Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've been dosing trace elements in my 75-gallon mixed reef for about three months now, but my SPS aren't showing much improvement. I'm using a two-part system with weekly water changes. Anyone else had luck with specific brands or schedules?

Trace elements can be tricky. I've had the best results with Red Sea's Reef Foundation program. It's important to test for magnesium, calcium, and alkalinity first. What's your current alk level? Also, how often are you dosing?

I'm kinda new to this, but my LFS told me to just stick with water changes and not mess with dosing. My zoas are doing fine, but my acros are struggling. Maybe I should try it?

oakleyride wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 6:55 pm I'm kinda new to this, but my LFS told me to just stick with water changes and not mess with dosing. My zoas are doing fine, but my acros are struggling. Maybe I should try it?

Water changes alone won't cut it for acros. They're greedy for trace elements. I'd start with a low dose of iodine and strontium, but test first. What's your tank size?

I've been using Brightwell's trace mix, and my montis have colored up nicely. But yeah, testing is key. You gotta know what's missing before you dump stuff in.

My tank's a 40 breeder, and I dose daily with Tropic Marin's All-For-Reef. It's a one-and-done solution, and my LPS are thriving. SPS are still meh though.

Dosing is sketchy if you don't test. I learned that the hard way. Bleached a whole colony of birdsnests once. Now I test every week, no exceptions.

I've seen better growth since switching to a dosing pump. Manual dosing was too inconsistent for me. Anyone else using automation?

I just stick to water changes. Too scared to mess with dosing. My softies are happy, so I'm not gonna fix what ain't broke.

folkride wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 5:38 pm Trace elements can be tricky. I've had the best results with Red Sea's Reef Foundation program. It's important to test for magnesium, calcium, and alkalinity first. What's your current alk level? Also, how often are you dosing?

My alk is stable at 8.5 dKH, calcium at 420, and mag at 1350. I dose every other day, but maybe I need to adjust the frequency. Thanks for the Red Sea tip—I'll look into it.