If you don't know, why add it?

[Detri]

This seems like common sense. To me anyway. But, I meet people all the time that add chemicals/nutrients (and many other things) to there tank. Curious to know, I ask what are the benifits to adding that? 95% of the time I get an answer like, I don't know everyone does it and it does just fine.

Why the hell would you add something to your tank that you don't know anything about. You obviously didn't know your tank needed it before. Your tank was doing fine before you added it. You may have notice a slight change in growth/parameters. But, if you don't understand why it did it you may be jepordizing your livestock.

Alot of your parameters can be changed by doing things diffrent. Say ORP, you can raise this by Oxygenating your water through better skimming or adding air to your water column.

Ca, dKH, PH, Magnesium, trace elements of metals and many more. Can be kept at respectible levels by doing frequent water changes.

I'm not saying don't do it. I am simply stating why do it if you don't know why or what it does. Specially if your tank is doing fine. Adding trace elements, Ca and the like are needed in alot of cases. But most of the people that NEED to do it know they do and know why.

I am currently studying ORP/Redox. It's scarey what you can do to yourself, let alone your tank. If you don't know what you are dealing with and why. When people ask about this I think it is important that precise and clear information should be given.

 

[CarlaW]

If you can't test for it, don't add it. That has always been my theory, and it ahs worked for me.

 

[Detri]

I think this maybe a good time to discuss the dangers and benifits of adding supliments and chemicals.

I know there are threads scattered all over this forum about this. But, thats just it, they are scattered everywhere.

Why don't we break this down into sections in one thread:

1. PH monitoring and control

2. Alkalinity monitoring and control

3. Calcium monitoring and control

4. ORP/Redox monitoring and control

We can add more to the mix as we move along. It seems to me these are the first priority of a healthy overall tank. Instead of posting links. why not add a paragraph or 2 of the link that has the most important information. Followed by a link to read the rest of the article.

Add to the descussion what you do and how it helps and why you think it works.

The reason I am thinking about this. I start to read about one chemical or reaction in the water. Then it reffers to many others that directly effect it or change the values read on tests. You may find you have a low Alk, but that is effected by PH and Calcium, and vise versa. I think a common thread would help. Also make it easier to understand.

 

[Electrobes]

I have to admit that I am one of those people who adds something that isn't tested for. After about 2-2.5 years you'd figure I would know better. I test Cal, Mag, and Alk via Salifert test kits, I have a pinpoint pH meter, but I don't have an Iodine/Iodide test because I find them unreliable.

I have mainly have a softy tank and early in my reefing I decided it would become that. Anway I was lured after about 4 months to add iodine to the softy reef. I have been doing so, even presently, and I do it for several resons. My tank does look good, and since I am currently adding it (way below then suggested) I think it best not to break a pattern that seemingly works.

I personally started early before the very respected "test what you dose" idea hit me. I never added the other elements but I never stopped adding Iodine - now iodide. So as much as I don't think it's a good idea to dose something you don't test for, I would be a bold-face liar if I said I followed that practice to the fullest.

 

[Curtswearing]

OK, I will start Ron.

#1---I think one of the best purchases I've ever made for my tank was my Pinpoint pH monitor. A quick glance once or twice a day lets me know that most things are doing just fine. If I watch a slow lowering of my pH I can tell if my alkalinity is dropping or if I'm not blowing enough CO2 off at the air/water interface. If I noticed a fish acting weird, I would glance at the monitor and if that was fine, I would do an Ammonia test. Luckily, my fish was always just being weird. I admit to being a bad boy, I probably only test my Ammonia about twice per year. (Obviously, if your tank is new, I wouldn't recommend doing this. However, when you get more established, you can sort of "read" your tank by observation).

When you are discussing fish, pH and ammonia are the two biggies. In my nano tanks, I have this little Ammonia Alert plastic meter that I leave in them.

Low pH: Causes and Cures by Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Detri]

If your PH drops slowly. what have you found to be the cause in most cases in your system?

 

[Curtswearing]

I'm lazy. The first thing that I would do would be to open my window in the fish room to see if it was a CO2 issue which is what I always hoped it was. I would also doublecheck that the loc-line nozzle from my return pump was disturbing the water at the top of my tank. One of my loc-line links was kind of loose and it would sometimes drop. It's amazing what a litle rippling at the surface does for gas exchange.

Unfortunately, I typically found that my alkalinity was dropping after doing the test. Since Calcium and Magnesium are so inter-related, I would test those as well. Then I would restore the elements to their proper balanced levels. Even though I often dripped Kalk, I didn't always do it so my balances would occasionally get out of whack.

 

[spongebob lover]

interesting thread Ron .
i'm with Charlie on this one, i don't add anything to my tank only ph buffer every water change and i test before to see where my ph stands.
I think the best way to not add anything is to do your water changes or at least for people that keeps softies.

 

[Krish]

I only add liquid calcium to my tank...That's it. Good thread though Detri! I'm sure it will be very useful and helpful.