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

[FLSharkvictim]

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.

@Donovan Joannes - any reason why you dont perform water changes? When was the last one? Also, what kind of Iodine and Strontium do you use?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

@Donovan Joannes - any reason why you dont perform water changes? When was the last one? Also, what kind of Iodine and Strontium do you use?

I did changed twice in over 3 years of reefing due to skimmer air contaminant last year and few months ago due to trace element overdosed (trying out a DIY iron & zinc supplement). The reason is simply because I believe I can run my tank without one, furthermore salt is quite expensive for a regular WC. I am using Fluval Iodide, Trace Element & Strontium (cheapest). I just want to add I am using Coontinuum Iron as well.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

So, I have been doing a lot of reading on how to get the best color out of your acros, and have of course seen many mixed opinions. Some say that the basics (lighting, flow, Calcium, Alk., Magnesium, etc.) are all that are needed to get optimal color in your sticks.

However, after beginning the addition of Kent Coral-Vite and Acropower, I have seen quick and noticeable improvement in color and growth for my Acros. I do not believe this is a coincidence since this was the only changing variable. I also feed Reef Chilli once a week at this point.

So, I'm asking all of you Stick gurus, what additives do you use to get the best color out of your SPS? I know many subscribe to the "if you don't test for it, don't add it" school of thought, but there has been too significant of a change for me to ignore what I believe caused this improvement. And I would love to know if there is anything additional, or alternatives, that I should try to get those Acros to pop and look their best. Thanks!

@reefstacks - The true way of knowing is getting a @Triton Marine ICP Test done, so you have some sort of base line to go off of and the test with shipping to Germany is only $49.99 bucks! Well worth every penny if you have any SPS or LPS corals in your system. @Triton test's for 32 trace elements and the problem I was having was my Calcium was at 398, MAG was @ 1498 which not bad even know my Hanna checkers were coming back with in range.. Also, i had a tiny bit of deficiency in my Iodine and Potassium and my P04 was @ 0.03672 mg/l other than that my test results look pretty solid. In the past, I was dosing Alk, Cal and MAG, KALK as needed for PH swings. Also, I use ones a week @MECORAL Super food to feed my corals. What cool about the @Triton Marine test, it tells you how to get back on track and it comes in a downloadable PDF file so you can share. Here my results I got back about a week or so ago.
@Triton Marine RECOMMENDS
Very important for your aquarium
Ca: We recommend the corrective dosage be carried out over 4 days. For the first 3 days the daily dosage should be 45.4ml. On the last day please use 18.95ml.

K: We recommend the corrective dosage be carried out over 3 days. For the first 2 days the daily dosage should be 90.8ml. On the last day please use 80.54ml.

Important for your aquarium
I: We recommend the corrective dosage be carried out over 2 days. For the first 1 days the daily dosage should be 4.54ml. On the last day please use 0.91ml.

I: We recommend a daily maintenance dose of 0.55ml. If this dose is very low, then this can be alternatively be dosed weekly (daily dose x7).

B: We recommend the corrective dosage be carried out over 4 days. For the first 3 days the daily dosage should be 45.4ml. On the last day please use 9.2ml.


So I have decided to go with the KORALLEN-ZUCHT - CORAL SYSTEM - 250ML PACKAGE, since it has all of the following trace elements that I need.

TANK INFO: 120 MIXED REEF

Results back from @Triton Marine: https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/44799/

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I did changed twice in over 3 years of reefing due to skimmer air contaminant last year and few months ago due to trace element overdosed (trying out a DIY iron & zinc supplement). The reason is simply because I believe I can run my tank without one, furthermore salt is quite expensive for a regular WC. I am using Fluval Iodide, Trace Element & Strontium (cheapest). I just want to add I am using Coontinuum Iron as well.

@Donovan Joannes - I have been using Fritz rpm reef pro, which I am not a big fan of after using a 50lb bag of it since some of my parameters were a little off. I just order a 50lbs bag of Brightwell NeoMarine since I got like a green fungus at the bottom of my saltwater mixing barrel, so I thought it was time to change.
I have read nothing but good reviews on this Brightwell NeoMarine Reef salt. What kind of salt do you use for your reef tank? Anyway, just got the Neptune DOS FOR AWC, so i never have to lift a jug in my life due to my bad back. See my Mixing station will be connected to my DOS and my Apex controller...Here is a pix of my mixing station where above will be my BRS 6 STAGE RODI AND MY Neptune DOS.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

@FLSharkvictim, I used IO in a box for my first SW batch, both WC was NSW. I bought IO salt (new 4kg packaging in a plastic container) for SG correction but lately my SG is quite stable as I am no longer running a skimmer. My improvised RODI filter are solely for topping off only. I have bad back as well, luckily my house is a single storey building, so carrying a 20 litres NSW packs is not so damaging

 

[Scott.h]

It comes down to the right amount of trace elements. If you dose random amounts of random mixes (example of fuel) eventually you will have things off balance unless you are doing big water changes regularly. Also light spectrum plays a roll in coral coloration.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

Here is a pix of my tank before I got the results back from TRITON.. After that, I have some Acros and Monitoporas.

Tank Shot

Green Slimers & Some Montipora

Acro

T-Maxima Ultra Blue Clam

 

[FLSharkvictim]

@FLSharkvictim, I used IO in a box for my first SW batch, both WC was NSW. I bought IO salt (new 4kg packaging in a plastic container) for SG correction but lately my SG is quite stable as I am no longer running a skimmer. My improvised RODI filter are solely for topping off only. I have bad back as well, luckily my house is a single storey building, so carrying a 20 litres NSW packs is not so damaging

@Donovan Joannes - I have used IO before but was not big on it, so that's what I tried out Frtiz RPM PRO which I don't like either, so that why I went with the Brightwell NeoMarine.
Care to share a pix of your tank?

