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

[Lenny_S]

Where can you get potassium chloride?

Probably best to try one of the standard aquarium supply retailers. But if you're adventurous Potassium Chloride is a common low sodium salt substitute, you can get at most grocery stores. I think that will be harder to figure out the dose though because it's usually mixed with some amount of sodium chloride to improve the flavor.

 

[Mr. Fancy Pants]

Color in my frag tank ;-)

 

[Robink]

following along...

 

[reefstacks]

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

I was reading earlier today about Red Sea Reef Foundation ABC+. Sounds like it would be good in theory, but it also seems like its a great way to overdose your tank with certain elements because of how many this blend contains. I guess I feel that if I want to start dosing trace elements that go far beyond the basic necessities, then I need to commit to testing for those elements as well. I was just checking out the Red Sea Coral Colors, and that seems like a better plan to me. Always open to other suggestions though!

I did start feeding Oyster Feast in addition to Reef Chilli, and have increased the frequency of Acro Power dosing. I would still like to get nitrates and phosphates us a bit, but one step at a time I suppose.

Finally, I am realizing that a Bryopsis Algae issue is beginning that will soon be a major problem if left untreated. Kent Tech M seems like my best option at this point, so I'm not expecting my Sticks to like that very much. Probably will lose some color for a little while from what I hear, but I guess it's better than being in a reef forest of that nasty Bryopsis....

Thanks everyone for the input!!

 

[reefstacks]

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

Gorgeous pieces, great work! Can't ignore your strategy with results like that!

 

[reefstacks]

Color in my frag tank ;-)

Another example of great success without trying to reinvent the wheel. Awesome looking tank, good work man! Forgive my ignorance on the subject, but what do you mean when you say microbubbles 3 hours a night?

 

[Big E]

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

What salt brand are you using?

 

[Blainpeters801]

Following, I can't seem to get my newer acro's to "acclimate" to the new lightning, and they've stayed brown/greenish this far

 

[Mr. Fancy Pants]

Another example of great success without trying to reinvent the wheel. Awesome looking tank, good work man! Forgive my ignorance on the subject, but what do you mean when you say microbubbles 3 hours a night?

I have a lime wood micro bubbler under my return pump and have it come on 3 hours after lights out for 3 hours. PE on everything has doubled.

 

[spllbnd2]

If you are going into battle with bryopsis algae, I have had great success using the Kent Tech M and raising to about 1800 mg. Took the bryopsis completely out after about a six week dosing.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[SeaDweller]

If you are going into battle with bryopsis algae, I have had great success using the Kent Tech M and raising to about 1800 mg. Took the bryopsis completely out after about a six week dosing.

Cheers,
Alex

Me too, 4 weeks Tx time.

 

[SeaDweller]

Following, I can't seem to get my newer acro's to "acclimate" to the new lightning, and they've stayed brown/greenish this far

If they're brown check your nutrient levels. But if going from brown to green it's a good thing. That's usually a transition color before it starts to really come back, IME.

 

[spllbnd2]

Yes definitely takes some time for getting the bryopsis out.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

If you have a Mixed reef tank with any SPS CORALS, I would HIGHLY recommend getting a TRITON ICP-OES test done so you have sort of base line to go off of before adding any kind of additive to your system.
Example, I was a tiny bit low in Potassium, Idione and my MAG was just a little high on the TRITON TEST. Currently, I use Hanna Checkers FOR MY ALK, CAL AND P04 that seem to be pretty accurate and my Elos MAG kit seems to be also accurate. I just got my test results back from TIRTON and here they are.
https://www.triton-lab.de/showroom/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/44799/

Tank Info: 120 Mixed Reef

 

[ReeferBud]

For those of you who dose things like Acropower or Fuel, do you follow the dosing quantity recommended on the bottle or do you deviate from it? And if so, how do you determine how much to dose?

 

[Peng]

Avoid dosing trace elements before getting a triton test. Many salt mixes already cover some of those elements except heavy metals. I would look at what element your system is actually lacking before dosing Red Sea color ABCD or any similar products.

 

[Mattrg02]

I was reading earlier today about Red Sea Reef Foundation ABC+. Sounds like it would be good in theory, but it also seems like its a great way to overdose your tank with certain elements because of how many this blend contains. I guess I feel that if I want to start dosing trace elements that go far beyond the basic necessities, then I need to commit to testing for those elements as well. I was just checking out the Red Sea Coral Colors, and that seems like a better plan to me. Always open to other suggestions though!

I did start feeding Oyster Feast in addition to Reef Chilli, and have increased the frequency of Acro Power dosing. I would still like to get nitrates and phosphates us a bit, but one step at a time I suppose.

Finally, I am realizing that a Bryopsis Algae issue is beginning that will soon be a major problem if left untreated. Kent Tech M seems like my best option at this point, so I'm not expecting my Sticks to like that very much. Probably will lose some color for a little while from what I hear, but I guess it's better than being in a reef forest of that nasty Bryopsis....

Thanks everyone for the input!!

Word on the street has it that copper is in the Kent M as a slight impurity. That's why it's hurting the bryopsis.

 

[Tank Talker]

I also have been on this road of finding good trace sups for SPS for the last two years. I have used RedSea Colors for a year between two Triton test a found no change in my growth, color or test results. I now use Professional Coral Solutions and the results are outstanding.

 

[bif24701]

I add Kalk and Vinegar.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

There is no specific method to achieve best result. There are so many variables on each and every tank. I don't do WC, so I have to dose traces, iodide and strontium besides the Big 3 elements. For corals growth and coloration, I am dosing AF Energy, Vitality and Amino Mix and so far my wild corals seems to like it. I follow the recommended dose for AF.