adding trace elements and more

[thisanthrope]

my algae bloom has gone away for now. I had just started my first SW tank, a nano 10 gal reef. after I was sure the cycling was complete I added livestock like some blue leg hermits, nerite snails, emerald crab, green star polyp, yellow polyp, and a bulls eye shroom. I had a horrible algae bloom that looked like someone poured a can of rust in the water. the algae is gone after a water change and some cleening up but I lost a emerald crab. so with the above stated I am looking for answers of the demise of the emerald and also the proper introduction of chemicals to the water column.

first off I used distilled water, the salinity is 25, temp 78 degrees, and I know the ph is above 7.8 but I do not yet have a test kit that reads high levels for SW above 8. I was told that the salt mixture was calibrated to set the proper ph when starting an aquarium so I would not have to be concerned about this yet.

I bought seachem reef plus for vitamins and amino acids, reef complete for calcium. I dont have a calcuim test kit yet but could some one tell me how often I need to add these chemicals when a 1 gal water change is done once a week? what else am I missing? Iodine? I thought Iodine comes in with the salt?

the hermits are still alive along with everthing else but I still dont know why the emerald died. did that last algae bloom spike the amonia one last time or do I need to get a better grasp on the ph level. why would the emerald be so sensitive and not any of the polyps or hermit crabs?

 

[By-Tor]

do you ave LR in your tank. if so, are you sure the crab died and didn't just molt. it could be hiding as most species of crabs are nocturnal and what you found was the dead outer shell. As far as supplements, it is debatable as far as how often you dose for everything that you listed. IMO, doing a 10% water change once a week with little livestock to use up trace elements, you'll probably be okay without dosing. I would definitely get some test kits however. Good luck

 

[gooyferret]

First off never trust the salt to adjust your PH, may not be stable at times i have heard some nightmares about it. I recommend buying a test kit to determine proper trace elements. As for the emerald dying there could be many possible reasons. Nitrates, salinity, Amonia, algae bloom could have caused malnutrition of water elements....and so on. HTH

 

[two11devan]

You should not add any additives to your tank without testing for them first. Like By-tor said....water changes are your best source to get these elements in your tank without dosing.