Additives

[skyesfire]

What additives/chemicals should a new reef keeper keep on hand? What works for you, what to stay away from. How are you adjusting pH, etc?
All opinions are welcome.

Thanks:?:

 

[Curtswearing]

If you keep your Calcium and Alkalinity balanced and at the correct levels, you're usually good to go. The other important item is Magnesium. You can take care of all of your trace elements with simple waterchanges so stay away from anything that isn't Calcium, Alkalinity, or Magnesium.

For Calcium and Alkalinity, there are numerous methods.

Two-Part Supplements like B-ionic, Kent Tech A and B, etc.
Kalkwasser is a balanced supplement but has to be dripped slowly overnight.
Calcium reactors.
Water changes
Calcium chloride and then buffers for alkalinity.

Here's a good article on all of the pros/cons of the different methods.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

There's also a whole collection of articles here. http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81

 

[Brenden]

Only thing I dose/add is CA.

 

[ronj]

it depends on what you have stocked in your tank....if you just have liverock, you don't need any supplements if you keep up with water changes..they will replentish your trace elements....for calcium, i use Purple Up or Aragmilk....i don't use anything else....if i need to slightly adjust the ph, i use Kent Superbuffer DKH...if your ph is severely off, i would do some large water changes......don't overdose your calcium though...i use about half or less than the instructions on the "Purple Up" say to use... this stuff works great..lots of corraline!!

 

[shallowreef]

I add buffer to the tank to adjust my ph (bring up) and i dose the tank with kalkwasser from ESV. Thats about it.

 

[skyesfire]

Thanks for the info.

 

[4251cpd]

Don't forget to dose FW to your tank....I know, I'm a rectum, for sure.....

 

[ClamLubber]

I have a Calcium reactor running for Ca and alkalinity maintainence and a jug of CaCl and jar of kents buffer on the shelf just in case they get out of balance. Kaulkwasser drip or slurry method would replace the reactor if you rather go that way. I have test kits for Magnesium, Strontium, and Iodine but haven't needed to buy any product to add any yet. So far the weekly 10% water changes (and what is leeching out of the Ca reactor) have dealt with those. I subscribe to the "don't add anything you can't test for" school of thought. Iron is only other thing I am looking at (to help the alge in refuge). I dont have a test kit for that yet though so no iron for now, hehe.