Q. How do I determine my Calcium, Carbonate (Alkalinity) and Magnesium Consumption rates?
A. You need to be able to determine your steady rate of consumption when using the Coral Essentials Primary care range that consists of Calcium + Trace, Carbonate + Trace & Magnesium + Trace. You can determine your rate of consumption by stopping all dosing for a 24-48hr period (2 days 48hrs is best).  Test the levels and record them on Day 1 and stop dosing at this exact time you do the tests. Make sure you continue to do your usual feeding and nutrient dosing to make sure the conditions are as close to normal as possible for your tank. Test levels at the same time on Day 2, once again record them and do not dose again. Test again at the same set time on day 3 and record the levels. Take your drops for each of the 2 days and average them for each of Calcium, Alk and Mag. This then becomes your daily usage. Set the amount of your Calcium, Alk and Mag to dose based on this consumption using our Calculator.  You can also use the same method if using our powdered “Up” range of the Calcium, Carbonate and Magnesium to make stand alone solutions with added trace elements. Set your dosing pumps to this determined daily dosage rate to match your consumption.

Q. Can I dilute the 3 black label bottles and use them on a dosing pump?
A. In general we say no. However they can be diluted with sterilised RO/DI.

The general procedure is to ensure that the water is sterilised by boiling and let to cool. Ensure that all the equipment used to carry or pour the RO/DI is sterilised too. Also ensure that the dosing vessel is sterile to avoid any spoiling of the product.

If you think you’ve contaminated anything or you aren’t confident in your completed sterilisation then it won’t hurt to do it again. If you are certain your sterilisation was good then you can mix each 50ml bottle into 950ml of sterilised water to make 1L total. The dosage rate will now be 1ml per 100L twice daily of each 1L solution.
We don’t encourage this but it can be done entirely at your own risk of the product spoiling.

Smaller batches of 1-2 weeks worth are less likely to spoil even if you don’t sterilise the water and equipment but again, do so at your own risk of the product.

Energy+ used to be unable to be diluted but we have changed the carrier in the formula to be water soluble. To ensure that you have the Energy+ that can be diluted just drop some in water and it will dissolve and be slightly milky. If the oil stays on top of the water then this is the old formula which cannot be diluted but will still work just the same as a daily dosage by drops.

Q. If I dose CVE+ can I still dose Coral Power Amino & Coral Power Gro?
A. Yes you definitely can and we recommend that. Our CVE+ has different ingredients to our Amino and Gro. For best results continue to dose the Amino in the morning during the photo period and the Gro at night after lights out. This timing isn’t essential but it’s recommended.

Q. If I dose CVE+ do I still need to dose Chroma+, Vibrance+ and Energy+?

A. Typically you would not. Our CVE+ has all the same ingredients as the Chroma+, Vibrance+ and Energy+. However if you are after an extra Chroma or Vibrance hit for your corals, like so many reefers do, then adding a few manual drops now and then will do your tank the world of good.

Q. Does CVE+ need to be stored in the refrigerator?
A. CVE+ does not need to be stored in the fridge. Best to keep it out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry place.

Q. Can CVE+ be placed on a dosing pump?
A. Yes CVE+ can definitely be dosed using a dosing pump. If you are looking to dose via dosing pumps we recommend to dose directly out of the CVE+ bottles the product is manufactured in. If you want to use your own dosing containers then please make sure they are sterilised before placing the CVE+ inside the container. As CVE+ can be affected by light, please do not use a clear dosing container. Alternatively you can place in the aquarium sump compartment if there is no light. If lighting a refugium in the sump then please use a dark dosing container, or the original bottle when placed in the sump compartment.

Q. When is the best time to dose Coral Power Amino & Coral Power Gro?
A. For best results dose the Amino in the morning during the photo period and the Gro at night after lights out. This isn’t essential but it’s recommended.

Q. What is the best way to start using the black label bottles?
A. Go hard! Fantastic results can be seen by beginning the dosage at full strength (1 drop per 100L twice daily) from day one. In the first few days you may see a light bacterial bloom or dramatically reduced nitrate and phosphate levels, should this happen, just back off or stop the Energy + for a couple of days and resume dosage on a half dose.

You may also like to begin at a half dose, 1 drop per 200L twice daily, for a week or two and then progress to full dosage.

*Pro tip 1: Watch your Alkalinity consumption (also keep an eye on Magnesium and Calcium) during the first couple of weeks of using the black label range as it will usually cause a significant increase in coral growth.

