kevinsmixed90
Active Member
If you are doing bi-weekly water changes, are trace elements really necessary?
trace elements...
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Big E
Valuable Member
No.........some of these so called trace elements being hawked are in the parts per billion level in saltwater. I can keep up Mag levels with my water changes and I seriously doubt these other elements are getting used up faster than Mag.
Water changes will keep the levels that aren't depleting and replenish any elements that have decreased.
If anyone tells you any different ask for data to support this on each element's usage and how many actual reef tanks were tested. I doubt they even have a clue which corals need what or if some of these are needed at all by corals.
Last note...................if you can't measure it with a reef test kit or photometer don't dose it.
I remember when I was a newb 25 years ago and being told I needed to dose trace elements...........it took a year for me to wise up. Don't be fooled by marketing psycobabble and un-needed lab testing on miniscule elements.
Water changes will keep the levels that aren't depleting and replenish any elements that have decreased.
If anyone tells you any different ask for data to support this on each element's usage and how many actual reef tanks were tested. I doubt they even have a clue which corals need what or if some of these are needed at all by corals.
Last note...................if you can't measure it with a reef test kit or photometer don't dose it.
I remember when I was a newb 25 years ago and being told I needed to dose trace elements...........it took a year for me to wise up. Don't be fooled by marketing psycobabble and un-needed lab testing on miniscule elements.
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kevinsmixed90
Active Member
thanks Big E, I have started dosing trace elements about a month ago to see what results I would get ( bought into the ads) and all I see is more algae on the front glass! so thank you very much!
twilliard
Tank pests..
Depends on the salt you are using
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kevinsmixed90
Active Member
instant ocean reef crystals also dose alk. and rowa phos and mag. by alk I mean kalkwasser
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kevinsmixed90
Active Member
yeah, I should have asked the question before I bought the stuff! it's not cheap and I could have spent the money on something I can actually use! thanks for all the info everyone.
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
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My Tank Thread
I think the answer is quite complicated.
In some sense, they are not "necessary" since many nice reef aquaria do not add trace elements. Would these same tanks be "better" with trace metals added? Perhaps.
Complicating the issue is the fact that a typical reef aquarium will have an excess of some elements and a depletion of others, and it would be quite lucky for you to have a need for exactly what is in a trace element cocktail, and not have an excess of anything else that is being added.
With the advent of common testing for many of these trace elements, it has become clear that each aquarist can, if they want, test for these and determine what they need, then experiment with adding them if they want.
Here's what I'm referring to, where some things in my tank may be helped by supplementation, but I've not done so (except for some I already add, such as iron):
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/my-triton-testing-results-by-randy-holmes-farley
In some sense, they are not "necessary" since many nice reef aquaria do not add trace elements. Would these same tanks be "better" with trace metals added? Perhaps.
Complicating the issue is the fact that a typical reef aquarium will have an excess of some elements and a depletion of others, and it would be quite lucky for you to have a need for exactly what is in a trace element cocktail, and not have an excess of anything else that is being added.
With the advent of common testing for many of these trace elements, it has become clear that each aquarist can, if they want, test for these and determine what they need, then experiment with adding them if they want.
Here's what I'm referring to, where some things in my tank may be helped by supplementation, but I've not done so (except for some I already add, such as iron):
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/my-triton-testing-results-by-randy-holmes-farley
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kevinsmixed90
Active Member
I understand. I guess like lots of folks I'm looking for that "magic bullet" that would make all my corals perfect looking and quickly fill in the bare areas of my tank
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its no bullet but stability in many ways
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kevinsmixed90
Active Member
thanks i'll do that
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kevinsmixed90
Active Member
dr. Farley, if you don't mind me asking, what do you dose the iron for? thanks
