What is everyone preferred brand on Trace Elements? I was thinking of going with Red Sea or maybe Aqua Forest. Anyone have good results with either?
Trace elements
- Thread starter wake125122
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I don't use them, I rely on frequent water changes to keep things going. My personal thought on trace elements is that its risky business unless you can test for what your adding, no chance of overdose with water changes.
Are you referring to Alk, Calcium and Magnesium? Or elements like Strontium, Potassium and Iodine?
Strontium, Potassium and Iodine.
I recntly switched salt mixes to SeaChems Vibrant Sea which has those elements added to their mix. Its an amazing salt and is concentrated (so you will use less salt mix). It also fully mixes up in an hour or two. You can pick up a 220g box for about $70 online.
I have a friend with a 30g doing 5g water changes every other week and using AF 2 part with trace. He's having a lot of success with the coral in that tank.
I am currently using Sea Chem's Marine Trace and Reef Trace. While I agree that it's a risky business and probably shouldn't be handled this way.... I am pretty stubborn... so I'm trying it. I've only been using them for about a month now and things are going ok. My 140g tank lightly stocked with corals will probably cost about $12/month in those chemicals.
You can't test for most of the trace chemicals so like I said I agree it's risky. My corals weren't looing good... and some were dying... so I started with the Marine Trace that I got from a club meeting.... and within just a few days of fairly big doses I saw incredible improvement. I backed the dose down but the next time I cleaned my skimmer cup I could smell the copper in it. Things are still looking good though. We'll see how long I can keep it up.
I am currently using Sea Chem's Marine Trace and Reef Trace. While I agree that it's a risky business and probably shouldn't be handled this way.... I am pretty stubborn... so I'm trying it. I've only been using them for about a month now and things are going ok. My 140g tank lightly stocked with corals will probably cost about $12/month in those chemicals.
You can't test for most of the trace chemicals so like I said I agree it's risky. My corals weren't looing good... and some were dying... so I started with the Marine Trace that I got from a club meeting.... and within just a few days of fairly big doses I saw incredible improvement. I backed the dose down but the next time I cleaned my skimmer cup I could smell the copper in it. Things are still looking good though. We'll see how long I can keep it up.
Have you ever used any Coral nutrition like Reef Energy A & B from Red Sea?
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i'll drop my 2 cents
I got my triton test back and it said i was low on several things and i just picked the 4 I had heard of or had heard mentioned as needed for metabolic function in corals.
I was UTTERLY AMAZED at the difference in the corals health after I added them. Unfortuneatly I can't tell you which was the magic bullet or maybe they all were. Went from very little to no polyp extension on corals that have been in my tank 8+ months to MASSIVE polyp extension. Change happened within 3 days or so. Anemones are also huge now, at least 20% bigger than they used to be and I considered them healthy for sure.
Iodine, molybdenum, manganese, and strontium. My guess is that the strontium and molybdenum were the real winners but it's a total swag based on the fact that I read a review of randy holme's farley's ICP test and he talke about adding those on his own regimen but that he was glad to see testing of them. Actually, he only added strontium on his own but mentioned that molybdenum was required and that he would probably add some of that.
I used the triton elements but once i'm back to sea levels i'll probably go with a cheaper option that has strontium and molybenum.
I got my triton test back and it said i was low on several things and i just picked the 4 I had heard of or had heard mentioned as needed for metabolic function in corals.
I was UTTERLY AMAZED at the difference in the corals health after I added them. Unfortuneatly I can't tell you which was the magic bullet or maybe they all were. Went from very little to no polyp extension on corals that have been in my tank 8+ months to MASSIVE polyp extension. Change happened within 3 days or so. Anemones are also huge now, at least 20% bigger than they used to be and I considered them healthy for sure.
Iodine, molybdenum, manganese, and strontium. My guess is that the strontium and molybdenum were the real winners but it's a total swag based on the fact that I read a review of randy holme's farley's ICP test and he talke about adding those on his own regimen but that he was glad to see testing of them. Actually, he only added strontium on his own but mentioned that molybdenum was required and that he would probably add some of that.
I used the triton elements but once i'm back to sea levels i'll probably go with a cheaper option that has strontium and molybenum.
I had a similar situation with my Seachem trace. I've got incredible poly extension on my sps. My candy canes were almost dead and came back within days. And that was only after adding Marine Trace, which has: Ca, Mg (which I dose separately of course), I, K, Cu, F, Fe, Mn, Se and Zn. Reef Trace includes B, Co, Mo, Rb, Ni and V. But Neither contain Strontium. It is in its own bottle that I didn't get.
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Dball.. you said you rely on water changes. I thought that my 5g was flourishing compared to my 140g due mostly to my water change schedule. About a month ago I left one of the lights on the 5g all weekend. It was about the same time that I packed (for a 5g) with SPS. Since then I haven't had good poly extension. I tried to help it by upping the water changes. No luck.
I'm going to do a 1.5g water change tomorrow and on Monday I'm going to start adding some of the Marine Trace to see if that gives me the extension back. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt.
I'm going to do a 1.5g water change tomorrow and on Monday I'm going to start adding some of the Marine Trace to see if that gives me the extension back. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt.
