Dosing

[OJab]

How long should I wait between adding supplements? For example I'm gonna add calcium to my tank how long should I wait before I add any other kind of supplement?

 

[Tonyscoots84]

How long has the tank been setup for. Are you testing to see what your levels are. We dont just add chemicals without testing first...

 

[OJab]

It's 8 months old I only have a fowlr tank. I only test for nitrate, nitrite, high range ph, ammonia. I ordered live invertebrates snails crabs shrimps and anemones. I read they require calcium, magnesium, strontium, iodine, and trace elements. I never added those supplements to my tank. So I never tested for them. What do I do?

 

[ReefMonkey13]

You would really need to test the parameters to determine whether you need to dose.

But if you just have a fowler and an anemone, you can probably just get away with regular water changes to keep up with Ca, ALK and Mag consumption.

Good Luck

 

[Reefkings12]

Agree with reef monkey a fowler and anemone tank absolutely does not need dosing when you start going after Lps and hard corals is when your going have to start dosing and that's only after they depleting it

 

[KathyC]

What kind of anemone are you adding?

What type of salt are you using?

The salt mix contains many of the elements you are asking about adding to your tank, so some are not necessary to add.
Depending on the salt mix you are using - there are a few out there that do need to be supplemented to maintain all parameters at the correct levels required by a reef tank.
Do you plan to add coral going forward?

 

[piranhapat]

Before you add you need to check CAL, ALk, MAG. Water changes with a good salt might do the job. Your case you might be better off using Kalk. If you need to add something.

 

[Shamer]

I've been using the Red Sea Coral Pro Salt. If you don't want to test I think this is the best way to keep your alk, cal, and mag at the correct levels. I've had great results in my BC29 growing SPS and LPS just relying on a 5 gallon weekly water change.

 

[Jan]

You don't need to check nitrites or ammonia after your tank has finished cycling. At this point you only need to check SG, PH, Nitrates and maybe phosphates. Once you add corals then you should check calcium and magnesium for LPS. LPS respond to magnesium. After that only if anything is off will you need to dose. As Kathy mentioned, your salt has everything.

It's 8 months old I only have a fowlr tank. I only test for nitrate, nitrite, high range ph, ammonia. I ordered live invertebrates snails crabs shrimps and anemones. I read they require calcium, magnesium, strontium, iodine, and trace elements. I never added those supplements to my tank. So I never tested for them. What do I do?