AF Micro E, Zeospur 2, Salifert Trace Hard ---- Who uses and see's improvements?

[Rakie]

So I started using AF Micro E recently (3 days) and was wondering how many people love these metal dosing products.

For those like me who didn't know what these snake oils do -- It's copper dosing -- yes, copper dosing.

Why ? Because in small controlled amounts copper is shown to 'cause SPS and other corals to expel Zooxanthellae from within the corals. Zooxanthellae are what make so many wild acros brown -- They protect the coral from the intense light of the sun, zoox are not desired in home aquaria, and the absolutely beautiful SPS colonies you see here that are astoundingly colorful have low zoox content, which is what allows the corals to fluoresce and color up in home aquaria.

So who uses and loves this stuff? This is the question I have. All of this fascinates me, and as copper dosing is a newer concept to me I wonder how many others have seen success, and how long it took for success to become clear.

Additionally -- Have you noticed any negative side effects?

 

[eg8r210]

I am not sure if the copper is included in the Components ABC or not and that is really the only supplements I have been dosing. If it is included then I am not seeing any difference in coloration that I could attribute solely to the copper.

I am very interested in seeing what type of environment will users see the effects of this product. I tend to find that the Aminos and Vitamins are only utilized on truly ULNS systems. Will this be the same with the micro E?

 

[Rakie]

Copper is only present in AF Micro E, KZ Zeospur 2, and the now discontinued Salifert Trace Hard

 

[wheelman76]

Copper is only present in AF Micro E, KZ Zeospur 2, and the now discontinued Salifert Trace Hard

Aquaforest component 123 has copper and so does the Coral E

 

[Big E]

Copper is only present in AF Micro E, KZ Zeospur 2, and the now discontinued Salifert Trace Hard

Almost every commercial trace (metal) element product has copper in it...............you'll be hard pressed to find one that doesn't.

SeaChem Marine Trace, Tropic Marin K elements, Kent Reef Essentials, ect. all contain copper.

When did Salifert announce they are discontinuing Trace Hard? It's still available for purchase and it's also still on Saliferts website.

 

[Myka]

I've used Coral E in my tank, but ran out and won't buy more. I didn't notice any changes that I would attribute to copper dosing. In the past I have used Zeospur2 which at that time I dosed more of a lump dose once a month or so which would cause significant, sudden zoox expulsion, and affected some corals significantly, and others not at all. I still have a big bottle of Zeospur2 - it's probably 5 or 6 years old now, and I might give it a shot again, but dose smaller amounts more often.

 

[Piper27]

Aquaforest prouducts have low amounts of copper in them compared to the zeo stuff from what I can tell. The energy has enough to give some of my corals a lighter tone but I have to use much more than what it says on the bottle and use it everyday. The Micro e didn't change any colors concerning the copper, I would guess most products like these contain just trace amounts that are supposed to be there.

 

[Rakie]

Almost every commercial trace (metal) element product has copper in it...............you'll be hard pressed to find one that doesn't.

SeaChem Marine Trace, Tropic Marin K elements, Kent Reef Essentials, ect. all contain copper.

When did Salifert announce they are discontinuing Trace Hard? It's still available for purchase and it's also still on Saliferts website.

I suppose the difference was supposed to be the two I had mentioned had a significantly higher concentration -- supposedly.

Websites show it as "Product has been Discontinued", and ebay shops all specify "cannot ship to US". So I thought it was discontinued. Maybe it's just not available?



Marine Depot

 

[Big E]

Aquacave still sells Trace Hard.........most that sell it are overseas.

Marine Depot has discontinued other items periodically..................all that means is they discontinued selling it, not the manufacturer.

I don't know about concentrations of any of these brands. Some have the percentages labled, otherwise it's just speculation.

Overdosing of most metals will cause pastel or bleaching.

 

[Rakie]

Overdosing of most metals will cause pastel or bleaching.

My main reason for asking is that these don't seem like very popular items, given what they can do for uncolorful corals it kinda surprised me.


Never heard of Aquacave, thank you. Since I couldn't find Trace Hard in the states when I saw it was discontinued on Marine Depot I thought that meant really discontinued.

As far as pastel and bleaching you are correct. So far mine are gaining color and doing better. I've had one acro that's been a dull beige while everthing around it started gaining color. It never did, until AF Micro E. It started lightening up and there's faint purple around the rim of the corallites. So i'm pretty pleased with what I've seen so far, and really looking forward to see how it goes.

 

[Piper27]

You think the micro e is coloring up your corals? Could it be things just selling in?

 

[Rakie]

You think the micro e is coloring up your corals? Could it be things just selling in?

It absolutely could just be settling, the timing would be very coincidental though.

I think it's the Micro E because while all my corals have changed and colored up over time, there's been dramatic change in my two stubborn beige SPS corals. They both started lightening up after day 2, and this morning one of them has purple rims around the corallites. It's been beige for months, until 3 days of dosing Micro E.