what i dose and opinions

[ballardjr2000]

Just wanted to put this out there for the experts and looking for opinions as well. I test all my parimeters but this is what i dose on a weekly to bi weekly bases. the opinions i am looking for is whatg i can cut elemenate etc.

so what i dose

baking soda to keep PH and couter act the purple up
purple up for coraline alage
kent essential elements
kent iodine
kent coral-vite

so do i really need to dose all this of can i cut some or is this a good all around addition.

[JimD]

You dont 'need' any of those... Dont add anything youre not testing for like iodine... I would suggest a regime of a balanced two part system like B-Ionic along with regular water changes... What exactly are your levels? Ca/Alk

[ballardjr2000]

my Ca 420/ amonina 0/nirate 0/ nitrite 0/ PH 8.2 alk 300

[ErikH]

I second what Jim said. We all say the same thing really. Never dose what you don't test for. Most salts that you purchase are engineered for aquariums, so most of the trace elements found in aquariums are at higher concentrations than found in NSW.

If you dose, use B-Ionic. You can also use their Mg if you test for it. Other than that, Zeo products or Elos, as both of those are more geared for higher demand SPS systems using a nutrient poor environment as the basis for their strategies.

I tell everyone this....
KEEP A LOG :)

Everyday, write down your CA and Alk. Mg if you have the test. This way you can get a baseline for how much your system depletes daily. Dose based on your tanks intake.

[ballardjr2000]

thanks for the input everyone so besides adding trace elements what else is a water change good for? not to sound lazy but from what i hear water changes are mainly for trace elements with good filtration i think you won't have to perform them as often or at all. just random thoughts mainly. ie keeping the filter media clean to remove waste and adding aka dosing the traces you would only have to add freshwater.

[JimD]

Think of it like putting a bag over your head and recycling the air you breathe, eventually the air becomes contaminated with carbon monoxide and you die from esphixiation. The only way to fix it is with fresh air... Water changes add more than just trace elements, it rejuvenates the entire chemical balance. Everytime you do a water change, youre dilluting harmfull organics. Many people never do water changes and claim to have zero problems.. Its up to you...

[DrMark]

I am a big believer in water changes on a closed system..........we all have a closed system!!

[OrionN]

We added all kind of things to our tank in the food. Many trace element are toxic at higher dose and water change will remove these trace toxin. The problem with a close system is some substance get use up while other get more concentrate and become toxic. If we know what get use up, we add ( like Ca and carbonate), but we cannot export many thing by mean other than water change.
I have done them all, from not changing water to short term 100% weekly water change and all in between. My tanks do best when I change water regularly.

[ballardjr2000]

Thanks again everyone. I am a belever in the water changes as well i do them mainly was seeing what exactly it does besides the trace elements etc. i do love the anology jimd very good one and throws everyone else's right in there as well. I do water changes on a bi weekly rate of about 25% i drain out the old into a marked container dump it/mix my fresh and pump it back in useing a aquaclear 70 (old pwrheads from my first setup)