looking to start dosing, WTB besides 2part calc/alk

[jmoney 402]

I am going to purchase the ESV B-ionic calcium alkalinity two part, but do not know what else i should look into getting. I don't have a ton of corals now(leather, zoas, and ricordea) but want to start establishing my water quality before i try and put anything more demanding in my tank.

I have looked into supplements for magnesium that just contain magnesium, but have also seen ones that contain strontium and magnesium so do not know what i should get. I also plan on starting to dose Lugol's but don't really know what else to look into.

I have a hard time understanding "coral foods" or "coral growth accelerators", very confusing to me because i don't know if i buy one product if it will interfere with other parameters.

I understand many of these questions are preference but am just looking for personal experience.

[disc1]

All you really need is the calcium, alkalinity and magnesium.

Skip the Lugols unless you have some very specific problem that you know for certain is related to iodine. For instance certain gorgonians that absolutely require it. Most of the time it is more harm than good.

[disc1]

And never ever dose anything that you can't test for. Make sure you need it before you put it in the tank.

[Sugar Magnolia]

And never ever dose anything that you can't test for. Make sure you need it before you put it in the tank.

Yes, this 100%. It's very easy to mess up your water params with dosing and very difficult to fix the problem. Make sure you have calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and pH test kits.

[disc1]

Sugar Mag,

The Avatar! That's great!

[jmoney 402]

Makes sense for the iodide, and i have all test kits except magnesium, and i will add that to my next order.

[thegrun]

Bulk Reef Supply sells Magnesium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate, the two chemicals you need to make the Magnesium supplement.

[jmoney 402]

I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, is the magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate a replacement for that?

Also a friend was recomended "aqua vitro fuel" by LFS, anyone heard of or used this at all, just curiously mostly because the employee at the LFS said this stuff was like "coral crack". I was like is he really trying to sell us this with that corny line, typical though.

[ryeguyy84]

I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, is the magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate a replacement for that?

Also a friend was recomended "aqua vitro fuel" by LFS, anyone heard of or used this at all, just curiously mostly because the employee at the LFS said this stuff was like "coral crack". I was like is he really trying to sell us this with that corny line, typical though.

No the reef crystals is a salt mix. The mag chloride and sulfate is used as a magnesium supplement when mixed with RODI water.

I would start testing alk, cal and mag to see if you really need to dose. If you have a low coral load then you could probably get by with water changes.

The aqua vitro fuel appears to be some sort of coral food with vitamins. I wouldn't bother, most likely the only thing it will "fuel" is algae.

[jmoney 402]

yep, going to leave dosing alone for now tested water before water change and calcium was at 420-440 ppm and alkalinity at 8dkh, just wanted a little input for future reference. Looking to add more coral over the next 6 months.