Combination of Additives...Need help!

[glasscoffin]

Can you mix Kalkmix & Strontium, or should they be dripped seperatly? I'm purchasing the 2.5g Kent Marine Aquadose, and the Kent Marine Kalkmix & Turbo Strontium. Can I mix them in the same container, and drip them together, or do they need to be in independent containers? Thank you so much for youe help!

Jason

[cheeks69]

No I wouldn't add them together ! Why would you want to add Strontium ? Have you tested your levels ? Do you do frequent water changes ? If so it's unnecessary to dose strontium.

Randy Holemes-Farley:

Strontium

My recommendation is to maintain strontium levels in reef aquaria in the range of 5-15 ppm. That level roughly spans the level in natural seawater of 8 ppm. I do not recommend that aquarists supplement strontium unless they have measured strontium and found it to be depleted to below 5 ppm. Measuring and supplementing strontium is not a critical activity for most aquarists, and is not a trivial exercise since the available test kits can be difficult to use (see below).

In some recent tests, I found that in my reef aquarium, without any recent strontium additions, strontium was already elevated above natural levels (to 15 ppm due to elevated strontium in the Instant Ocean salt mix that I was using). I would not like to see it get any higher. Consequently, adding a supplement without knowing the aquarium's current strontium level is not advisable. Scientific evidence indicates that some organisms need strontium, albeit not the organisms that most reef keepers maintain. Certain gastropods, cephalopods, and radiolaria, for example, require strontium.18-34 It is, however, clearly toxic at elevated concentrations. In one reported case, 38 ppm was enough strontium to kill a particular species of crab (Carcinus maenas).34 No evidence indicates that 5-15 ppm strontium is harmful to any marine organism, although it is not known what strontium levels are optimal. Finally, anecdotal evidence from a number of advanced aquarists suggests that strontium that is substantially below natural levels is detrimental to the growth of corals that many aquarists maintain, but this effect has not been proven.

How can we maintain natural strontium levels? Doing so, of course, necessitates a suitable strontium test. Some test kits are perhaps suitable for this purpose. If not, sending a sample out to a lab might be a reasonable alternative for some aquarists. If the result comes back in the 5-15 ppm range, no action likely need be taken. If the level is higher than 15 ppm, the best reduction method may simply be water changes with a suitable salt mix, without abnormally high levels of strontium. If strontium levels are below 5 ppm, adding a strontium supplement may be in order.

[glasscoffin]

Thank you so much! I use NSW, and all my levels are right on. I was told that dosing Strontium will accelerate coral skeletal growth, as well as accellerate coraline growth. Thanks for the help, think I'll skip the strontium!

Jason

[BoomerD]

Never add any thng that you don't or can't test for. Otherwise, how do you know how much (if any) your tank needs??

[billyr98]

Salifert Stronium test kit, is close to impossible to use too

[ReefLady]

is close to impossible to use too

I'll second that for sure. Iodine isn't much more fun.

[Mad Mike]

Originally Posted by billyr98

Salifert Stronium test kit, is close to impossible to use too

Can be intimidating but you get used to it, just like any other test. Do it 4 or 5 times

[Witfull]

waterchanges are great for supplimenting trace elements if its a good salt. (or NSW)