What can I dose with Potassium in it

[SauceyReef]

My Zoas have been acting up. For a few months I have been trying to figure out why - you may have seen some of my posts in the past. Well my ATI ICP results came in and the only nutrient I am significantly low on that I don't have in any of my current products is Potassium.

Apparently there is none in Reef Energy AB, All For Reef, or Fuel which are all the products I use. Can I just throw a banana in the tank, and call it a day?

 

[AlexKintner]

I don't use it, but I believe Brightwell has a concentrated potassium solution.

 

[nothing_fancy]

Unfortunately the Banana will not help you in this instance...However, If you're really concerned and feel the need to dose, ATI has a supplement for that. BUT this will require testing more so you might try to figure out why you are lacking K in the first place. Are you using a filter media that is taking it out of the water column? Id look into that because corals themselves shouldn't be up taking so much of that particular element on their own IMO

 

[SauceyReef]

Unfortunately the Banana will not help you in this instance...However, If you're really concerned and feel the need to dose, ATI has a supplement for that. BUT this will require testing more so you might try to figure out why you are lacking K in the first place. Are you using a filter media that is taking it out of the water column? Id look into that because corals themselves shouldn't be up taking so much of that particular element on their own IMO

I am not using any filtration besides a refugium. Maybe it is just instant ocean reef crystals salt? Or maybe my corals are using potassium faster than the water changes can keep up with? Ahh I don't want to start testing potassium haha I am already overwhelmed.

 

[nothing_fancy]

I am not using any filtration besides a refugium. Maybe it is just instant ocean reef crystals salt? Or maybe my corals are using potassium faster than the water changes can keep up with? Ahh I don't want to start testing potassium haha I am already overwhelmed.

I use reef crystals as well. Just to shine a light, My ATI tests are always slightly elevated in K, they say ideal value is 412 mg/l my most recent test was 430 mg/l which is wishin the safe territory. My system is fairly well stocked, mixed sps dominant. I highly doubt your corals are using potassium faster than your water changes. One thing you can try to dose if you'd like to experiment is "meerwasser" by KZ. This is a trace element solution that contains potassium and that gets low dosed, stressing the low dose part. Directions will tell you to dose daily. I would highly recommend dosing this element every 2 day if you try it.

 

[codenfx]

I use brightwell. I don't dose too much, around once a week.

 

[SaltyTwigs]

Brightwell Potassion is a potassium solution. Personally would not dose as much as stated on the bottle and would follow up with another ATI test after a couple of weeks to see where you stand or if you can find a Potassium test kit somewhere. It seems like the Salifert one is out of stock most places.

 

[paragrouper]

I am not using any filtration besides a refugium. Maybe it is just instant ocean reef crystals salt? Or maybe my corals are using potassium faster than the water changes can keep up with? Ahh I don't want to start testing potassium haha I am already overwhelmed.

I have a refugium as well and I dose ChaetoGro, which contains potassium. I am reading through a research paper regarding uptake of potassium by algae, which I’ve attached. As you rely on your refugium for nutrient export, this may be a possibility.

 

[kyleinpdx]

Potassium chloride is 52.3 % potassium by weight.

Add 10 grams into 1 L of fresh water. Ignore any nondissolving solids. This solution is 5230 ppm potassium.

Adding 1 mL per gallon tank water will boost potassium by 1.4 ppm.

low potassium

ok Randy I have read where some people do not dose potassium and others that say they do. I have also read that the Zeo system uses it up. Some people state that their low nutrient systems seem to use up potassium faster than they import it not using the Zeo. My Red Sea test kit showed my levels...

www.reef2reef.com

Potassium chloride is quite cheap on amazon, etc as its a fairly common nutritional supplement.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

As noted, potassium chloride from Now foods/iherb is the perfect additive for potassium. Much better, IMO, than an unknown purity composition from a hobby company for far mor e money.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My Zoas have been acting up. For a few months I have been trying to figure out why - you may have seen some of my posts in the past. Well my ATI ICP results came in and the only nutrient I am significantly low on that I don't have in any of my current products is Potassium.

Apparently there is none in Reef Energy AB, All For Reef, or Fuel which are all the products I use. Can I just throw a banana in the tank, and call it a day?

What level?

 

[SauceyReef]

Potassium

375.4 mg/l

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Celestion]

many lots of cost effective sources available , it's a complex topic after reading most of Randy's posts here , im of the thought to run potas same level as calcium min 420 , yes 400 at 020 lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Potassium

375.4 mg/l

@Randy Holmes-Farley

That’s not too low, but it is a fine idea to boost it or raise salinity if it is low.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

My Zoas have been acting up. For a few months I have been trying to figure out why - you may have seen some of my posts in the past. Well my ATI ICP results came in and the only nutrient I am significantly low on that I don't have in any of my current products is Potassium.

Apparently there is none in Reef Energy AB, All For Reef, or Fuel which are all the products I use. Can I just throw a banana in the tank, and call it a day?

You know, I'd pay to see someone throw an entire banana in their tank just to watch what would happen.

 

[kevgib67]

You know, I'd pay to see someone throw an entire banana in their tank just to watch what would happen.

Not bananas but a couple of decades ago my 5 yo thought it was a good idea to feed my reef tank a half a dozen or so grapes. What you would have seen was a very frantic dad quickly pulling grapes out of my tank. My aquariums have been fruit free since! I often wonder how my son made out with his new family.

 

[Woodmanreef]

You know, I'd pay to see someone throw an entire banana in their tank just to watch what would happen.

My tangs love it when I feed them bananas lol

 

[SauceyReef]

My tangs love it when I feed them bananas lol

wow you really feed them bananas? the peels, or the fruit? Is that - okay?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You know, I'd pay to see someone throw an entire banana in their tank just to watch what would happen.

Some fish will eat them, but they really do not have much potassium on the scale we need.

From a previous thread:

"There’s about 400 mg in one banana. That’s the same as in 1 liter of seawater, so to boost potassium by 40 mg, you need to add one for every 10 liters of tank water volume."

Potato chips are a better bet lol

Reef Chemistry Question of the Day #132 Ions in Potato Chips

We all know the relative abundance of several ions in seawater. Of the cations (those with a positive charge), sodium tops the list, followed by magnesium, calcium, and then potassium (by weight). But what about other areas of interest, like foods? Do foods mimic this same order, or is it...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Woodmanreef]

wow you really feed them bananas? the peels, or the fruit? Is that - okay?

Just the fruit next time I have banana ill record the video for you lol