what supplements to use?

oh and every time you clean your class you are dosing the equivelent sp? to dt's and it dosn't cost half as much=)

 

My iodine levels are low as I just checked them with a Salifert test kit. Iodide was between 0.0 and 0.03. The Purple Up is what I used to give my live rock some color and add calcium. I do keep a watch on my parameters. The use of a protein skimmer and a uv sterilizer can tend to take out trace elements and I'm contemplating adding more of those in the future. I will keep an eye on them and discuss this with my local fish store.

 

Could you explain what you just wrote?

 

For the life of me, I dont see the point of using Purple Up, esp. for the addition of Cal. If you want to add "color" to your LR, just keep your Mag, Cal and Alk levels where they should be and in no time, you'll see it. This is one hobby that you should not rush things. Everything in due time. Luna

 

Sorry I meant if you clean you GLASS not class. (I'm not a good typer) All of the diatoms you wipe off of your glass are planktonic and the filter feeders will feed on them thus alleviating the need for dt's

 

my 1 month old 150 gallon is already starting to spot with coralline w/out purple up. One of my best friends, cannedmulder, has a 75 gallon tank that has been up 6-8 months and the back of the tank is completely covered with only using 2 part. I have never heard of anyone having the need to dose iodine without a monster sps load.

 

That's interesting what you said. I'll consider that. The Purple Up was just for starters but then I heard it helps add calcium so I figured it would be fine. What you guys are saying is less is better. My PH is 8.3, Calcium is 420/440, Magnesium is 1350, Iodine level is 0.03 nitrate is 20, and phosphate is .05. What would you suggest I change?

 

actually your numbers look pretty good, just have to try to bring the nitrates and phos down.

 

Pretty much. As long as you keep your levels of Ca, Mg and bicarb up to par, PU is unnecessary IMO.

There are two camps with water changes. Water changes yes and water changes no. I have done both. So far, I have not done a water change in excess of three months. Just dosed my Ca, Mg, bicarb (and trace every once in a while) and things are coooooool. Everything is looking great. As long as you have a way to get rid of the waste (PO4 reactors, fuges, denitrators), they are not necessary IMO. And even when I did do water changes, the salt I used (IO Reef Crystals) did not provide near what I needed to keep my levels up to par. Not even close.

I couldn't agree more.

I like my levels a little higher than that with Ca and Mg. I keep my Ca at or around 460, my Mg at or around 1550 (you are aiming for a 1:3.25 ratio) and my dKh between 12 and 15.

A nitrate of 20 is what I have been running. Unless you have something that is very sensitive, most corals will withstand that number. My PO4 is a little out of control.....and the fuge I am putting in will even that out (as well as complement my denitrator). Currently, I just use phosphat-E to bind it and get it outta there. Not the best method, but it works in a pinch.;D

 

Wow! Everyone has a different method! I'm going to be getting a 120 gal tank (48X24) soon and I'm going to be transferring what I have in my 65 gal. Unfortunetly I'm putting the new tank where the old one is. Any suggestions on the best way of doing this?

My idea is to get about 50 lbs of base rock to put on the bottom and add my established rock on top. I'm carrying a 2" substrate now and would either bring it down to 1" by not adding new or adding a layer of new and adding my old on top to recreate the 2" substrate. What do you think about that? Shouldn't I move my tank elsewhere temporarily out of the way and move everything to the new tank when I'm ready to do the change?

I think one of my concerns is going to be the water temperature so I would have to put some heaters in my new tank and have to fill that tank fully and run the filtration and get that right and even to my old tank and then just make believe that I'm making a 60 gal water change and transfer everything then. I'm actually thinking on paper right now because I've never done this before. This is going to be a daunting task to say the least but we in this hobby love to inflict pain on ourselves if it betters our fish and coral.

I'm going to stop using the Purple Up as I see your point on that issue. The man that runs Brightwell was initially with Kent products and he's very knowledgeable but he's also a businessman so I understand that he wants to sell all his products. So I have to read between the lines. If my parameters are not going in the right direction then it's time to change them. So, bring on some specifics!