Newbie needing help with supplements

ander88

ander88

Newbie Mariner :)
Apr 29, 2009
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Dumfries, Scotland
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Just started a marine aqaurine, currently have 2 common clown fish, 3 cleaner shrimp, 5 hermit crabs, 2 varieities of plant and two pieces of coral. 10kg live rock.

I'm struggling with dosing supplements which the LFS recommended but they dont seem to be very helpful after they have sold the product.

Currently I add 5ml of "Reef Success Coralgro" each day when feeding.

I also (this is where i struggle) am trying to add the following:
5ml of "Reef success Calcium+3" per week
5ml of "Reef success Buff" per week

both of which i have been recommended to add to top up water. The only problem is my top up water comes from the tap conditioned with "Prime - Freshwater $ Saltwater"

So basically I need a little help in black and white of how much to add and when and how.

Any help would be grateful.

I do 25% water changes every two weeks using pre-mixed ro salt water from LFS using Red sea coral pro salt as a start before i attempt to mix my own batches.
 
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A basic recommendation is not to supplement if you don't test for it. Have you tested your water parameters using a basic test kit for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and ph? it is also recommended that you test for calcium. If you could post your parameters that would help.

I don't use either of the products you have referenced, but I do note that when looking at them online, I wouldn't be adding them without testing your water parameters - you might not need them...more money for corals or the like.

See what others have to say, someone might have experience with the products you listed.
 
I test my water parameters weekly sometimes more.

The latest results (which tie in with most others) are as follows:

SG 1.024
Temp 26
Ph 8.0
Nite 0.1
Nate <5mg/l
Calc 410
Amm 0.25
Alk High

Nitrate test kit is different from the rest. Others read in PPM.

Do you use any supplements atall or just rely on your water changes. Currently i'm doing 25% bi weekly.
 
I do 25% once a fortnight and I don't use any supplements. However, I do use RO/DI water (you may want to take a look at RO man (link)) and I use D&D H2Ocean Natural Reef Salt.

I do think we need to go right back to the beginning with your tank to enable us to fully help you.

How long has the tank been set up?

How long had you had the tank before you started adding livestock?

How did you cycle the tank?

The fact that you are getting an ammonia and nitrite reading, makes me think that your tank isn't cycled yet.

 
the tank has been setup for nearly 2 months now and livestock has just been added this week.

I cycled the tank by mixing my own salt, filling the tank, leaving for a few days to settle and bring temperature up then i added 10kg of live rock and left for nearly 2 months until this week when livestock was added.

The LFS told me that the levels I was reading on my test kits was low enough for the type of kit i have (red sea kits) and that there test kits when they tested before i bought livestock said zero so they were happy to sell to me.

For water changes I am using rodi pre mixed salt water using red sea coral pro salt from my lfs and conditioned tap water for top off - this is where i'm adding supplements.
 
Michael: Currently the only thing that I "add" to my reef is MacroBacter7 and BioFuel which essentially are to help combat the diatom/cyano concern that I have had. I do use products like Rowaphos/Phosban to reduce phosphates. I don't dose for calcium and don't buffer my ph either - the reading have been within a tolerance ban. I also don't keep SPS which would demand additional calcium.

I try to keep up with the water change and I only do about 10% every couple of weeks.

I do wonder where your ammonia is coming from if you are not having a mini spike in the cycle. Have you added any additional rock later?

The RO/DI system is the best investment IMO. Hope some of this info helps.
 
The only extra live rock thats been added is the pieces the coral came on. Apart from that nothing else has been added. The ammonia reading is lowest that my test kit reads apart from 0. Maybe I should invest in some new testing kits aswell as RO unit.
 
Which test kit do you use? I find the Salifert or API test kits to be the best.

You definately don't want any ammonia or nitrite reading, so we need to work on getting that down.

When the tank was cycling did you ever get a high ammonia and nitrite reading? How long were your ammonia and nitrite readings at zero before you added livestock.

Do you test the water you get from your LFS? Don't ever rely on them 100%;)

I wouldn't add any more livestock for the time being until your levels are sorted.
 
I use the red sea test kits for everything but Nitrate this test i use nitrafin test kit same as LFS.

During the cycling there were no high readings, they were always small and got smaller. Yea do test the water, buy it in 25Ltr bottles. Thats salt water. For top up water im conditioning tap water at the mo.
 
When u cycled did u ever add ammonia source? Like a piece of shrimp or something
 
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