Miracle Grow For Your Reef (am I missing something)

Discussion in 'General Reef Topics' started by Ranchero, Apr 2, 2009.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. Ranchero

    Ranchero Plankton

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2009
    Messages:
    20
    Location:
    Bend, Oregon
    Ok I know that reefs take "patience"
    Well I was wondering if there was anything out there that is like Miracle Grow for your reef. Something that promotes bigger, healthier, faster growing coral.

    Right now I put
    Kent Essential Elements
    Kent Strontium and Molybdenum
    Kent Iodine
    Kent Coraline Growth (helps with my calcium level too)

    Is there something that I am missing or maybe a better product?
     
    Ranchero, Apr 2, 2009
    Ranchero, Apr 2, 2009
    #1

    2. Click Here!

  2. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2007
    Messages:
    5,734
    Location:
    Bend,Oregon - USA
    I don't dose any of that stuff you listed. There are some "snake oil" products out there. Calcium, magnesium and, alkalinity for me. Couple with good lighting and 0 mechanical filtration and a refugium. I just threw away a bunch of coral the other day while pruning.
    On a side note: I notice you are dosing both iodine and essential elements(also contains iodine). This is sketchy because o-dosing iodine is both easy and bad. Out of the 2 I would ditch the iodine and keep with the essential elements. I would also be leary of the coralline supplement. May want to make sure that it doesn't also contain iodine. You can also buy an iodine testing kit and monitor closely should you decide you want to supply your reef with iodine.
     
    missionsix, Apr 2, 2009
    missionsix, Apr 2, 2009
    #2
  3. trent51593

    trent51593 Coral Banded Shrimp

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2008
    Messages:
    390
    Location:
    Ohio
    I'm not sure what products people use but if your dosing iodine then you need to be testing for it and the coraline growth stuff may have iodine in it also.
     
    trent51593, Apr 2, 2009
    trent51593, Apr 2, 2009
    #3
  4. grubbsj

    grubbsj Gigas Clam

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2006
    Messages:
    856
    Location:
    Outside of Seattle, WA
    I second the caution on Iodine... with a test-dose-wait-test approach, I found it very easy to get Iodine levels up in a 75g tank with a 30g sump/fuge... and I did observe benefits of dosing as the frequency of shrimp and crab molts would increase when I diligently monitored and dosed Iodine...
     
    grubbsj, Apr 2, 2009
    grubbsj, Apr 2, 2009
    #4
  5. Stingray

    Stingray Blue Ringed Angel

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2008
    Messages:
    1,555
    Location:
    West Midlands,UK
    All i use is salt in my water change to keep my params upto par, i add nothing else, works wonders for me...water change 5 gallon every fortnight...
     
    Stingray, Apr 2, 2009
    Stingray, Apr 2, 2009
    #5
  6. stepho

    stepho Panda Puffer

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,118
    Location:
    Orlando FL
    I dose the same. Calcium, mag, and alk. I do run a filter sock as mechanical filtration from time to time but I clean it often.

    By 0 mechanical filtration do you mean that you don't run a protein skimmer either?

    I don't have great lighting (4-96w pc), but my corals still seem to be doing good (except one birdsnest which might become a desk ornament). My green star polyps are growing like bad weeds... only they are good weeds ;D
     
    stepho, Apr 2, 2009
    stepho, Apr 2, 2009
    #6

    7. Click Here!

  7. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2007
    Messages:
    5,734
    Location:
    Bend,Oregon - USA
    And he wins by a technicality.(obviously not how you are winning in the video contest)
    Yes, I do run a skimmer.
     
    missionsix, Apr 2, 2009
    missionsix, Apr 2, 2009
    #7