Using Additives to Enhance SPS Color
 

As I read various threads i've begun to notice that a lot of people are going beyond just the typical Ca, Alk, and Mg supplements in their reef tanks and using other products such as Amino Acids, Potassium etc etc. I have to admit, I don't know anything about the subject but I am interested in the hows and whys to what people use in their tanks. My main purpose for using an additive would be to enhance color. Growth would be a worthy task as well, but if I had to pick between the two color would win the battle.

Does anyone care to share their routine and maybe a little insight on how and why you do what you do. Specific product names would also be appreciated because I hope to build some sort of a shopping list for my next order from this thread.

Some of the Zeovit additives are very good pohls extra b balance pif

Thanks...I was looking for a little more detailed information though. I'm a noob when it comes to additives and didn't want to just be tossing stuff in the tank just because. I also wanted to if possible stay away from something as complicated as the zeovit method where there are 10 or 15 different additives. I read a lot about amino acids and potassium, but maybe there are others I should be considering...and what do those two do anyways? What about reef foods like reef chili and coral snow? Most people say that SPS cannot take advantage of larger food particles in the water column like LPS can so is it even worth while to feed products like that?

Dont. Read my thread called Getting that color.

I started with th zeo stuff a few months back. I use phols extra, PIF, B Balance, Coral Snow.
Good results, however you will need to watch thing carefully. B Balance helps reds, but it also help's bule acro's go red, Orange monti go red.....

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1906920
I'm reading through the thread now, but in case anyone is interested here it the link to "Getting That Color" that AllSPS40 mentioned earlier.

I've had a lot of trouble getting growth and color in my new tank. My first tank, I was able to follow the KISS method. I just dosed BRS 3 part, nothing else, and I had great color and growth - no reactors, no carbon. I started over after a move, and my KISS method from before didn't work at all. I've found success with the Zeovit system, but passively. No stones, no reactor. I started using some of their products to battle dinos and cyano - and it worked!!! I was using Bak, Coral Snow, and Zeozyme. As I started to see improvements and did more reading, I started using Coral Vitalizer, Pohl's Xtra, Sponge Power, and PIF. I started to see much better colors and even some new growth.

If you wanted to try some, I'd start with alternating days dosing Coral Vitalizer (4-5 drops/day) and Pohl's Xtra (4-5 ml / day) and see what you think. I'm about to start daily amino dosing too. Yes, it seems expensive but it goes a long way. Say $45 for 50 ml's of Coral Vitalizer, but at 5 drops/day, every other day, it will last just over a year.

That is very interesting Brad. Your tank pre-move was an inspiration in success with simplicity and I wonder why the same recipe didn't work on your new tank. Based on your recommendation here I am going to check out the Coral Vitalizer and Pohl's Xtra to learn more about them. My tank is doing ok and my colors are good, but I am getting nothing like the growth I would like.

Does anyone know what it is in the above mentioned products that actually makes them work? The labels do in fact make them seem amazing, but i'm always somewhat skeptical.

Morning Bump

One more bump...still interested in others opinions on using additional additives to achieve coral color.

Just read an interesting article:
http://www.coralscience.org/main/art...-5/amino-acids

According to the above mentioned article amino acids do indeed help the growth of coral, especially in nutrient poor systems. In the wild about 20% of a corals intake is amino acids, however in our home aquariums we can "trick" the coral into using quite a bit more. My conclusions based on this article is that amino acid supplementation may be necessary in situations where your coral are looking washed out due to a lack a nutrients.

So thats amino acids...now how about other supplements to help with color?

Aminos are the one additive where I think anyone who has used them can say they at least work or do something....it's pretty noticeable especially when your corals are starved and pale. Having said that I think feeding quality fish and coral foods can pretty much accomplish the same thing. Phols extra is suppose to be some aminos and food. Also AAHC.

Other than that I have tried bacteria products...which I cant say for sure do anything noticable for me. Also I have done potassium iodide (lugols), coral snow and coral vitilizer....cant say I noticed anything major with any of these although I still use the snow and lugols. I also use biopellets which I really like for nutrient reduction.