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Do you add "Trace" minerals to your water

DJYoshi

DJYoshi

A Newbie to the Reef Game
Manhattan Reefs
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Livingston
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I've read that putting in all of those extra additives isn't good for the water/fish/coral.

Right now I'm dosing with ESV 2-part Calcium & dkh.
Whenever I do a water change, I usually put a little bit of stress coat & a water conditioner since I'm using tap water for my saltwater mix.
For the coral I'm feeding phytofeast & rotating b/t Hikari Frozen Shrimp & Pellets.

I have a 36 gallon and I've been changing on a weekly basis (5 gallon bucket that I pre-mix 1 week before).

I've read up on some of the coral that I have and it says: photosynthetic & trace elements.

So should I start adding trace or should they be getting the trace elements whenever I do a water change?
 
BIG L A

BIG L A

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BUSHWICK
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I would have to agree with the responses you recieved... what ever you dose you wanna test, weekly water changes should give you everything you need... The only thing I would recommend is that you mix your water the night before not a week before, Just my opinion...
 
KathyC

KathyC

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Just a few observations:

You are dosing but don't mention what your parameters are. Can you post them please?

It's hard for us to tell you what you might be needing more of in your tank (I am talking mainly about Calcium here) as we don't know what type of corals you keep. What do you have now and what else are you planning to add?

Tap Water.. Not a good partner for a reef tank...:(
You mention using Stress Coat AND a water conditioner . Stess coat is a water conditioner. What is the other one you are using and why are you using both of them?

Tap water is a major enemy to reef tanks. While all may appear great at this point, each day your live rock and sand (if you have any) are absorbing (actually adsorbing, but it's a pita to keep explaining the difference) phosphates, silicates and all sorts of other crap that is in your tap water. The 'conditioners' will only remove (render harmless is a better description) chlorine and chloramines and dont do anything to help with all of the other nasties in there.
Eventually you will begin to have VERY serious algae issues with the tank.

It is always suggested to purchase a ro/di unit to make your own water. They can often be found for a very good price in our For Sale Forum in our Marketplace, or you can purchase a new one through a vendor here (or even on EBay if you like ) for about $125.00.
One of BEST investments you can make for your reef tank.

Welcome to MR :)
 
DJYoshi

DJYoshi

A Newbie to the Reef Game
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Livingston
Rating - 100%
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Re:

KathyC said:
Just a few observations:

You are dosing but don't mention what your parameters are. Can you post them please?
Click to expand...

Kathy, Thanks for the welcome. I'm straight addicted to this hobby more than I am my golf game.. and I play golf 6 days a week.

before water changes today this is what I had tested
ph: 8.4
KH: 300
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 40 ppm
dkh: 7.5 (just started dosing with ESV last week I know I have to raise it up slowly)
Calcium: 460
salinity: 1.025
temp: 79 degrees


KathyC said:
we don't know what type of corals you keep. What do you have now and what else are you planning to add?
Click to expand...
So far I have relatively easy coral and fish to keep
Coral: 3 pulsing Xen. 1 GSP. 1 Trumpet. 1 Torch. 1 Bubble. A Colony of Shrooms. a small colony of zoos. 1 Leather Finger. 1 Leather Toadstool. 1 Mushroom Ricordia Yuma. a xenia colony. And that's it.
Fish wise:
1 ocellaris. 1 percula. 1 eel goby. 1 PJ Cardinal. 1 6 Line Wrasse & 1 Yellow Wrasse

Really I'm looking to add a few more colonies of zoos... maybe an acan & possibly a Scolly.

I'm using T5 lighting

KathyC said:
Tap Water.. Not a good partner for a reef tank...:(

Tap water is a major enemy to reef tanks. While all may appear great at this point, each day your live rock and sand (if you have any) are absorbing (actually adsorbing, but it's a pita to keep explaining the difference) phosphates, silicates and all sorts of other crap that is in your tap water. The 'conditioners' will only remove (render harmless is a better description) chlorine and chloramines and dont do anything to help with all of the other nasties in there.
Eventually you will begin to have VERY serious algae issues with the tank.
Click to expand...