*Pro tip 2: If you stop using the black labels, your Alkalinity, Calcum & Magnesium levels will likely rise up and potentially become too high, so watch this too.

Q. How do I maximise the effectiveness of “The Black Label Juice”?
A. There is the “Juice bath” you can do to your corals if you can lift them out. You can also use this method to help heal up damaged corals. Depending on how damaged they are, you often see rapid improvement as long as the water chemistry in your aquarium allows for the tissue repair of corals (stable conditions as close to desirable levels as possible).

Click on the link to a video that shows the “Juice Bath” method.

Q. Are there any trace elements in the black label bottles?
A. No there are not, the black label bottles are a potent mix of vitamins and omega fatty acids.

Q. My skimmer stops working properly after dosing Energy+, is this normal?
A. Yes this is normal for most people, the skimmer will begin normal operation after a couple of hours, this isn’t a problem. The new formula for Energy+ is more water soluble and doesn’t usually affect the skimmer for as long. The experiences with skimmers stopping working temporarily will vary as we all use different skimmers.

Q. Can I put the trace elements on a dosing pump?
A. Diluting our range of essential trace elements for use on a dosing pump is easy. You can customise your own dilution rates to suit your needs or use our recommended dilution formula.

Products you CAN dilute; Trace A,Trace B, Trace C, Iron, Potassium, KI3, Iodine, Boron, Bromide, Fluoride, Bacteria food. Products you CANNOT dilute: Bio Clean

Method- Add 50ml of trace into 950ml of RO/DI water and mix well for the new solution.

Daily dosage rates; Low SPS stock: 0.5ml per 100L (26.5 US Gallons) of aquarium volume. Medium SPS stock; 1ml per 100L (26.5 US Gallons) of aquarium volume. High SPS stock; 2ml per 100L (26.5 US Gallons) of aquarium volume.

*Pro tip: This recommendation is a base line only, you may need to tweak the dose as every tank is different and will use trace elements differently.

Q. How much of the trace elements do I start with?
A. On a heavily stocked aquarium we recommend starting on at least half the recommended dose rate and dose 1 drop per 100L (26.5 US Gallons) of aquarium volume. Lesser stocked aquariums will be a lower starting dose rate again. After at least 2 weeks of the half dose, careful testing and monitoring of the aquarium you could look at increasing the dose rate steadily over a few weeks. Please make sure you keep a close eye on everything during this time.

Q. How do I know if I am overdosing any trace elements?
A. Aside from regular testing and making use of ICP-OES testing services via your LFS you should be watching your corals for signs of the following:
- Coral becoming pale or partially bleached
- Reduction in Calcium and Alkalinity uptake
- Reduced polyp extension
- Algae blooms

Q. Can I expect high phosphate levels from using CE products?
A. In short, no. However Chroma+ from the black label range contains proteins & phosphorus at levels beneficial to the corals, even at overdosed levels your corals will utilise the Chroma + before it can accumulate in the aquarium.

The amount of phosphate/phosphorus is nearly immeasurable even if overdosed so any issues with high phosphate have not come from any of the current Coral Essentials products.

Q. Do I need to refrigerate any of the Coral Essentials range?
A. We recommend that you refrigerate the Coral Power Amino, Coral Power Gro & Chroma+, Vibrance+ from the Black label series once you open them for maximum lifespan. You may also put Energy+ in the fridge but keep in mind that it may thicken and become difficult to dose, so shake the products before dosing. The other products in the range do not need refrigeration.

Q. Can I dilute Coral Power Gro & Coral Power Amino and use them on a dosing pump?
A. Yes you can, see the above FAQ about diluting the black labels.

Or make up a weeks worth of solution using the below guide. Add your weeks worth of drops of Coral Power Amino to 700ml of RO/DI and dose 100ml per day (100ml x 7 days = 700ml). Dose this solution multiple times per photo period for best results. Add your weeks worth of drops of Coral Power Gro to 700ml of RO/DI and dose 100ml per day (100ml x 7 days = 700ml). Dose this solution multiple times per night time period for best results.

*Pro tip: This method will be useful for aquarists wishing to add the products to tanks smaller than 100L as our products are based on X amount of drops per 100L but you will need to make some adjustments to the mix ratio for your needs.

