additives or not?

Trace element

I am a believer of non additives.

The use of chemical additives to replenish or supplement existing elements is considered essential by some aquarist and others waste of resources.

Evidence supporting the actual usage of additives by corals is not substantiated according to Eric Borneman in his Aquarium Corals Book. He further states that corals generally only need light and food to meet their energy needs, and they require a carbon source and calcium for calcification. (Calcification is the complex process by which corals take calcium from sea water and form aragonite or calcite to be used in skeletogenesis. Skeletogenesis is the process by which the limestone {calcium carbonate} skeleton is formed.)

Of the many elements available, Strontium is widely used or misused. From his book, I understand that this trace element is involved in coral skeletogenesis. Corals replace or substitute calcium ions with strontium ions in their skeleton. It sounds to me that excessive calcium ions may not be good. He adds that calcification rates increase in the presence of enhanced strontium levels. The incorporation of strontium results in reduced or slower growth and increased skeletal density. Skeletal strontium content decreases as temperature increases. But not affected by light intensity. All these sound alien to me.

He concludes that the levels of strontium incorporation may depend on mineralogy and adsorption properties of the skeleton, salinity, crystal formation, species or genetic differences, water depth and unknown metabolic effects.

Iodine a trace element deemed important to corals. Soft corals weere said to require it for health and growth and benefits to all corals were reported to include increased coloration and a degree of antiseptic protection against pathogens, but this is claim is not supported.

The author concludes saying that every day hobbyists proclaiming that a certain element is directly responsible for some wondrous effect. However he feels that commerical salt mixes already provide most of the major and minor trace elements that far exceed the levels of natural seawater.

Therefore regular, partial water changes are being performed, replenisment of trace elements with additives is probably not justified and in some cases poisonous.

Overdosing can easily lead to ionic imbalances, blooms and nuisance algae or even the death of corals.

The above is summary of what I read and any credits goes to the author of Aquarium Corals, Eric Borneman. The article was to share with the rest of the members here an insight of aquarist and researcher of corals. From here, members can further read other articles or his book and decide if additives are justified in adding to your aquariums.