Brightwell Aquatics "Two Thumbs up!!!"

[asl4me76]

Boy, oh boy .. Marc .. you sure found a way to get Randy's feathers ruffled up quite a bit for the holiday season...

Randy, I do have a question for ya though. Is there anything good out there that you would recommend on dosing to your tank to rid of of cyano. I keep getting cyano break outs on the right side of my tank where the updraft picks up from the MP10. I would think it's getting plenty of flow there, but seems cyano loves that location. Any suggestions?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Antibiotics will kill off the cyano, and that can be useful, but cutting back on nutrients is the best longer term solution. Reducing organics with skimming and GAC can also help reduce cyano.

 

[asl4me76]

Antibiotics will kill off the cyano, and that can be useful, but cutting back on nutrients is the best longer term solution. Reducing organics with skimming and GAC can also help reduce cyano.

See, that's what is confusing me. I have only been feeding 1/4th of a cube to my tank. I have 2 clowns, 3 peppermint shrimps (they're bastards), and a lawnmower blenny in there. That's it. that's alls he wrote. Now, I feed coral food (frozen) and some oyster feast every 3 or 4 days. That's it as well. I let the fish poop feed the rest.

For an anti-biotic, what kind would you recommend that I could look into? As, I have never used one. Refresh me here, Randy .. GAC???? That's a carbon, eh? I can't keep up with all the acroynms.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Cyano can be a very tough problem.

Red Slime Remover is an antibiotic that can work short term.

 

[Boomer]

magnesium at 1288.000 ppm to a scientist has a very different meaning than 1288 ppm.

I do not even care if it was 1288 ppm NSW vs 1288 ppm Neo. I still do not buy it :lol: Look at his Sr. 7.625 NSW vs 7.625 Neo. Somewhere he said he uses HACH equipment for his tests. Sorry, there is no such thing as that. OK, lets all think out loud. What piece of equipment could test Sr down to 1 / 1000 ^th of a ppm Now, how much does it cost. Remember he is claiming all his salt mixes will have exactly 7.625 ppm Sr.:spin2: OH wait, I'm sorry it says "Average", that is even funner.

Randy he also has Sg 1.025 g / cm^3 on that bucket, but that is Density, not Sg.

For others reading this not Randy.

D = m/V or g /cm^3.

Sg = m of V of sample / m of equal V pure water. So, in short it is Sg = m /m and D = m / V

D = 1.025 g /cm^3 = 37.3 ppt = 1.0281 Sg , not 1.025, all @ 25 C (77F)

Chris screws up chem again

I'm still laughing about that 43 % magnesium in his powered mag sup :eek2:

 

[asl4me76]

You guys really don't like this kid.. eh?

 

[teesquare]

Randy - what do you have growing on the back wall of the tank? Can't make it out in the pics...

T

 

[Reefflections]

Randy,
I see where some of us here,were mentioning nutrients exports.Vodka dosing vs Brightwell products.I also saw where Randy has mentioned Refugia has been brought up.I'm bulding a whole new system,and my main concern was export of nutrients vs.chemicals method.This is hardly maybe even never mentioned here on RC?
I'm installing a Algae Turf Scrubber.All natural system vs any type of additives.Yes it on the design of a Refugia,but both do the same thing as for exports.I just heard someone is going to start building these and finally start marketing them.It's been around for years,but nobody ever even mentions them.They are cheap to build,and does the job.It does the same thing that all these companies want to dose our tank with.To keep them in business.I take the natural method any day.And better for the animals.

 

[tmz]

ATS will work. They are unfortunately largely oversold as replacements for all other methods including skimming and gac. They require surging flow and lots of light which can be expensive and require space.. I think hey can be a useful adjunct but not a one size fits all substitute for other methods.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

I take the natural method any day.And better for the animals.

Carbon dosing IS natural !

Algae and corals are not the best mix. They are in competition with one another. IMO it's healthier for the corals to not have algae in the system.

 

[GreshamH]

Randy,
I see where some of us here,were mentioning nutrients exports.Vodka dosing vs Brightwell products.I also saw where Randy has mentioned Refugia has been brought up.I'm bulding a whole new system,and my main concern was export of nutrients vs.chemicals method.This is hardly maybe even never mentioned here on RC?
I'm installing a Algae Turf Scrubber.All natural system vs any type of additives.Yes it on the design of a Refugia,but both do the same thing as for exports.I just heard someone is going to start building these and finally start marketing them.It's been around for years,but nobody ever even mentions them.They are cheap to build,and does the job.It does the same thing that all these companies want to dose our tank with.To keep them in business.I take the natural method any day.And better for the animals.

