What Trace elements should I buy?

Luckyduck · May 23, 2020

So I'm just getting started with my tank. Still cycling but getting my additive supply stocked up. I plan on keeping SPS & LPS. I want stunning corals (who doesn't) but I really want to focus on dosing some chemails I have not used in the past to help achieve optimal results. I have a 15 gallon column tank. My light sourse is an AI Prime 16HD. I'll start with what I already have. B-ionic; Alkalinity, Calcium & Magnesium. I have Red Sea's AB+ and Ferrion by Brightwell (to help my Cheato stay healthy and a Manvrove.) I have the Red Sea Foundation test kit for the Major elements. I am going to buy an iron test kit as well but wondering if I should just buy the Red Sea Coral colors test kit (iodine, potassium & iron). I was looking into a few additional additives from Brightwell. Strontion/Strontium (I will buy a test kit) BoroChrom (is there an at home test kit for Boron?) Potassion/Potassium and lastly Koral Color (seems that will be a good addition with the Red Sea AB+). I wish I could just contact Brightwell directly, I love their products but is anyone out there familiar with any of these products? Are any of them unnecessary because one of the other products already has it? I don't want to over dose! Randy I would love to hear your expertise.

Luckyduck · May 24, 2020

& Brightwell Iodine.

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 24, 2020

I personally think iodine and strontium are not useful, but experimenting with them may be a fine thing to do.

Don't get an iron kit. none can read low enough to detect natural levels, or even a thousand times the natural level. Just experiment with it (it certainly can be useful).

For true trace elements (most of the elements you mention are not), unless you are monitoring them by ICP, I would just try a commercial mix from some reputable company. Manganese, iron, zinc, vanadium, etc.

Luckyduck · May 24, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I personally think iodine and strontium are not useful, but experimenting with them may be a fine thing to do.

Don't get an iron kit. none can read low enough to detect natural levels, or even a thousand times the natural level. Just experiment with it (it certainly can be useful).

For true trace elements (most of the elements you mention are not), unless you are monitoring them by ICP, I would just try a commercial mix from some reputable company. Manganese, iron, zinc, vanadium, etc.

Thanks for the Reply. I love you guys on BRS TV! So much useful information and great topics of study. Gonna be a bit before I get to use all these additives but I will post back here when I do and report. Again thanks for your insight!

Saltyreef · May 24, 2020

Replenish with water changes and hand dose fuel here.
Thats all i do besides 2 part dosing.

Chaeto can stay plenty healthy with a tank that has enough nutrients to support it.
Otherwise chaeto is counter productive IMO keeping nutrients near undetectable.

aquavitro - fuel

andrewey · May 24, 2020

I don't personally advocate dosing any trace elements as a new hobbyist. I think the forethought is commendable, but early on, I'd focus on water changes and consistency.

Once things are stable, I would suggest playing around with Randy's suggestion of a commercial mix to see if you notice any difference. Given how volatile a new tank is, you probably won't know if your trace dosing is helping, hurting, or doing nothing for your tank

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 24, 2020

Luckyduck said:
Thanks for the Reply. I love you guys on BRS TV! So much useful information and great topics of study. Gonna be a bit before I get to use all these additives but I will post back here when I do and report. Again thanks for your insight!

Aside from BRS using my DIY recipe, I have no involvement with BRS.

kevin_e · May 24, 2020

Luckyduck said:
Thanks for the Reply. I love you guys on BRS TV! So much useful information and great topics of study. Gonna be a bit before I get to use all these additives but I will post back here when I do and report. Again thanks for your insight!

Different Randy.

Luckyduck · May 24, 2020

andrewey said:
I don't personally advocate dosing any trace elements as a new hobbyist. I think the forethought is commendable, but early on, I'd focus on water changes and consistency.

Once things are stable, I would suggest playing around with Randy's suggestion of a commercial mix to see if you notice any difference. Given how volatile a new tank is, you probably won't know if your trace dosing is helping, hurting, or doing nothing for your tank

I'm not a new hobbyist. I've been doing reef tanks since I was 18. I took a break for a handful of years and just came back. I plan on using all of them and just testing. Simply if something doesn't need to be dosed I won't dose it. It's that easy. I don't mind testing, I have the time to do it and the more I do it the better I'll get. Once you figure out what your tank uses and what needs to be replenished testing becomes less and less and dosing becomes easier and more consistent.

Luckyduck · May 24, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Aside from BRS using my DIY recipe, I have no involvement with BRS.

Well then lol I still appreciate your response! You definitely gave good insight. And all those badges... Shiny badges, I still trust your opinion.

sfin52 · May 24, 2020

I like seachem fuel

secret_reefer337 · May 24, 2020

Luckyduck said:
Well then lol I still appreciate your response! You definitely gave good insight. And all those badges... Shiny badges, I still trust your opinion.

You should trust Randy, he is the god of chemistry in reef keeping.

Luckyduck · May 25, 2020

Rogie337 said:
You should trust Randy, he is the god of chemistry in reef keeping.

Excellent. Now I know who to ask when I need some help. I appreciated his answer not telling me to use something else or not to do it at all. This community is great, I'm so glad to be a part of it. Every once and a while I'll get a foolish answer but there's always gonna be someone who's over opioniated lol but for the most part everyone is super helpful and supportive. All my questions have always been answered. Sweet deal on Premium Aquatics by the way. I got all five chemicals I was asking about for $39! Mostly 250mls 2 were 500s but I only have a 15 gallon so that will last me a while. Excited to try something new. & if they don't work or cause a problem I can simply stop using it.

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 25, 2020

Luckyduck said:
Well then lol I still appreciate your response! You definitely gave good insight. And all those badges... Shiny badges, I still trust your opinion.

IMO, you should trust my opinion well above BRS, but that's a bit of a circular argument. lol

Badges mean little. I'm a professional chemist with several decades of reef experience leading chemistry forums like this one. BRS does not, as far as I know, employ chemists.

Luckyduck · May 25, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
IMO, you should trust my opinion well above BRS, but that's a bit of a circular argument. lol

Badges mean little. I'm a professional chemist with several decades of reef experience leading chemistry forums like this one. BRS does not, as far as I know, employ chemists.

Well IMO your opinion sounds more like fact backed by research and years of trial and error! Lol I will definitely look to you for questions I have in the future. Thanks again Randy.

Luckyduck · May 26, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
IMO, you should trust my opinion well above BRS, but that's a bit of a circular argument. lol

Badges mean little. I'm a professional chemist with several decades of reef experience leading chemistry forums like this one. BRS does not, as far as I know, employ chemists.

Hey Randy. I was thinking about switching over to Brightwell for my Calcium & Alk. Having many other additives like the ones I had mentioned before I dont want anything but Calcium and Alk. Would I be better off with Brightwell Calcion, Alk 8.3 and Magnesion or Reef code A and B? Not sure if A and B has extras in it. I believe it has magnesium in it though which is fine cuz it's one less thing I would have to buy. What's your take?

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 26, 2020

Luckyduck said:
Hey Randy. I was thinking about switching over to Brightwell for my Calcium & Alk. Having many other additives like the ones I had mentioned before I dont want anything but Calcium and Alk. Would I be better off with Brightwell Calcion, Alk 8.3 and Magnesion or Reef code A and B? Not sure if A and B has extras in it. I believe it has magnesium in it though which is fine cuz it's one less thing I would have to buy. What's your take?

I think that two parts are better than independent calcium alk additives, so Reef Code A B would be my pick of theirs.