What supplements/chemicals do you prefer for your reef?
 

So I'm going on Saturday to pick up a 57 gallon setup with everything. I'm definitely going full reef. I really like to be prepared so even though the tank has to cycle and what not still, I want to start looking for dosing supplements now to find the best products for the best price. What are you guys' favorites? :-D

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
I use Purple Up for Calcium. But don't use it much, I don't have SPS in my tank and no LPS so my Calcium doesn't flutuate much. So your Dosing is going to all depend on what you plan on keeping.

Sweet thanks!

So I shouldnt buy into all the ph balancers and iodine and coral grow stuff?

Nope. ALK, Magnesium, Calcium for water. Phytoplankton, Micro Vert, and once in awhile Coral Vital. Basically don't dose what you can't test for.

Wow awesome.. I was adding up all the Kent supplements Petco has for reefs and holy cow.. talk about a chunk of change!

Yea, pretty much all crap. Not needed.

That's great to hear. My cousin has a young (less than one year old) reef tank and has a company that does all the maintenance on it and they have her putting all sorts of stuff in the water on certain days. Even back when she started it, I wasnt all that impressed with the guy who cares for the tank. He set up the tank, put in the live sand and rock, set everything up and added a bunch of fish that same day. Well duh 90% of them died :(

Yea, hate that crap. They are there for just the sale, they want the cash. Sucks.

Well if my cousin would take the time to learn about it herself... but to each's own I suppose.