trace elements and LR

[justin_tyme]

Hi,

I have a 2 months old, 55g, FOWLR tank.

My lfs gave me this product to 'feed' the LR, which is a Calcium +3 formula containing calcium, iodine, molybdenum and strontium.

My question is:

do I really need to add this even if I have no corals?
The only inverts in the tank are 2 hermits, 4 snails, 2 shrimps and a starfish.

Moreover, I have read somewhere that iodine turns into poison if you have a UV sterilizer running. Since I have one running round the clock, can anyone confirm this before I attempt to kill my own livestock...?

thank you

 

[e-cat]

i dont think you need it, your shrimp should get all the need too molt from your water changes. not sure about the uv and iodine.

 

[Biggen]

do I really need to add this even if I have no corals?

Nope. Not at all. As long as you do regular water changes you will be fine.

Moreover, I have read somewhere that iodine turns into poison if you have a UV sterilizer running. Since I have one running round the clock, can anyone confirm this before I attempt to kill my own livestock...?

I have never heard this. Sounds like a myth to me. You don't need to be adding iodine to the system anyway as long as you do regular water changes.

 

[biotoxin]

Technically you dont "need" those but they're good to have. The calc, strontium and molybdenum help with coralline growth which is what you want on your lr.

 

[Guest]

Best thing to remember is, if you are not testing for it, you either should start, or stop using it until you can... It is real easy to over do it on any 1 additive and raise the toxicity of the environment...JMO

 

[Biggen]

Technically you dont "need" those but they're good to have. The calc, strontium and molybdenum help with coralline growth which is what you want on your lr.

For his setup (FOWLR) the salt mix will provide everything he needs. I am not sure that adding any of those other chemicals would do anything else except create a "chemical soup". If he were keeping corals, then yeah, I would agree that having them on hand could be a good idea. Although, again, regular water changes should be all that is needed for all three of those elements except Ca.


Justin_tyme, the number one rule when adding chemicals to the tank is to always test for them beforehand. DON'T add anything if you are not testing for it.