Description
This excerpt from a reef aquarium article discusses the importance of the three foundation elements - calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonates - in maintaining a healthy coral reef aquarium. The article recommends supplementing each of these elements on a weekly basis to maintain optimal levels. If the levels of any of these elements are low, the article recommends waiting for the excess of the element to be depleted before restarting the daily supplementation.
Red Sea Reef Foundation C (Magnesium)
A successful coral reef aquarium is dependent upon maintaining the appropriate water parameters that in turn provide the stable environment required by the corals. Although all the elements found in natural seawater have an important role in providing the optimal water parameters, a few of them have a more significant role in the overall stability. These elements are the foundation of the reef environment and they include the three major elements, Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Bicarbonates (HCO3). These 3 elements have a major effect on the water chemistry (pH stability, Alkalinity, seawater ionic strength) and on many of the coral's biological processes (skeleton formation, ions exchange, photosynthesis).
The foundation elements complement each other in the formation of the coral skeleton and if not available in the correct ratios one of them will quickly become the limiting factor of healthy coral growth.
Reef Foundation C consists of a blend of Magnesium salts.
Dosage Liquid
1ml will raise the Mg level of 100 liters by 1ppm.
Dosage Powder
1g will treat the 100 liters
Supplementing weekly - Soft / LPS Corals
Test the foundation elements every week and dose each supplement to replenish them back to the optimal levels.
Supplementing daily SPS / LPS corals
Ensure that all of the foundation elements are at optimal values and run the aquarium for 4 days at a stable salinity (compensate for evaporation daily by adding freshwater) without adding any supplements. At the end of the 4 days, test the foundation elements and calculate the 4-day dosage of each supplement to replenish back to the optimal levels. Add the 4-day dosage to the system. Divide this 4-day dosage by 4 and use it as the daily dosage for the next week.
After a week of adding the daily dosage, test the foundation elements and calculate the adjusting dosage of each supplement to replenish back to the optimal levels.
If the adjusting dosage is significantly different from the previous daily dosage amend(increase/decrease) the daily dosage as appropriate.
If the measured level of a specific element is above the optimal level wait for the excess of the element to be depleted before restarting the daily supplementation with the amended daily dosage.
Continue testing all of the elements every week and make adjustments to the daily dosages as required. As your corals grow or you add or remove livestock the uptake of the elements in your aquarium will gradually change. It is recommended to keep a logbook of the weekly measurements and dosages.
If you miss one or more days of supplementing add the complete amount that you have missed but do not exceed the maximum recommended daily increase for any of the elements.
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