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Chemicals, Do you add any?


renman303

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Are extra chemicals really needed? I mean there are literally dozens of additives from "Mineral Blocks" that dissolve slowly to Stronium, Iodine, Iodide, Calcium, blah, blah, blah....

1.) Are any of these really needed on a regular basis?

2.) What do you use and why?

Two LFS that I have just visited said, "Essentially....No". "If your tank is well established then the need to add anything much is unlikely." Perhaps just maintaining calcium levels for rock and clams...

I can understand if you check the calcium level and it's low. But, "Trace Elements", "I-Tech", "Coral-Vite"........

I only add Phytoplankton, and Cyclopeeze Marine Plankton for the Clams and other filter feeders and a big Mineral Block for most trace elements and calcuim to be supplied. I have no issues with my Pistol Shrimp or any shrimp and everything seems healthy for the past 3 years.

Just wondering.....

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Are extra chemicals really needed? I mean there are literally dozens of additives from "Mineral Blocks" that dissolve slowly to Stronium, Iodine, Iodide, Calcium, blah, blah, blah....

1.) Are any of these really needed on a regular basis?

2.) What do you use and why?

Two LFS that I have just visited said, "Essentially....No". "If your tank is well established then the need to add anything much is unlikely." Perhaps just maintaining calcium levels for rock and clams...

I can understand if you check the calcium level and it's low. But, "Trace Elements", "I-Tech", "Coral-Vite"........

I only add Phytoplankton, and Cyclopeeze Marine Plankton for the Clams and other filter feeders and a big Mineral Block for most trace elements and calcuim to be supplied. I have no issues with my Pistol Shrimp or any shrimp and everything seems healthy for the past 3 years.

Just wondering.....

I add Coral Vital and Iodine on a daily basis and I am about to start using B-ionics 2part solution. True with a good established tank you will not need to add the chemicals to clean the water, but the good trace minerals are gonna be removed by skimming and evaporation and unlike the ocean they do not have an area to work their way back into the eco-system. Supplements are good, just don't get over spendy.

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  • 6 months later...

Bump....Hopefully we can get a few more replys.

I understand that salt actually contains over 100 minerals composed of 80 chemical compounds.

So, if water changes are done on a smaller but, more frequent basis, say 10% changes every 10 days to two weeks to resupply the nutrients in the water, I've listed some of the basics that we buy to add to our aquariums but 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt contains the following so, why even spend the money on: Iodine (150 micrograms), Magnesium (400 milligrams), Calcium (1000 milligrams), Trace Elements.... Sure seems a lot cheaper than chemicals???

Chemicals for the Modern Hobby Aquarius seem to be the equivalent of the Pharmaceutical

Industry to doctors...more of a "treat the symptoms and not the cause"???? No offense to our doctors...

Just my 2 cents...

Edited by renman303
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I feel that if you keep up with your water changes then the only thing you should need to add to your tank is Calcium and Magnesium. The amount you need to add will depend on how many corals and clams you have, especially SPS corals. I use a calcium reactor that I can also put Magnesium tablets in so it takes care of both. I agree that many of the supplements that are out there are just a way for these companies to make more money. There are some methods out there that do require more additions, Zeovit for example. But that is a whole other discussion. I made this statement in another thread - I don't add anything I can't test for.

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