Q. Can I mix the Coral Essentials Power Trace A/B/C In a balling method type solution?
A. You certainly can, please refer to the instructions in the website link for more details - Coral Essentials Method

You can also use the traces in your “Randy’s Recipe” solutions. Please see below for instructions on doing this.
Randy's 1
Calcium @ 37,000ppm - add 0.37ml of Trace A and 0.037ml of Trace B to each 1L
Carbonate (Alkalinity) @ 95,000ppm (1,900 meq/L of alkalinity or 5,300 dKH) - add 0.5ml of Trace A to each 1L
Magnesium @ 47,000ppm - add 3.7ml of Coral Power Potassium to each 1L

Randy's 2
Calcium @ 18,500ppm - add 0.18ml of Trace A and 0.18ml of Trace B to each 1L
Carbonate (Alkalinity) @ 47,500ppm (950 meq/L of alkalinity or 2,660 dKH) - add 0.25ml of Trace A to each 1L
Magnesium @ 47,000ppm - add 3.7ml of Coral Power Potassium to each 1L

Q. Can I mix Coral Power Amino with other brands of amino acids?
A. You most certainly can. However, it may be pointless and cause issues such as algae or browning of corals. Other brands that offer an amino acid supplement may use different types of aminos than we do, a variety of amino acids isn’t a bad thing as long as they aren’t overdosed. The Coral Power Amino we offer has been tested on our own coral farm (Sustainable Reefs) to give you the best possible results. You’re welcome to mix and match different products but just be mindful of the signs of overdose (green algae film on the glass and browning of corals).

*Pro Tip: Amino acid uptake is linked to the addition of vitamins (Coral Power Gro).

Q. Can I add Coral Power Gro or Amino to my balling mix?
A. No, definitely not. You can dilute them for a dosing pump as per the above FAQ.

Q. Why are my corals going green?
A. It’s going to be your water chemistry, check these parameters:
Salinity too high and you can cause greening. We recommend 32-35ppt.
Iodine values above 0.06ppm will likely cause greening of corals. Yellow shifting to green usually starts at around 0.04ppm.
Iron values above 0.1ppm are likely to cause greening. Iron depleted quickly in the aquarium too. You could reduce your Coral Power Trace B if you suspect elevated iron is the cause.
Phosphate/Phosphorus - Elevated levels are to be avoided. We recommend a Phosphate value no higher than 0.02ppm and a Phosphorus level no higher than 6 or 7ppb

Q. How do I get my phosphate and nitrate levels up?
A. Start by looking at what measures you have to remove them
Refugium - make the refugium smaller or harvest it more regularly.
Media chambers - remove some biological media, do this slowly and test often.
Organic carbon dosing - reduce the dose.
If you like to run ULNS then add our Coral Power Nitrate Up and Phosphate Up supplements to the level you desire.

Q. What are the best parameters for coral?
A. We try to run our levels as close to natural sea water levels as possible in most cases. We like our Calcium at 420ppm, magnesium at 1300-1320 & Alkalinity at 7-7.5dKh. However, part of the reefing experience is playing with trace elements to manipulate colours. If this interests you then be sure to do regular ICP tests for the other parameters.

Q. Do I still do water changes?
A. We recommend it. It’s alway good to do them using clean Natural Sea Water or good quality salt mix.

Q. Can I run activated carbon with trace elements?
A. Of course you can, we recommend that you do use it however it does remove some trace elements. We don’t recommend you use it for the reason that you’d have to add in more of our traces, but for the other benefits of activated carbon such as organic waste absorption. We use activated carbon on the Sustainable Reefs farm and our traces work well along side it. The amount of traces that are removed isn’t a worry for you. We recommend on average 100ml (approx 50gm) of activated carbon per 100L of aquarium water, changed every 2 months.

Q. Which ICP test do I use?
A. We recommend and use TRITON for the Sustainable Reefs coral farm where we do the R&D for the entire Coral Essentials range. However you can use any you are comfortable with. We have found TRITON give the most consistent and accurate results with industry experience to match it.

Q. Do I need to do ICP testing when the corals are looking good?
A. It certainly cant hurt to do so. In fact as your corals are growing, the usage of trace elements and base macro elements is exponential so making sure that your trace addition is finely tuned we recommend a monthly ICP test if you can.

Q. I have my ICP results back, now what?
A. If you need to adjust your elements to a desired level there is information on what adjustments to make using the dosage calculator on the corals essentials Dosing Calculator Webpage.