ADDITIVES... how often, if any???

[BodiBuilt]

Fairly new to reef keeping, and after countless contradictions from my LFS('s), I wonder how often/how much supliments I should add (such as B-Ionic or...?) I have several{5}tanks set up, each of them the next step in my "Aquatic-evolution", and so far I have tried different approches to each tank (more or less), but have still not come to a firm conclusion whether or not to use additives, and if so, how many (and which ones)?ANY ADVISE PLEASE!:rollface:

[jwedehase]

The only additives that EVER see my tank are calcium, alkalinity and magnesium, and only because the tank's heavily SPS and I haven't completed my calcium reactor yet. I also run 100% top off kalkwasser. The rest is handled with water changes. When the calcium reactor is up, I expect no additives at all, though I will continue to utilize the kalkwasser for topoff.

[Purple Haze]

water changes and a calcium reactor.

[mg426]

First off let me say to all of the reefers using calcium reacters. I envy all of you i just dont have the cash right now but it is in the future plans. As for additives, calcium and alk buffer is all that ever goes in my tank. I keep the ca around 400 and the alk around 10.5. Lots of differant ways to do it. Good and bad points about all of them. I am using calcium chloride and baking soda. Its basically Randys recipe. Works great but I keep a very close eye on things Test at least 4 times a week. as for Mag it run around 1275 with just water changes IO mix . Salifert tests for ca and alk Seachem for mag. So far so good. best of luck to you. One more thing I would advise very strongly to adding anything to you system unless you can test for it Take nothing for granted.

[mbbuna]

do regular water changes and this will take care of most everything. if you keep things that use Ca/Alk then get some GOOD test kits. you will need a Ca kit, Alk kit and Mg kit.

here's some reading for you.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.php

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-08/rhf/index.php#uE

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-11/rhf/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rs/feature/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.php

[dkh0331]

Something that I was told a long, long time ago about additives and has been reiterated many times here on RC - if you aren't measuring/testing it - don't add it.

Every tank is different - from the water you are using, salt mix, livestock, etc that to say you need to add A, B and C, shouldn't be done. Measure it, test it and if it's below the parameteres you want, which can easily be found here on RC, then add it.

HTH

David