Reef Foundation is a new line of supplements from Red Sea which aim to replenish the minerals of reef aquarium water with a strong emphasis on maintaining specific ratios. Sure we’re all aware that our reef aquarium chemistry needs to maintain a certain ionic balance; we don’t want the alkalinity to be way high when the calcium is testing low and vice versa and we don’t want to ignore the magnesium either. After extensive research (which has yet to be published), Red Sea claims to have teased out some golden ratios of Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium concentrations which are most ideal for stony coral growth. We’ll come back around to how Red Sea has come to these conclusions but in the meantime, Red Sea will be launching the Reef Foundation line of supplements to help reef aquarists achieve these ratios in their own coral tanks. Reef Foundation will come in three parts either liquid or dry/powder form:
Reef Foundation A for Calcium and Strontium, Reef Foundation B for Buffer and Reef Foundation C for Magnesium. Aside from the Ratio slant of the product line, Reef Foundation COmplete is the msot interesting as it is a dry powder supplement which replenishes Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and more all in one easy to add powder. We have our reservations about adding a combination calcium and buffer powder to fresh or saltwater but Red Sea reps assured us that if it is added in small quantities to fast moving water, the elements dissolve out in proper concentrations with a minimum of localized precipitation. The effectiveness of Red Sea’s ratio-based supplement formula remains to be seen and we’ll be sure to look into it when the Reef Foundation line launches globally in September.
