"Essential elements"??

[Saltydrip]

I almost picked up a bottle of essential elements from my LFS yesterday but put it back because I was unsure if it was something I need. I have a pretty mixed reef with a little of everything in there. I use reef crystals salt mix and do 15-20% water changes every 1-2 weeks. I'm noticing a lot of loss of color in my zoas and very little growth in my softies. I'm also having a difficult time with my macros as well. That could be to the fact that my tank is the cleanest it's ever been.

Would my system benefit from something like this or is it more snake oil?

[goreef170]

I don't think you need to add trace elements, if you are doing those w/c. Do you feed your corals ? How's your fish load ?

[mcgyvr]

no point.. just feeding and your water changes will replenish anything that bottle can offer just fine on their own..

I find softies/zoos like a little "crap" in the water.. too clean is just too clean.

[Saltydrip]

Bioload just got a little heavier yesterday. I added a 2 spot Bristletooth to the mix. Making it
2 Percs
1 yellow corris
1 mandarin
2 green chromis
2 shrimp and the usual CUC.
I also scored a great piece of red monti cap for $20 yesterday. Corals are literally a little of everything.

I don't do any spot feeding. I feed cyclop eeze every other day and I drip it in above a power head and it gets broadcast threw out the tank.

[Tokyoyankee]

Water changes and that bio load are enough. Target feeding your softie would help with growth however

[ca1ore]

Let me be the dissenting opinion. I use essential elements all the time in my tanks, though at half the prescribed dose and in a peristaltic doser. If you think about it, water changes actually won't replenish trace elements to their initial levels, though they will prevent complete absence. I cannot say for certain that it is not 'snake oil', but it meets the common-sense test for me, so I use it.