 

[bif24701]

@reefstacks - The true way of knowing is getting a @Triton Marine ICP Test done, so you have some sort of base line to go off of and the test with shipping to Germany is only $49.99 bucks! Well worth every penny if you have any SPS or LPS corals in your system. @Triton test's for 32 trace elements and the problem I was having was my Calcium was at 398, MAG was @ 1498 which not bad even know my Hanna checkers were coming back with in range.. Also, i had a tiny bit of deficiency in my Iodine and Potassium and my P04 was @ 0.03672 mg/l other than that my test results look pretty solid. In the past, I was dosing Alk, Cal and MAG, KALK as needed for PH swings. Also, I use ones a week @MECORAL Super food to feed my corals. What cool about the @Triton Marine test, it tells you how to get back on track and it comes in a downloadable PDF file so you can share. Here my results I got back about a week or so ago.
@Triton Marine RECOMMENDS
Very important for your aquarium
Ca: We recommend the corrective dosage be carried out over 4 days. For the first 3 days the daily dosage should be 45.4ml. On the last day please use 18.95ml.

K: We recommend the corrective dosage be carried out over 3 days. For the first 2 days the daily dosage should be 90.8ml. On the last day please use 80.54ml.

Important for your aquarium
I: We recommend the corrective dosage be carried out over 2 days. For the first 1 days the daily dosage should be 4.54ml. On the last day please use 0.91ml.

I: We recommend a daily maintenance dose of 0.55ml. If this dose is very low, then this can be alternatively be dosed weekly (daily dose x7).

B: We recommend the corrective dosage be carried out over 4 days. For the first 3 days the daily dosage should be 45.4ml. On the last day please use 9.2ml.


So I have decided to go with the KORALLEN-ZUCHT - CORAL SYSTEM - 250ML PACKAGE, since it has all of the following trace elements that I need.

TANK INFO: 120 MIXED REEF

Results back from @Triton Marine: https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/44799/

Triton now has a facility in Cali where all test within the States goes. This improves turn around time to just few weeks.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

Triton now has a facility in Cali where all test within the States goes. This improves turn around time to just few weeks.

Mine was done in Germany b/c I chatted with the guy and Had me my results back in 7 biz days.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

Triton now has a facility in Cali where all test within the States goes. This improves turn around time to just few weeks.

@bif24701 - Good to know b/c I made my adjustments and switch from Fritz RPM PRO REEF SALT TO Brightwell NeoMarine salt. I want to wait about a month before I send in my next samples. I ONLY needed to make a few tweaks so the next test results should come back a little better...

 

[Donovan Joannes]

@Donovan Joannes - I have used IO before but was not big on it, so that's what I tried out Frtiz RPM PRO which I don't like either, so that why I went with the Brightwell NeoMarine.
Care to share a pix of your tank?

My "just now" FTS. Ignore the doors, I am doing my daily dosing. More about my tank here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/djs-mixed-reef-bacteria-driven-system.314753/

 

[FLSharkvictim]

My "just now" FTS. Ignore the doors, I am doing my daily dosing. More about my tank here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/djs-mixed-reef-bacteria-driven-system.314753/

@Donovan Joannes - sick looking, what size tank is that?

 

[Donovan Joannes]

@Donovan Joannes - sick looking, what size tank is that?

Standard 48" x 18" 75G

 

[bubbaque]

I don't think Tritons lab is setup yet in the U.S.. I sent mine out a few weeks ago and they had to send it to Germany. Turn around time from Florida was two weeks.

 

[Fishinwall]

The key is Stable Parameters, Heavy Feeding, & HEAVY EXPORT OF NUTRIENTS....picture is before my rescape...NO CARBON, NO CARBON DOSING, just a fuge & skimmer....i feed frozen cyclops daily mixed with Flatwormstop

Why flatworm stop? Do you have a flatworm problem?

 

[Coronus]

Calcium, Alk, Mag, Potassium
These are the only elements added to my tanks for years with great color and growth. Lots of fish, feed daily, water changes regularly.
IME color comes from a good bioload of fish with all the basics in place.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I will probably get stones thrown at me, but I honestly wouldn’t change what your doing. My tank has always done really well even color of my acros. I was somehow dumb and naive and people locally suggested I raise my nitrates to 15-20 and have always been around 2-5. They also suggest I added more light.

In short I have used fuel and I have used oyster feast and reef roids and recently Redsea noprox 3 etc. now my tank didn’t lost a single coral since I made a change (Urgh I feel so bloody dumb). Anyway all the acros that I purchased that were tank raised did great no changes really but survived. All my acros from my lfs that I have had for years and years and massive colonies struggled and all but two have died and trying to frag those now to save.

The corals will color up on their own in do time, plus adding all this to the mix makes it 20 times harder to figure out what went wrong and why. If what you have works, just leave it alone, keep your parameters consistent and it may take time but they will color up.

Not saying people have bad ideas the person I took the advice from their 90 gallon acro tank dominate is simply amazing. He runs nitrates from 20-40 ppm cal at 480 and ammonia and nitrites and phosphates normal. He feeds fuel and reef roids etc. every time is different, just as they have their own ecosystem.

 

[Hebby]

Why flatworm stop? Do you have a flatworm problem?

Flatworm stop is just a coral health booster.

 

[bonomo53]

Flatworm stop and Phols Xtra. Also have been feeding oyster feast past month and seen a great increase in color and growth.
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