What supplements should I use, if any?

[clgaston24]

So I pretty new to this hobby and my boss has had a tank for twenty years and is really established he has told me that he puts two supplements in too his water and want me to get them so before i commit the money I want to make sure that there apporiate for my tank. He wants me to Get "Kent Marine coral-vite" and "Red sea Reef Success Calcium +3" My tank has been running for almost a year I dont have any corals but I want to get some after I remove my Live sand and introduce more live rock its a 20 tall and only has three fish (2 Ocellaris Clownfish and a Blue-green Chromis) If ou have any suggestions about a better supplement or even about my tank I would greatly appreciate it. I can answer any questions about my tank two because I pretty sure that I didnt give enough information.

thanks

 

[BIGgourami]

have you tested for calcium?
and what kind of lighting are you looking at?


if you're just getting soft corals i think both are superfluous, and i wouldn't suggest starting with LPS or SPS...

 

[clgaston24]

my friend got rid of his tank and gave me these I am going to have to buy new ones pretty soon but right now I havea 65 w Iridus Compact one is white and the other is Actinic Blue...is that what you needed too know?

 

[BIGgourami]

depending if the new ones you buy are going to be the same light, just a new unit... yeah

i wouldn't go into the more sensitive LPS (large polyp stony) corals (flowerpot, fungia, micromussa, etc)
but the hardier ones (frogspawn, hammer, torch, candycane, bubble, doughut etc) would all be fine as would any soft corals and polyps

i'd put the softs towards are bottom and save the upper parts of the tank for the LPS's

if you wanted SPS (acropora, millipora, montipora, stylo, etc (a lot of poras lol)) i would upgrade toa halide or HQI unit ($$$)

 

[ivgonmad]

For SPS and softies a simple two part dosing system would work just fine.

 

[BobbyG123]

i usually put every four days 2 caps of zooplankton, phytoplankton, iodine, strombolium, coral vite

 

[sweeTang21]

id only dose per the size of the tank. Calcium is important to promote the growth of a lot of corals. Id also use some form of coral food. Coral Vite by kent is good and so is coral accel. These will help promote good growth and color along with proper lighting.

If the lighting you have is compact flourescents then you should be fine with what biGourami said. Also follow his advise for placement as well.

If you were in the market for an upgrade, t-5s are always a great option and most units wont run a ton of money and still grow corals like mad. Id do some research on lighting and get what you like best. T5HO's, VHO's and Halides would be my 3 choices for the best lighting money can get. My tank now has VHO bulbs which are extremely strong and cool running.