Feeding Corals

Alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. I'm not sure on the price. I havn't added anything regularly (except mag) since I installed the calcium reactor. The price of additives will be nominal compared to your increased electricity bill.

What kind of tank are you wanting to have?  If it's mostly softies, then you'll have a lower demand for calcium and alkalinity and a good 2 part additive such as B-ionic is what I would suggest.  As you get more experience and "feel" for your tank, you could move to kalkwasser (cheaper then B-ionic).  But I wouldn't suggest kalkwasser to anyone just getting started.

Now if you plan to have mostly acropora/montipora then a calcium reactor is likely in your future (after you've exhausted kalkwasser and can't afford or are sick and tired of having to remember to add B-ionic).

All those other bottles on the shelf at the LFS are purely optional and possibly detrimental.  I wouldn't plan to use any of them initially, but might later on to troubleshoot some particular issue (iodine, iron, maybe silica).

Feeding coral is not really much of an expense. Feed the fish and the coral will benefit directly and indirectly. The cost of keeping water parameters (Alk and Ca) where they should be is the thing to be concerned about, but not for the first 6 months or so. If the tank is set up right it takes care of that for you.

Edited by Mark Peterson