What do you dose regularly besides Ca, Alk & Mg ?

calanprc · May 6, 2023

Hi,

What other trace elements do you dose besides Ca, Alk, and Mg? I just watched a YouTube video with Ryan (BRS) with Lou Ekus and Lou mentioned that there are ~20 essential trace elements that corals require to help them thrive. But I’m not sure what else to dose on a regular basis besides the basics. Would be grateful for some input. All this time I thought water changes would replace the trace elements.

Thank You

The_Paradox · May 6, 2023

Water changes with a quality salt will handle minor and trace elements if you keep up with them. Until you know your tank and corals though it’s hard to say what you “need”. IMHO too many people dump a ton of chems into their tank with no real idea what they are doing or even hoping to achieve.

ReskyZZ · May 17, 2023

If all ur corals seems happy I think no need to do any changes like putting additional trace element dosing for example like redsea abcd or other brand, but if you still wants like want to try, my suggestion just dosing with a little amount slowly and observe it time to time with regular testing parameters.

calanprc said:
Hi,

What other trace elements do you dose besides Ca, Alk, and Mg? I just watched a YouTube video with Ryan (BRS) with Lou Ekus and Lou mentioned that there are ~20 essential trace elements that corals require to help them thrive. But I’m not sure what else to dose on a regular basis besides the basics. Would be grateful for some input. All this time I thought water changes would replace the trace elements.

Thank You

Waters · May 17, 2023

I dose aminos daily but I can say if it does anything or not. I will probably stop once I run out.

Hats_ · May 17, 2023

Waters said:
I dose aminos daily but I can say if it does anything or not. I will probably stop once I run out.

Had the same with the red sea reef energy ab or whatever its called. Never noticed a difference when i ran out didnt buy new. I dose all4reef and wodka/vinegar mix, thats it

GarrettT · May 17, 2023

Delete

PandorasChalk · May 17, 2023

I do a 5 gallon water change on my 40B a week and dose about 5 ml of Phyto every other day. Once a month I will whip out the Reef Roids in very, very small quantities to spot feed a few corals in my tank. Seems to be keeping everything happy except for 1 - 2 pieces that have other issues.

Reef. · May 17, 2023

Hats_ said:
Had the same with the red sea reef energy ab or whatever its called. Never noticed a difference when i ran out didnt buy new. I dose all4reef and wodka/vinegar mix, thats it

AFR contains trace elements, adding more it would have been hard to see an improvement I guess.

EricR · May 17, 2023

Interesting topic (to me) since I recently stumbled onto a couple of YouTube videos, including one by Tropic Marin, which suggested that water changes are not sufficient to replenish trace elements. (Don't remember the explanation right this second but was presented in a scientific way that seemed plausible)

I don't dose anything (other than phosphate) and my only ICP test looked mostly fine so sticking with water changes for now.

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 17, 2023

Folks should realize that foods are a big source of trace elements. Perhaps more than water changes in most cases.

FWIW, I dosed only iron and silicate.

Dburr1014 · May 17, 2023

I do AWC 1% daily.
That and my homemade frozen food. In that, I have Amminos and vitamins I put in.

Gtinnel · May 17, 2023

I used to dose tropic Marin A and K trace elements but when I ran out I never saw a difference in the tank so I’ve stopped. I had been dosing phyto, but again never saw any difference in the tank.

The only thing that I continue to dose daily (besides the big 3) is Chaetogro. Without it my chaeto will eventually deplete some element and die off, but dosing it keeps my chaeto growing well.

Hats_ · May 17, 2023

Reef. said:
AFR contains trace elements, adding more it would have been hard to see an improvement I guess.

wasnt dosing all4reef back then yet. i meant the ab+ yellow food stuff not the trace elements mb

Grill · May 17, 2023

Hats_ said:
Had the same with the red sea reef energy ab or whatever its called. Never noticed a difference when i ran out didnt buy new. I dose all4reef and wodka/vinegar mix, thats it

I did the same.

John Bolden · May 17, 2023

aminos and iodine

strawberry_reef · May 17, 2023

All I dose is Tropic Marin AFR, do 15-20% water change every couple of weeks with Tropic Marin Classic…and my corals always seem happy *shrugs*

SPS2020 · May 17, 2023

Part C in addition to the big 3.

dadnjesse · May 17, 2023

I just started dosing Phyto. I have noticed my Maxima Clam that has been with me for years seems to be happier.

Hats_ · May 17, 2023

EricR said:
Interesting topic (to me) since I recently stumbled onto a couple of YouTube videos, including one by Tropic Marin, which suggested that water changes are not sufficient to replenish trace elements. (Don't remember the explanation right this second but was presented in a scientific way that seemed plausible)

I don't dose anything (other than phosphate) and my only ICP test looked mostly fine so sticking with water changes for now.

yea, by doing any waterchanges other than 100% would in theory never raise it to the point that the source water is at, so eventually you will have to supplement. thats also why i stopped water changes alltogether. its expensive and doesnt keep up with demand. waterchanges are great at pulling stuff out without running the risk of depleting the elements entirely. but waterchanges technically dont supplement anything

WrasseyReefer · Jun 15, 2023

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Folks should realize that foods are a big source of trace elements. Perhaps more than water changes in most cases.

FWIW, I dosed only iron and silicate.

This may be a dumb question, but what is the purpose for dosing silicate? Have you found dosing iron to make a big difference for you?