Elements for nano reef tank?

Hi guys!

I'm about to start my first reef tank and I am still confused about the water chemistry that I need for my nano. Doing my own research, I find out that by doing bi weekly water chances, I will relinquish "some elements" needed to keep the reef staple. My questions are what are those "elements" that is keeping the reef staple and should I buy the Essential elements doze? If anyone could answer my question, I would appreciate it very much! Thanks in advance!

 

Initially bi-monthly water changes with a decent saltmix such as Instant Ocean will be sufficient to replace trace elements.

You do not need to purchase or use any other additives.

There is a lot of hype regarding dosing and trace element additives, but that is just what it is hype.

As a tank becomes established with significant growth of coralline algae and addition of stony corals and or clams it may then become necessary to look into a dosing regime.

Take it from someone that bought into that hype.

 

+1

Most of that stuff doesn't even list what's in it so you can test for it, and you should never dose without testing.

 

Water changes work fine. You may need to does ca and alk and "maybe" magnesium. Blind dosing anything is more likely to hurt than help IME though. For other stuff, water changes you can't really over-do it, because you are removing some, then re-establishing levels to where they were, but any other way, you have no idea how much is there (or isn't). Too much, or too little of most things can be bad.

 

Also, get your own liquid test kits for calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Dosing or not. If you don't test, you will have no idea where you are at, and it's important. By dosing, we mean calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Other products are not necessary, even though they have pretty, colorful labels.

 

Thank you so much guys!

 

Well i love nanos..... and the best way to maintain them is WC with best affordable salt Redsea Salt if just softies and RedSea corla pro if mixes corals with 2parts if needed like B-Ionic or C-Balance... but as im getting into bigger, and as im staying in india, importing such big bottles of 2parts are falling expensive so getting into DIY.... Do 10% WC weekely if you are not using 2part and do 5% WC weekly if using 2parts... i never used skimmer but now im using... also i just add a small live rock and rest are dead rock and dead dry sand.. buy good test kits like salifert (Nitrate, Ammonia, Nitrite, Alk, PH) only if you are getting into hard corals, but Calcium and magnesium test kits. As for lighting im currently using LED flood lights with great results... flow 30-40times if softies, 70times if mixed reef. try a sump if possible, its better...

 

I would add to my first answer that vitamins and amino acids could be beneficial. However, I would add soak the fishfood in them, rather than just adding to the tank. That way they will be added and will go to the fish too. Fish food will contain much of this anyways, but can decay over time and fish food can loose it's nutritional value. Also corals may be more likely to consume small particles of fish food, as opposed to just "sucking" nutritional "stuff" (I don't want to use the term "nutrients" as in the hobby that often refers to other "stuff" that makes algae grow) out of the water.