attention to details and patience IMHO.

authentic · Jul 20, 2016

What potassium additive is everyone using? I just bought the Red Sea coral colors B potassium and boron.

Bruce Burnett · Jul 20, 2016

reefstacks said:
I have read that Potassium can do a lot for certain colors...I think I'll track down a supplement and test kit for this and maybe Potassium iodide. I know it is in one of the additives I have been using in at least small amounts, but it's never a bad time to step my game up.

potassium chloride is what you use to raise potassium, potassium iodide is for iodine levels

Robthorn · Jul 20, 2016

Exactly what Bruce just said. I read the entire thread and the last guy said what I wanted too. lol
Beware you Brightwell users. Things have changed. Their Mag kills and bleaches. I was along time user and called Brightwell and heard oh the gray slim is fine. All my corals were bleached white in a few days. Took me a year to recover.

Sabellafella · Jul 20, 2016

rs1831 said:
Sabellafella, which potassium test kit do you use?

Salifert, takes a very short time to do. Just have to make sure the tip of the reagent is dry or youll get higher readings

spllbnd2 · Jul 20, 2016

I've had good success using Acro Power along with Red Sea Coral Colors. I also perform additional feedings throughout the week using a variety of the following foods, Elos Omega Amino Acid , Reef Chili, Coral Frenzy, Oyster Feast, Cyclop-eeze, and Reef-Roids.

I have found that giving the corals a variety of different foods helps keep them very healthy.

Btw the tank for this experiement is a all glass 15 gallon with a signle 150w MH Phoenix bulb, no fish, just a good clean up crew that I add to as necessary. Also running without a sump and have a hob skimmer, also run GFO and carbon.

Cheers,
Alex