reef tank questions

[Hooey9]

Here's some tank info:

55 gallon
Marine land 400 filter
Skimmer,Bio and chemical filter in one
All levels are spot on nitrates are at < 5 ppm
80-81° constantly
70lbs of live rock
Water changes weekly 5 gallons
900gph power head
200watt heater

Livestock
2 percula clowns
3 blue damsels
2 peppermint shrimp
60+ blue and red leg hermits
20+ nassarious snails

Coral
2 ricordias
Button polyp 26 heads
Green polyps 35+ heads
Star polyp
Candy apple zoos 10 heads
Feather duster
Frogspawn

I feed a mix blend of a frozen reef food fish flakes and a half cap of phytoplankton

My question is what should I be dosing if anything? I do iodine once every two weeks and strot once a week. Calcium and alk are added as needed from testing. I do jot test for iodine and strot. I've had no problems just want some input to make sure I'm doing it correctly, or if I should be dosing iodine and strot at all.

 

[MacDracor]

As a general rule, don't dose anything you aren't testing for. So if you want to dose iodine, test for it. It's very easy to overdose pretty much anything, because your livestock won't be using the various compounds at a steady rate.

 

[Mpfaff77]

I would suggest slight higher gallons for water change. Do 10 a week. My buddy has a 55 and had been doing 5 a week for long time. He rarely tests. I tell him to test more. But I was over there past weekend and I tested. Nitrates around 50ppm. I could of killed him. I think it is from that small 5 gallon change. Never reduces nitrates and they slowly build.

I'm sure 5 gallons is good if you stay on top of testing. Just something to think about tho

 

[Hooey9]

I have also read that, but if adding well below the bottle directions I figured I was safe.


Yea I'm a heavy tester once a day usually but 5 gallons keeps me between .25 and 5ppm even after I do a change but it doesn't ever raise. My water change is monday ill try 10 thanks for the tip.

 

[carey]

Hi. I would also do a 10g water change weekly on that tank, Thats what I used to do on my 55g.

I also agree, do not dose anything without testing for it. Majorly good rule to live by in saltwater. Until you start getting a HUGE coral collection I don't think dosing will be needed for anything. I'm just getting there in my 125g and it is full of corals. lol

A good water change amount and schedule will provide all the elements the tank needs, not to worry.