# Saltwater Chemicals



## Janette (Nov 17, 2008)

I have the following chemicals to add to the water and am not sure how much or how often to use:
All chemicals are from Kent Marine.
Zooplex
Liquid Calcium
Reef Plus(concentrated vitamin and amino acid supplement)
Phytoplex
Chromaplex

Any help would be greatful.

J'anette'


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## Guy (Jan 10, 2010)

Zooplex is food for filter feeders like Featherdusters. Use sparingly or not at all if you have no filter feeding animals.

Liquid Calcium is obviously a Calcium supplement. Only use this if your calcium level tests low. Don't blindly add it, you must test your calcium level to know how much to add. If you have no corals or clams you may not need this. This should normally be used in conjunction with an Alkalinity additive. 

Reef Plus can be dripped onto fish food before feeding. Use sparingly.

Phytoplex is for herbivorous filter feeders like clams. This can also be used to gut load live brine shrimp or feed Rotifers for young fish larvae.

Chromaplex is similar to Phytoplex.


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## Janette (Nov 17, 2008)

Thank you for the info.
I am looking to add Feather Dusters and Oysters, as well as Sand Dollars and Corals.
What is your suggestion for chemical additives per gallon and how often?

Thanks, J'anette'*c/p*


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## Guy (Jan 10, 2010)

Janette said:


> Thank you for the info.
> I am looking to add Feather Dusters and Oysters, as well as Sand Dollars and Corals.
> What is your suggestion for chemical additives per gallon and how often?
> 
> Thanks, J'anette'*c/p*


I don't recommend a Sand Dollar. When they are healthy they are under the sand bed invisible. If you see them on top of the sand bed it means they have eaten all of the organisms in your sand bed and are starving.

The quantity and frequency of what you dose is completely dependeny on your stocking levels and not per gallon of water. I'm afraid you're going to have to experiment and track what you add and what the effect is. In general, too little is better than too much. As far as chemicals, never add any chemical until you have either tested the current level and determined that it is actually low, or, you have tracked and charted your dosing procedure and are confident you understand the consumption rates.


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## ardensmith (Mar 9, 2011)

Setting up a saltwater aquarium requires specific knowledge since the ecosystem in a saltwater aquarium differs a lot from that of a freshwater aquarium. Saltwater aquarists do however agree that a saltwater aquarium is highly rewarding and the extra time used to research the specific requirements for a saltwater tank is definitively worth the effort. You will be able to house a wide range of fish species that can not survive in a fresh water aquarium, and the marine fauna offers extremely beautiful species displaying fascinating behaviors. Saltwater enthusiast will sometimes even create miniature marine ecosystems that do not only include saltwater fish but corals reefs, crustaceans, saltwater plants and anemones as well. It is even possible to keep squids and octopuses in saltwater aquariums, but this requires a lot of devotion and expertise and is usually only achieved in public aquariums or by the most dedicated saltwater aquarists.

If this is your first saltwater aquarium, you should ideally choose an aquarium that is 55 gallons (200 liters) or larger. In a small aquarium, it will be harder to maintain suitable water quality and construct a functioning balance. Even a large saltwater aquarium will require vigorous filtration and frequent water changes, but it will at least be somewhat easier to manage than a small saltwater tank. The chemistry is more balanced in a big saltwater aquarium since the large water mass will function as a buffer against dramatic changes in water quality.

When you have determined the desired size, you must also choose between glass and acrylic. Both materials are common in saltwater aquariums and both of them have their own advantages and downsides. Acrylic is stronger than glass and will provide better insulation, but is on the other hand more susceptible to scratch marks than glass. Glass is harder to scratch and will therefore stay clear for a longer period of time, but when it breaks it really breaks. Glass is typically less expensive than acrylic, but will usually require a more powerful heater since the insulation is poorer.

Thanks


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## elenalee (Nov 19, 2011)

what kind of chemicals we have in salt 
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