Supplements....if only ONE
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Reef Chemistry
Forum Description: A place to discuss reef chemistry.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=46668
Printed Date: July 17 2026 at 2:13am
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Topic: Supplements....if only ONE
Posted By: Riverton_Ten
Subject: Supplements....if only ONE
Date Posted: February 08 2011 at 1:19pm
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There are so many things one could purchase to add to a reef tank to make corals grow faster, to keep them healthier, etc. If you had to pick just ONE that covered as many bases as possible (for a tank with only softies), which would you choose? I find that my xenia is always kind of dark, doesn't open and close much, and other things just don't grow very fast. I get that other factors are included in the why's and why-not's, but rather than go into those exhaustively, perhaps a recommendation on a decent supplement? Iodine? Calcium? All-in-one? Do they exist? Thanks. |
Replies:
Posted By: Luckedout
Date Posted: February 08 2011 at 2:13pm
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It's not really that simple. If the tank is not a stable environment for some reason it's going to cause problems with your corals. You could dose supplements to try and counteract the problem, but why not just find the problem and fix it instead? Softies, especially xenia should grow like weeds in a tank that is properly set up and with no water quality issues. Sounds like you have something going on that a supplement isn't really going to resolve. ------------- -Ben 90g Mixed reef www.body-balancechiropractic.com |
Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: February 08 2011 at 2:52pm
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It's easy for me to answer..... salt Adam ------------- Come to a meeting, they�re fun! |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 08 2011 at 8:32pm
I agree with Adam. 20% weekly water changes with a salt mix that is equally balanced in Alk and Ca (Oceanic is out  ) will do the job in the short run, but why go to all that trouble? Even people with fancy gadgets like Calcium Reactors which deliver a fairly equal amount of Alk and Ca still have to add things like Mg, Iodine and the occasional shot of Alkalinity to bring it back into the acceptable range.If there is good growth of Coralline Algae and Soft Coral the tank will eventually need more Mg and more Iodine (especially Xenia). Each tank eats up nutrients of this type in different quantities and at different speeds, so in the long run if you want the tank to stay looking good you must check the levels and add stuff that is lacking. Sorry if that was not the answer you wanted to hear.  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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