In the last year alone there have been 28 different threads that mention "Algal Turf Scrubber" and 171 that mention Algea Turf Scrubber. Not sure what you're talking about as that's a pretty big hit for one year.

Good luck on marketing a patented design to whom ever thinks they're going to give it a go. I think Addy will have a say about that, well, his lawyers at least. That's why there is no one making them

 

[teesquare]

Reefflections:
No dis-respect for your idea, but have you seen any system that have been run long-term using algal turf scrubbers???
The yellow green cast to the water and the colors of the corals may not be what you are looking to achieve....
I was at the Smithsonian some time after they installed Addy's sytem, and Inland Aquatics systems that were (and I suppose still are) run with ATS's......the color of the water was yellow-green. I don't think that all the 20K bulbs in the world would have offset that.

As well - when that much algal pigments are in the water column, they often irritate many corals and inhibit growth.
In the open ocean, there are mechanisms for dealing with that - but it is not simple or in-ecxpensive in a closed system.

Again - not to knock your quest to find a better way - I applaud your thinking outside of the norms.
T

 

[dnreef]

Wow. Great reading. I started using the Microbacter 7 in conjunction with vodka dosing and my cyano disappeared so I tend to feel good about the product. I also use the Magnesion in conjunction with the ESV two part solutions. Since I started using the Magnesion I've had no problems in keeping my mg levels in the mid 1300s as opposed to the low 1200s using the Ions product from Seachem. I'm still new to this and don't trust myself with the DIY products nor can I honestly say that understand the chemistry of all of this well. Thanks for the knowledge.

 

[tmz]

FWIW, I don't use bacterial supplements. Altering the carbon source, proportions of vodka and vinegar , deal with the cyano.The reef tank should hold all the bacteria you need, encouraging them with carbon is all that is needed in my opinion.

On the downside in addition to potential bacterial blooms , dosing organic carbon can lead to a buildup of organic carbon in the tank without adequate export mechanisms( heavy skimming and gac) . Algal scrubbers releas se some organics too.

 

[Zedar]

I dose vodka. I had a cyano problem. It was suggested that I raise my Nitrate slightly. Within days the Cyano was gone and i havent seen it since.

I used KN03 to raise it.

I used brightwells NeoZeo stones. After a few months of running it in a reactor I shut it off and havent noticed any difference with or without it.

 

[tmz]

Zedar, What were your nitrate levels and PO4 levels pre an post KNo3 dosing?

 

[Zedar]

N03
Before - Undetectable
After - 20ppm now 5ppm

Elos test kit

P04
Before - .03 or lower
After - .03 or lower

Tropic marin test kit only reads down to .03

Not the best kit but i believe my Phosphates are low since im mostly algae free.

 

[Chibils]

Fascinating thread... I'm awful with chemistry (my achilles heel in this hobby), but I've enjoyed success with Chris's products. Probably just as much as I would with anything else, though, or less. The flashy, well-done advertising is effective.

 

[Orr2003]

I dose vodka. I had a cyano problem. It was suggested that I raise my Nitrate slightly. Within days the Cyano was gone and i havent seen it since.

I used KN03 to raise it.

Which KNO3 product did you use?

 

[Av8bluewater]

Reefflections:
No dis-respect for your idea, but have you seen any system that have been run long-term using algal turf scrubbers???
The yellow green cast to the water and the colors of the corals may not be what you are looking to achieve....
I was at the Smithsonian some time after they installed Addy's sytem, and Inland Aquatics systems that were (and I suppose still are) run with ATS's......the color of the water was yellow-green. I don't think that all the 20K bulbs in the world would have offset that.

As well - when that much algal pigments are in the water column, they often irritate many corals and inhibit growth.
In the open ocean, there are mechanisms for dealing with that - but it is not simple or in-ecxpensive in a closed system.

Again - not to knock your quest to find a better way - I applaud your thinking outside of the norms.
T

This is a common thought about algae scrubbers. If you don't run it properly then yes you will get gelbstof.
A properly run algae scrubber will not turn yellow. A lot of the old timers love to repeat this over and over because they saw some algae scrubbers 15 years ago and this is what happened.
The solution is simply to clean it (partially)every week and you will not get yellow water.
My water is crystal clear with an algae scrubber. I don't recommend an algae scrubber unless you really do some serious research. It's not as simple as a refugium but algae is far more powerful and will do what people say it does. NO3 =0 ( down from 60-80) , PO4 =.02-.04 on the photometer with heavy feeding.