That makes complete sense. When I've done water changes I've used a chlorine remover & a few drops of stress coat. Is this too much?
Right now I have a good amount of live rock inside the tank, and now I'm all worried and what not.
The past week or so, I've used the magnet to scrape off the brown haze off of the glass when its formed, but it comes back a few days later & the 20 or so snails inside of the tank can't handle the amount of haze building up.

I've been looking for a ro/di unit so I can stop using the tap water and just provide a better environment for the reef to grow and thrive. I figured that if I have 1k in equipment, fish & coral, I should be providing it with the best in terms of the water that I put in.
Can you recommend a quality machine that doesn't waste much? Is there a 1:1 machine out there? Or is that not really happening?

And as always, thanks again for everyone's help. Even when I'm at the club I'm on the forum reading up...That means I'm pretty damn addicted
 
Mikei70

Mikei70

Advanced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
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Coram, Long Island
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I don't have a rodi unit myself, but I'm fortunate in that I live almost across the street from a LFS that sells rodi water at about $2 for a five gallon pail. I buy water from there when I need to do a water change.

To make up for evaporation, I use distilled water that I buy at the supermarket. It's more expensive than the rodi from the fish store, but I don't want to have to have a five gallon bucket sitting around. The distilled water is .89/gallon.

I need to look into rodi units myself.
 
KathyC

KathyC

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Barnum Island
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You're off to a great start, and doing your homework too! Kudos :) Nitrates are a little high, but that is probably happening due to tap water use. I'd keep the Ca stable where it is. You don't mention Magnesium, though that should also be tested for a it is very important in keeping your Ca & Alk stable.

Have at it with the zoas, great little coral that doesn't use up the resources in the tank :)

Only 1 more question - for now anyway. How long has the tank been up (just curious)?

You didn't name the brand on the chlorine remover. If it is one of the ones dosed at 1 drop per gallon, I wouldn't use that, and no you don't need to use both if you are already using Stress Coat.

Once you get a rodi, you won't have to use the stess coat at all as the rodi will strip the water to its purest form :)
Most any new unit will do, though better to aim for a 4 stage unit (3 canisters on the bottom and a membrane across the top. One with a changable Resin cartridge is also nice as that will make your membrane last longer (the membrane being the most expensive cartridge to replace, though it should last about 2 years depending on use).
..and yes the typical waste ratio is 4:1 :(

The waste issue bothers many of us and there are a few threads on here about creative ways to use the waste water (lush putting green in your yard you might use it on perhaps? lol) ;)

Usually a good idea to place a 'Want To Buy' thread in our Marketplace Forum for a used unit, or take a look at www.airwaterice.com who is one of our sponsers, or through one of our vendors.

Oops, another question...do you have a skimmer on the tank? If so, what type? (ok 2 questions...)
 
DJYoshi

DJYoshi

A Newbie to the Reef Game
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Livingston
Rating - 100%
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Re:

KathyC said:
You're off to a great start, and doing your homework too! Kudos :) Nitrates are a little high, but that is probably happening due to tap water use. I'd keep the Ca stable where it is. You don't mention Magnesium, though that should also be tested for a it is very important in keeping your Ca & Alk stable.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kathy, all I've really been doing is reading & asking questions to reefers to gain knowledge in the hobby/lifestyle

KathyC said:
Only 1 more question - for now anyway. How long has the tank been up (just curious)?
Click to expand...

The tank was cycled using live rock & damsels for 2 months. Since the nitrate cycle ended, it's been 3 months (I know I've stocked way too quickly having put in the amount of fish & coral since then, but I've averaged around 2 - 3 livestock additions every 2 weeks...most of course have been coral)

KathyC said:
You didn't name the brand on the chlorine remover. If it is one of the ones dosed at 1 drop per gallon, I wouldn't use that, and no you don't need to use both if you are already using Stress Coat.
Click to expand...

Stress Coat I've been using: I forgot the name off hand, but it was a bottle given to me by the LFS (Absolutely Fish in Clifton, NJ).
It doesn't state that it nullifies chlorine, so I would throw in a few drops every time I did a water change or added a new fish while using drip acclimation

Chlorine Remover I've been using: Kent

KathyC said:
Once you get a rodi, you won't have to use the stess coat at all as the rodi will strip the water to its purest form :)
Most any new unit will do, though better to aim for a 4 stage unit (3 canisters on the bottom and a membrane across the top. One with a changeable Resin cartridge is also nice as that will make your membrane last longer (the membrane being the most expensive cartridge to replace, though it should last about 2 years depending on use).
..and yes the typical waste ratio is 4:1 :(

Usually a good idea to place a 'Want To Buy' thread in our Marketplace Forum for a used unit, or take a look at www.airwaterice.com who is one of our sponsers, or through one of our vendors.
Click to expand...

