Supplements?
- Thread starter zippyjr
- Start date
Witfull
Well-Known Member
suppliments all depend on the tanks demands. most common is alkalinity. others include calcium (especially for SPS) and magnesium. most other trace elements are best supplimented via waterchanges. trace elements are in amounts that are to low to be tested by common test kits yet required by corals and fish.
rule #1, if you cant test for it, dont suppliment. im a firm believer in water changes to add most of what the tank needs.
rule #1, if you cant test for it, dont suppliment. im a firm believer in water changes to add most of what the tank needs.
BoomerD
Well-Known Member
Most of us believe that that myriad of pretty colored bottles on the shelf at the LFS should stay there, because they are designed to separate you from your hard earned fishy-$$ more than anything else. Other than calcium/alkalinity buffers, you shouldn't need to supplement ANYTHING in your tank (well, PERHAPS magnesium, but only after you test) and you should NEVER dose anything that you don't or can't test for. If you don't test for it, how do you know how much your tank needs? Just using the manufacturer's recommendation will make them lots of money, but could throw your tank's water chemistry out of whack, and some are toxic in elevated amounts. Like Witty says, water changes SHOULD take care of all the necessary elements your tank needs, AND, water changes are one of the most healthy things you can do for your tank...
Yep, when i was a newbie, i went out and bought everything Kent makes... well since being on RS and learning, I have all those bottles still in my cabinet just sitting there... And now with Tropic Marin Pro Reef water changes, NOTHING is going into my water except kalkwasser!
Witfull said:
ok,thank you here are a few questions which may seem kinda dumb, but what is SPS? also when doing a water change you dont add any more salt right? or do you? No one informed us on that either. And how much water do you change at a time? we have a 55 gallon tank. I wish we had a better pet store here. We dont really live in a very big city. So there really is only 2 saltwater pet stores here the rest are in tampa.
Thanks for your help
blue_eyes53813
Well-Known Member
How much water changes you do depends on your livestock load and kinda whatever schedule you want to do... I do 10% everyother week so in your case you could change 5 gallons everyother week...You can do 20% everyother week @ 10 gallons each... or you could do 5 gallons every week...Its up to you but good maintenance will make a healthy tank..
To do a water change get a rubbermaid container -like around 20 gallon or more.... Try to use RO water.. put in amount of water that you are gonna do a water change 5 or 10 gallon... Add in 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water. put a powerhead and heater into container and let mix for 24 hours at the minimum... check salinity and temp in new mixed water before doing a water change... new water should should be as close as possible to the main tank... Take old water out of tank and add new......
I have a feeling your lfs was talking about NOT needing salt when water evaporates out of your main tank.. Everyday you will notice that your tank water will get lower.. The salt does not evaporate out of the tank with the water.. so it is important to check salinity everyday and add JUST water when evaporation occurs.. My tank will evaporate about 2 gallons a day do to fans blowing across the water or because the tank is open top... I have to add just water everyday to keep the salinity the same... The salinity will go up if you dont( top off- some reefers call it) the tank..
when you take water out for water changes- you are taking salt and water out of the tank....evaporation only takes water out of the tank...
I hope that makes sense..
To do a water change get a rubbermaid container -like around 20 gallon or more.... Try to use RO water.. put in amount of water that you are gonna do a water change 5 or 10 gallon... Add in 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water. put a powerhead and heater into container and let mix for 24 hours at the minimum... check salinity and temp in new mixed water before doing a water change... new water should should be as close as possible to the main tank... Take old water out of tank and add new......
I have a feeling your lfs was talking about NOT needing salt when water evaporates out of your main tank.. Everyday you will notice that your tank water will get lower.. The salt does not evaporate out of the tank with the water.. so it is important to check salinity everyday and add JUST water when evaporation occurs.. My tank will evaporate about 2 gallons a day do to fans blowing across the water or because the tank is open top... I have to add just water everyday to keep the salinity the same... The salinity will go up if you dont( top off- some reefers call it) the tank..
when you take water out for water changes- you are taking salt and water out of the tank....evaporation only takes water out of the tank...
I hope that makes sense..
The use of carbon 24/7 and strong skimming will remove trace elements so regular water changes are very important to replenish these. If you don't do regular water changes then you will definitely need to supplement just make sure to test first, unfortunately some elements will be very diffcult to measure accurately.
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
How far from Tampa are you?
Also know we have many on-line sponsors who sell much if not anything you will need or want for your reef and ship right to your door. Check some of them out. The ones I have tried have had great customer service and in many cases better prices than a lfs particularly when you are talking about equipment etc.
Also know we have many on-line sponsors who sell much if not anything you will need or want for your reef and ship right to your door. Check some of them out. The ones I have tried have had great customer service and in many cases better prices than a lfs particularly when you are talking about equipment etc.
lcstorc said:
We are about 45 min. to an 1 hr. away. Which ones have you used? I did recieve a catalog in the mail the other day which is Dr. Foster & Smith I've ordered from them for my dogs but haven't for my fish tank.
We are still trying to decide on which lighting to get. We need better lights. I'll check some of them out.
Thank you