Calcium Tests and other tests

[FishPharmD]

How important is a calcium test? Can I do without one and just add the calcium as it says on the back of the bottle? I know corals, coralline algae, crabs and snails all need it to grow. My LFS wants 22.99 for a single calcium test, and it is the titration type, not the fixed drop # w/shaking like my other tests (I have pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate—all for saltwater). What’s more, my wife is starting to grumble about me spending money on this tank, even though it’s fully cycled and beautiful and doing well. Can I just stay on the conservative side of dosing it, or is a test a "must"? What happens when you overdose on calcium?

What do you guys think about Iodine and Molybdenum/Strontium? I bought all 3 bottles from an LFS who said they were a must and that I needed them for corals to grow. Of course, I'm quickly learning the "worth" (not at all) of an LFS. How does a reef benefit from these different elements? alright.

[Reefland]

Yes, I would invest in a Calcium Test Kit to monitor your results. You can add what the bottle says but that is just a generalization, you need to monitor your conditions and adjust your dose accordingly.

As for Stronium and other trace elements, you probably should not add them unless you can accurately test for them and as of now, there are no real accurate test kits available. Strontium, Iodine; all of these are a waste if you ask me and can actually be bad if your overdosing. If your spending too much money, you can stop buying these types of elements and remove them from your routine. Your coral will get everything they need (outside of calcium) through water changes and feedings.

Scott Z.

[Ninong]

How important is a calcium test?

It's important. So is a test for alkalinity. The two go hand in hand.

What happens when you overdose on calcium?

It precipitates. Also, elevated calcium levels can cause alkalinity to fall.

What do you guys think about Iodine and Molybdenum/Strontium?

Iodine is present at elevated levels in virtually everything we feed our tanks. In almost all cases a tank that is well-fed is a tank that has more than enough iodine. Do NOT add iodine unless you are sure that it is below 0.06 ppm total iodide/iodate (NSW levels) in your tank. Both iodine and strontium are toxic at elevated levels.

I bought all 3 bottles from an LFS who said they were a must and that I needed them for corals to grow. Of course, I'm quickly learning the "worth" (not at all) of an LFS. How does a reef benefit from these different elements?

The LFS benefits. There is no evidence that elevated levels of iodine are necessary for any of the marine life in our systems. There is plenty of evidence that elevated levels of iodine can be toxic to many of the animals in our systems. In a recent study of tankwater samples from 23 hobbyists' reeftanks, none had iodine levels lower than double NSW levels. The tanks that were dosed with iodine additives had iodine levels much higher than NSW concentration.

There is no evidence that elevated levels of strontium are necessary for anything in our systems. There is plenty of evidence that elevated levels of strontium interfere with calcium carbonate deposition in corals. Just because something is found in a coral's skeleton or a crustacean's exoskeleton is not proof that it is a necessary component that is a beneficial part of the process of growth. Excess iodine has to be eliminated from crustaceans because it is toxic. They do this by depositing it in their exoskeleton and then shedding the exoskeleton. Elevated levels of iodine will cause premature molting in order to rid the body of the toxic iodine levels that would otherwise kill the animal. Elevated levels of strontium will not improve coral growth. Just the opposite. Elevated levels of strontium are detrimental to coral growth.

Except for calcium and buffer capacity (alkalinty), I can think of nothing that is beneficial at levels higher than natural seawater concentrations. Organisms that live in the ocean have adapted to the chemical composition of natural seawater and matching that composition should be our goal with the minor exception that slightly higher levels of calcium and alkalinity are better than slightly lower levels.