Strontium Dosing Needed?

Discussion in 'SPS Corals' started by Astrick117, Jun 16, 2012.

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  1. Astrick117

    Astrick117 Stylophora

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    I just got two new frags- one purple Stylophora and an orange monti digi courtesy of a nice swap with bbrian189. I know have about 6 SPS frags and at least as many LPS. Do I need to worry about dosing strontium? I already measure/dose for cal, mag, alk.

    Anything else I should keep an eye on?
     
    Astrick117, Jun 16, 2012
    Astrick117, Jun 16, 2012
    #1

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  2. vankirk

    vankirk Sea Dragon

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    vankirk, Jun 16, 2012
    vankirk, Jun 16, 2012
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  3. 2in10

    2in10 Super Moderator

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    Generally if you are doing regular WC there should be no need as salt mixes have more Sr than found in the oceans.
     
    2in10, Jun 16, 2012
    2in10, Jun 16, 2012
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  4. HollyG

    HollyG Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    +1 my thoughts exactly! I have 15+ hard corals (most SPS) and all I dose is cal and alk... Everything else gets replenished with water changes.
     
    HollyG, Jun 16, 2012
    HollyG, Jun 16, 2012
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  5. Astrick117

    Astrick117 Stylophora

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    Thanks everyone! I'll keep up my WC's and get some pics up shortly.
     
    Astrick117, Jun 17, 2012
    Astrick117, Jun 17, 2012
    #5
  6. Thatgrimguy

    Thatgrimguy Flying Squid

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    Watch the big 3 and do regular partial waterchanges. Add a low end phosphate test to your list as you get further into SPS. Phosphate probably the largest impact on SPS color of any parameter.
     
    Thatgrimguy, Jun 17, 2012
    Thatgrimguy, Jun 17, 2012
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  7. Astrick117

    Astrick117 Stylophora

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    I actually have a phosphate test, but every time I've tested it has been 0. I do have a few small patches of nuisance algae, that I think are eating up a lot of it. I just switched to a HOB refugium with chaeto from an Emperor 400 and I have seen a lot of progress in terms of the algae starting to recede.
     
    Astrick117, Jun 17, 2012
    Astrick117, Jun 17, 2012
    #7
  8. proreefer

    proreefer Feather Star

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    i think its use is primary for acropora, i haven't had to add it for any other coral, acropora seems to need this eliment, salt mixes will not bring the % of stronium up to the level of seawater 8 to 12 mg/L is what i try to maintain for the acro but i have found that it does not have to be constant to have good acro growth if alk and cal are maintained and occasionally add stronium for the acros health it seems to work for me.
     
    proreefer, Jun 17, 2012
    proreefer, Jun 17, 2012
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  9. Thatgrimguy

    Thatgrimguy Flying Squid

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    I wouldn't add any and I have a nice little acro forest. If I needed more, I'd W/C more. I know many large systems with Acros and none of us are dosing strontium. If you decide you need too, make sure you are testing for it... even then the hobby grade tests have a lot of noise in them (they aren't very accurate)

    It's listed on a ton of sites as needed, but w/c does what we need.
     
    Thatgrimguy, Jun 17, 2012
    Thatgrimguy, Jun 17, 2012
    #9