Additives? which ones?

[bluetang]

So..Besides Calcium what sort of additives do you add to your reef on a consistant basis and what brands? When using, Have you noticed a change after using them?
Strongtium? Iodine?...........

[DEAD_BY_DAWN]

sea chem Iodine for my shrimps cant seem to keep them alive if i dont use it,other than the nothing but cal and everythings doing great.

[Willow]

Originally Posted by DEAD_BY_DAWN

sea chem Iodine for my shrimps cant seem to keep them alive if i dont use it,other than the nothing but cal and everythings doing great.

yep same.. kalk and iodine.

well actually im setting the tank up again and im now going to run phosban.

[monza]

http://www.canreef.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13160

[bluetang]

Thanks for the link. I have just entered the Acro/SPS game and am trying to get a feel for the standard among aquarists.

thanks
Rob

I see that knowbody seems to mention adding Cycle. Is this not required? I have been adding it to my tank for the last 7yrs.

[G1GY]

Originally Posted by geeeman

I see that knowbody seems to mention adding Cycle. Is this not required? I have been adding it to my tank for the last 7yrs.

Save your money! You have more than enough bennificial bacteria in your system already!

Actualy, you could sell cycle by now!

[Rikko]

Originally Posted by geeeman

I see that knowbody seems to mention adding Cycle. Is this not required? I have been adding it to my tank for the last 7yrs.

The only people who have told me that you need Cycle (or related brands) are the company who makes it and people who have been told that by the company that makes it.
I've never used it and have never been convinced that it has a substantial effect. (I can't be bothered to argue against 'But I added it and 4-6 weeks later my fish stopped dying!' anymore) The most generous I'll be re: biological supplements is that they probably aren't doing any harm.

A couple papers have surfaced that analysed mature filter beds and they weren't even able to culture nitrosomonas and nitrobacter from it.. Looks like they aren't even present in adequate numbers in a mature filter bed. Nitrospira are present, but they don't seem to have a solid enough understanding of a mature filter to explain it satisfactorially. I believe the chief science officer (or some similar sounding position) of Marineland is the author of one such paper. Another was a different source but I lost the link long ago.

My rule of thumb for adding "product" to my tanks is that if a company tells me I need it, I definitely don't; and if the scientific reasoning behind it (ie sodium thiosulfate to neutralize chlorine in municipal tapwater/calcium chloride or calcium hydroxide to bolster calcium levels) is well understood, I can probably find a cheaper and more controllable solution outside of the market.

[kari]

I thought the "Cycle" stuff was a little bottle of phosphate.

Originally Posted by geeeman

I see that knowbody seems to mention adding Cycle. Is this not required? I have been adding it to my tank for the last 7yrs.

[monza]

7 Years Of Cycle! Your fish store loves you!