Additive advice needed

Hi, oldfishkeeper-

FWIW, I use instant ocean with my reef tank and I do not dose anything. I have coralline everywhere, and my softies, leathers and mushrooms are doing great. I've been in the SW hobby for 38 years and have never dosed for soft corals or anemones. The trace elements they use is very minimal. A 10% monthly water change has always kept them healthy and growing. Don't overcomplicate the hobby for yourself. You do not need to dose anything at all unless you start adding stony corals or clams, and even then, you do not want to dose anything for which you cannot test.

Hope this helps.

 

Dose the big 3 as you called them only as testing shows the need.
As for trace element additives, I believe it's wasted money and I haven't used them for any of my tanks for 19yrs.
While water changes are basically adding major AND minor elements, I personally don't do water changes to restore levels of trace, but to LOWER the excessive levels that build up in our tanks due to feeding.
Every time you feed the tank you are adding trace elements, even the iodine family. Unfortunately you are also adding the bad things like phosphates as well.

 

ok Mr. Bill....you sound like my kind of reefkeeper....monthly water changes definitely caught my eye! I'm going to see what I can find on your set up. I also like the 38 years of experience and the good 'ole Instant Ocean - my brand as well.

I'm also checking out rayjay! I started coming on here in the hopes of keeping seahorses...

Thanks to both for the advice. I felt like when I came back in here that I had so much to get caught up on but sometimes the tried and true methods with time and money spent on the right setup is the best. Good to know!

 

Keep in mind that NO ONE knows it all, and, there are many more than just a few ways to succeed.
With that in mind, be sure to research as much as possible, the various opinions on each aspect of reefing or seahorse keeping, rejecting at least temporarily, the "out in left field" advice, and accepting first the opinions of the more experienced until you gain enough experience for yourself to be able to determine whether or not other advice is really worth considering.
Seahorse keeping for instance, had gone through such rapid changes in the last ten years that much of what is published in books, needs to be revisited or even ignored now.
That being said, while I don't like to accept that many livestock losses have occurred by those that either just don't know, have been given incorrect advice, or are just wanting to push the envelope so to speak, we may not have had some of the advances that have occurred for the good.
If you REALLY want to push the envelope as some do, then I'd suggest becoming successful first doing things the way most experienced keepers would suggest so you have a base knowledge to draw from that may influence how you push the envelope and have fewer losses if any.
In the seahorse keeping hobby, success cannot be measured in terms of MONTHS!!
You also need to be prepared to accept that even though you do things as well as possibly recommended, and buy the best livestock you can, the loss of livestock is always a possibility and indeed maybe it could be said that it's an eventuality.
Liken it to the human race, that with all the technology we have today, people still die in spite of all the advances we have in medication, and many die suddenly without any sign of having had a problem.
The best thing you have going for you is that you are researching before doing.

 

Well, pretty quickly, I've decided not to keep seahorses. I initially was going at setting up a nano in addition to my FOWLR tank but have instead switched to focusing on turning the existing tank into a "reef" style to house anemones primarily and to keep most of my fish.

I used to have a "reef" many years ago but gave it up while my kids were growing up and it switched from a 75 gallon in my basement to the FOWLR 54 corner tank in the living room. I know the things I struggled with when I had a reef (mainly high nitrates) and have found some interesting solutions with new technology through my reading on the forums.

What filtering system are you using with your reef? I looked at your tank but did not see that information. Curious....

 

I'm not sure if you are asking that of me or Mr. Bill, but in my case, my filter is the live rock in all my tanks including reef tanks.
In the case of seahorse tanks, the only other filtration is Hagen power heads with Quick Filter attachments used to remove food particles from the water before it decays. These attachment filters get cleaned about every 3rd day, the same time that I clean the screening on the overflows.

 

Actually both you and Mr. Bill....thanks for the information. I thought it was primarily the live rock but wanted to be sure.

 

Yes, live rock and good circulation is the bulk of filtration. I do employ a HOB filter for surface circulation and a place for media bags since I chose not to use a sump or skimmer; I also use a UGF as I prefer continuous circulation throughout the substrate without the addition of sand-sifters.

 

All good advise here,just thought I'd throw in my recent exsperience since my tank is very similar to yours.I too have a corner tank(44gal)with fluval cannister.I swithed fom IO salt mix to Red Sea Coral Pro and corailline growth noticably increases after two of my monthly water changes. I also removed all media from the fluval and now am using only Blue Life Clear FX Pro in the fluval to control nitrates and phosphates and it seems to have helped with this as nitrates are staying within 5-10 between water changes.I don't know my phosphate level as my API test kit is pretty much useless at determining low levels,but I'm sure it is lower as everything in the tank looks better,algae growth has decreased and corailline growth has further increased.As for your desire for clown/anenome relationship,I would recommend trying to purchase a nem that is already hosting a clown or clown pair.This could be a little more costly but might be your best chance for success.

 

Thank you for the input sailorguy. I will look up the product you have in the fluval. Mr. Bill-I read all of those articles posted under your name - very good reads. Appreciate all of the input all!