Advise for starting :-)

[Piero65]

Hello everybody, sorry for my english as I am french

I would like to start a simple protocole with aquaforest products.
I already bought some products: Phosphate minus/Carbon/mix Zeo/ProBioS and NP Pro

At the moment I have a 350 liters (90gallons) tank with mix SPS/LPS (difficult ones) and many (too many) fishes :fun2:

Material:
Skimmer bubble king mini 180, 2 Vortech MP40, RAC PF501, light Pacific sun metis 3x150W (70%), and an UV 18W for fishes.
I have a refugium (DSB + algae), I also run 2 filters (one with Anti-phosphate and second one with long term carbon, which is full of life)
I change 15% of water every-week with Probiotic salt.
Parameters: CA 400, MG 1300, KH 8, NO3 10, PO4 0.06

I would like to increase a little bit colors and health of the tank, everything is fine but I want to test other products, but not having excess of colors. Just a little bit more.
As I have many difficult corals and many fishes, it's an hard work to have low NO3 and PO4 feeding all fishes and having great corals. Stability is difficult so I do not want to stress everybody in my tank, I just want a little bit improvement.
I do not want to have heavy protocol, I want something simple 

Let me know your advise.

My plan was :
200ml phosphate minus?
200ml Zeo mix ?
200ml carbon ?
How much is it in kg?

Using my two fluidized filter:
Option 1: 1 filter with Zeo and 1 filter with Carbon + Phosphate? Or another mix?
Option 2: 1 filter with Zeo my second Filter stay as it is (with the long term carbon which as I have life in it) and in a sock with Carbon and a sock with Phosphate minus?

my tank:
https://youtu.be/AQxBBgPLnQo

thank you for your advise

 

[plyle02]

Hello,
I would say the plan with 200ml sounds about right. I like option 1 best, easy to change 1 filter with all the media once per month. They all have around the same exhaust time. I would begin with 2 drop of Pro Bio S and NP Pro in the am before lights, in sump, after skimmer. If you wanted to implement Energy, Build, Aminomix, or Vitality you could also begin use with them as well. I would start 1/2 dose and go every other day with supplements at night light off. I have personally found the AF system to be rather gentle, as compared to other probiotic based systems.
Cheers,

 

[Piero65]

thanks for your reactivity

regarding the filter, the option 1 is one Filter with Zeo and another one with Carbon + Phospho minus.
Do the Carbon and Phos have to move slowly in the filter?

What happen if I do not feed with bacteria everyday, or if I go on vacation during 2 weeks? is there any problem?

thank you

 

[plyle02]

If you have room in your reactor, you can do all 3, this is what I do, based off what Debora does. The 200ml sounds perfect of each. Set the Zeomix in the bottom, then AF Carbon, then Phos Minus. Simply set it to flow until the Phos Minus tumbles gently without escaping the reactor. That is your flow rate Vacation, is this with no one there to check on the tank. That sounds like a disaster if so, lol... Upon returning from vacation, do a larger than normal water change, maybe 20%. Then resume normal dosing program. If someone is available a few days per week, simply leave instructions and show them how to dose Pro Bio S, and NP Pro. Even if it is a few times versus everyday, this is still better than nothing. Cheers!

 

[Piero65]

Thanks for advise.

Regarding vacations, I have a webcam, so I check regularly the tank some friends have my keys and can help if really needed. But I will not ask them to come just for puting Pro Bio S and NP Pro...
If I put that product less often on normal basis, I mean every 2/3 days maybe the result will be less impressive but better for vacation no?

In my filters I do not have room, so maybe in the first room Zeo+carbon and in the other filter Phos Minus?

question, what can happen if I let the Zeo/Carbon/phos 4 months instead of 4/6 weeks?