I've been looking into the rodi's at the airwaterice site. My boy Del said his unit is the "Cube," and he's been more than happy with his. I was also looking at others on ebay, like the 1 by Crystal Quest that has 10 - 17 step models ranging from $140 - $300 (the more expensive models have UV Filtration at the end). Like I said, I'm a newbie so I'll take anyone's advice on what I would need. I was even thinking about doing the cheaper AWI unit: Typhoon 5 or Compact 5 unit. Since I only have a 36 gallon, I don't really see the need to filter more than 10 gallons at a time.
KathyC said:
Oops, another question...do you have a skimmer on the tank? If so, what type? (ok 2 questions...)
Click to expand...

This is the embarrassing part.. I'm running a Seaclone skimmer. It was like 1 of 2 units at the LFS near my house, and I figured...Oh well it says up to 100 gallons...why not? I was WRONG. I should've done more research on the skimmer before buying it and setting everything up. Right now i'm in the market for an Aqua C HOB Skimmer.
 
KathyC

KathyC

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At least you didn't stock it all at once!
The Typhoon 5 stage is a great price right now - if you get one from there, just be sure to order the right hook up you will need for your sink/faucet.
Do be sure to get a TDS meter if it is not already included. That is what you use to find out when you have to change the filters. Either a hand held or an In-line one is fine. In line is not rewally useful if you can't see where it is hood up though.

Yep, you need a better skimmer ;)

..and don't forget to pick up a Magnesium kit!
 
M

masterswimmer

Old School Reefer
Vendor
Manhattan Reefs
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NY
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DJY, Kathy has been giving you spot on, great info (as she always will). I do have one comment to make though. If you are as 'green' a reefer as you appear, and are looking for a 1:1 permeate water: waste water ratio, it is available. It is expensive though. I only mention it because most of the reefers I've talked to don't even know it's available. Those that are on municipal water systems and pay a lot for their water might find value in this 1:1 RO/DI

Keep up the great work with your research. I'm sure your tank will reflect all your hard work.

Russ
 
DJYoshi

DJYoshi

A Newbie to the Reef Game
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Livingston
Rating - 100%
8   0   0
KathyC said:
At least you didn't stock it all at once!
The Typhoon 5 stage is a great price right now - if you get one from there, just be sure to order the right hook up you will need for your sink/faucet.
Do be sure to get a TDS meter if it is not already included. That is what you use to find out when you have to change the filters. Either a hand held or an In-line one is fine. In line is not really useful if you can't see where it is hood up though.
yep, you need a better skimmer ;)
..and don't forget to pick up a Magnesium kit!
Click to expand...

I did pick up the magnesium kit the other day and thanks for the TDS meter tip and the hook up tip. I would've ended up trying to be like Macguyver on the faucet when the machine comes in. I'm debating b/t the AWI and the ro/di on PureWaterClub.com
As for the skimmer...DEFINITELY looking to change that out ASAP. I feel like I got suckered w/ the poor choices they had at the LFS
 
DJYoshi

DJYoshi

A Newbie to the Reef Game
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Livingston
Rating - 100%
8   0   0
masterswimmer said:
DJY, Kathy has been giving you spot on, great info (as she always will). I do have one comment to make though. If you are as 'green' a reefer as you appear, and are looking for a 1:1 permeate water: waste water ratio, it is available. It is expensive though. I only mention it because most of the reefers I've talked to don't even know it's available. Those that are on municipal water systems and pay a lot for their water might find value in this 1:1 RO/DI

Keep up the great work with your research. I'm sure your tank will reflect all your hard work.

Russ
Click to expand...

Thanks Russ & Kathy. I did google 1:1 on the ro/di, and I'm definitely not dropping over a G on the unit. I'll have some water for plants, cleaning windows, power washing my house..whatever.
 
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