Nano reef supplements

[chaseg89]

I know there are two part formulas specifically for nano tanks, but are there any other supplements that are specific to nano tanks? I am just wondering if there are supplements or nutrients that I can add on top of doing water changes that would benefit a nano tank more than they would a larger tank? Any opinions or suggestions?

[bertoni]

I don't think there are any special requirements for nano tanks as far as supplements go. I personally would buy whatever 2-part was cheapest, and the same for any other additives I was going to use.

[chaseg89]

Thanks for the reply. I plan on seeing how well approximately 10% weekly water changes supplement my tank at first. But I plan on keeping a lot of LPS and a few SPS so I figure eventually I will at least need to dose a two part. I'm trying to keep from getting too dependent on supplements though I have heard that dosing in nano tanks can be difficult and cause parameter swings more easily.

[tripdad]

If you put very many acro's in there you will probably have to dose, there just isn't enough water volume to "take" needed items from. Yes swings can be a factor in small volumes, just spread out your dosing and don't dump it in all at once.

[rovster]

I have a 14 gal that is chocked full of coral, including some rather large SPS colonies. I HAVE to dose 2 part or my parameters plummet in a matter of a couple of days. In fact, as time goes by, I have to keep increasing my doses to keep up with demand. I used to use Kent nano because someone gave it to me, but now I'm using C-Balance since its readily available. I dose about 15mL/day. A kit lasts about a month and a half. I dose manually. HTH.

[chaseg89]

If you put very many acro's in there you will probably have to dose, there just isn't enough water volume to "take" needed items from. Yes swings can be a factor in small volumes, just spread out your dosing and don't dump it in all at once.

So would I dose the total amount spread out over a day? multiple days?

I have a 14 gal that is chocked full of coral, including some rather large SPS colonies. I HAVE to dose 2 part or my parameters plummet in a matter of a couple of days. In fact, as time goes by, I have to keep increasing my doses to keep up with demand. I used to use Kent nano because someone gave it to me, but now I'm using C-Balance since its readily available. I dose about 15mL/day. A kit lasts about a month and a half. I dose manually. HTH.

I will have to check out the C-balance, I don't plan on keeping as many SPS as it sounds like you have, at 15 ml/day that would be a lot of two part. A month and a half seems like a decent amount of time to go without buying more.

[rovster]

C-Balance is by Two Little Fishes. Its fine, B-Ionic seems to be the most popular. I am currently building a 100gal, and already have the BRS 2 part with BRS dosers (will be controlled via apex). With my nano, its all manual. I dose in the morning and at night manually, about a cap and a half each, spread apart by a few minutes or so. I check my Alk a few times a week. For the first 6-8 months or so, I did not have to dose at all, and if your coral load is low, you probably don't either. However, once some of the corals start getting bigger, they suck up minerals like crazy, and in a nano, it happens that much more quickly. To give you an idea, some of my colonies are getting so big, I have to frag them back, and I have a few wars breaking out from lack of room. I literally have no available real-estate on rocks or sand-bed. I have mostly SPS and LPS, with a handful of Zoos. Its really not that big a deal. The most important part is figuring out where you are and how much you need to keep it stable. At first, you will be testing daily, and as you figure it out, you can test less often. Make sure your Mag is in order, before you start dosing 2-part. I rarely test Cal, since that one pretty much takes care of itself. Its Alk the one that swings.


Out of curiosity, how old is your nano, and what do you have in it? Why do you feel you need to dose? Don't get caught up in haveing the perception you have to dump things in your tank to make it healthy. If you need it, you need it. What are your parameters? FWIW, mine hover around Mag 1350, Cal 430, Alk 8ish.....

[bertoni]

Many tanks consume 2-3 dKH per day, and so need dosing at least once a day. :)

[chaseg89]

C-Balance is by Two Little Fishes. Its fine, B-Ionic seems to be the most popular. I am currently building a 100gal, and already have the BRS 2 part with BRS dosers (will be controlled via apex). With my nano, its all manual. I dose in the morning and at night manually, about a cap and a half each, spread apart by a few minutes or so. I check my Alk a few times a week. For the first 6-8 months or so, I did not have to dose at all, and if your coral load is low, you probably don't either. However, once some of the corals start getting bigger, they suck up minerals like crazy, and in a nano, it happens that much more quickly. To give you an idea, some of my colonies are getting so big, I have to frag them back, and I have a few wars breaking out from lack of room. I literally have no available real-estate on rocks or sand-bed. I have mostly SPS and LPS, with a handful of Zoos. Its really not that big a deal. The most important part is figuring out where you are and how much you need to keep it stable. At first, you will be testing daily, and as you figure it out, you can test less often. Make sure your Mag is in order, before you start dosing 2-part. I rarely test Cal, since that one pretty much takes care of itself. Its Alk the one that swings.


Out of curiosity, how old is your nano, and what do you have in it? Why do you feel you need to dose? Don't get caught up in haveing the perception you have to dump things in your tank to make it healthy. If you need it, you need it. What are your parameters? FWIW, mine hover around Mag 1350, Cal 430, Alk 8ish.....

My tank is still in the cycling phase, so it's empty right now, except rock and sand. Like I've said I plan on just using weekly water changes to supplement my tank for as long as I can. However, I know what I would like to keep and that it will probably call for some type of two part eventually to supplement the tank so just trying to get some opinions on what works best ahead of time.