Where to keep Element Levels

OK I am ready to start adding Calcium and [acronym:ea0dca39a7="Alkalinity"]Alk[/acronym:ea0dca39a7] and Iodine.

I have Seachems for the Iodine and C-Balance for the other two.

I have test kits ready its just I dont know where the levels need to be before I start.


What should my goal levels be?

I was thinking [acronym:ea0dca39a7="Alkalinity"]Alk[/acronym:ea0dca39a7] is 3-4
Calcium is around 400

Iodine I have no clue.

Anyone?

OK I know some of you know where to keep my iodine at...

[melosu58]

Im just one of those that dont check my iodine. I do weekly water changeswhich replenishes iodine in my tank. But I dont know what level to keep it at. Sorry

Thats what I thought but someone told me I needed to dose for iodine. But I have no CLUE if I need to or not without knowing where to keep it at.

[melosu58]

I know this is bad advice but I dont check for the few suuplements I do add but I always put less in than whats called for. That way hopefully I wont have to worry about an overdose. But like I say that`s bad advice because I really dont know. I would not reccomend that to any one.

Water changes will keep iodine et al.. where it needs to be. You do not need to dose it. As far as your [acronym:e960dbec25="Alkinity"]alk[/acronym:e960dbec25] and [acronym:e960dbec25="Calcium"]Ca[/acronym:e960dbec25], keep them <<balanced>> and within [acronym:e960dbec25="Natural sea water"]NSW[/acronym:e960dbec25] values and you'll do just fine.

[acronym:e960dbec25="For what its worth"]FWIW[/acronym:e960dbec25], Seachems test kit does not detect total iodine, only iodine/iodide. It does not detect iodate which can lead to potentially high numbers if the sytem does not have animals (algaes primarily) that can easily use it up.

Cheers
Steve

I am using a Red Sea test kit or something along with a Seachem (Seachem is just the basics)

Red Sea's [acronym:5a1ec89f54="Calcium"]Ca[/acronym:5a1ec89f54] test kit is "okay" but they do not make an iodine kit [acronym:5a1ec89f54="As far as I know"]AFAIK[/acronym:5a1ec89f54]. Seachem is good for [acronym:5a1ec89f54="Alkinity"]alk[/acronym:5a1ec89f54] and [acronym:5a1ec89f54="Calcium"]Ca[/acronym:5a1ec89f54] as is Salifert. I would recommend those two as the more accurate vs cost available in the market. If you do go forward with the iodine additions (which I don't recommend), get the Salifert test kit, it reports total iodine which is the only accurate means of testing.

Cheers
Seve

[Ximat]

I asked about iodine recently and got a pretty firm "Don't Dose it"

Your water changes will replenish it. Your right on for [acronym:472b8ba788="Alkalinity"]Alk[/acronym:472b8ba788]. And i've been told you want Calcium 400-450 although i've seen people that keep it as high as 500