Elos Aminoacids Monodose

[Michael Mota]

I was at the LFS today picking up a few things. I happen to be looking at the Elos products on the shelf and decided to give the Elos Amino acids Monodose a try.
Some people have said amino acids help corals color up and also helps with polyp extension but then again others say amino acids is a waste of money. I am one of those people who thinks it may not be worth the money spent.
This thread is to document my experience with this product and observations whether bad or good. I will also be taking before pics of certain corals and after the trial I will post after pics of the corals.
I also want to remind people that I am just a hobbyist like many on RC and any observations or opinions that I may post is just that, my personal opinion or experience. I am no scientist and this is not a scientific experiment.
Anyone else who would like to try this or is using this product and wants to document his/her results/experience within this thread is welcomed to do so. I welcome any opinion or any info you may have but I ask that it stay and pertain to this product only. I really would like to keep the thread on target.
Thanks
Michael Mota
Lets try the Elos Aminoacids Monodose!!

 

[Michael Mota]

I have read the directions that came with the amino acids and it seems to state that I will need to dose 2 vials or packets every 15 days for my size reef. What I am going to do is instead of dosing both at once and then waiting 15 days to dose again I will dose one vial every Monday night before I feed my tank. With this dosing schedule one box will last for 15 weeks since there are 15 individual vials/packets.
As soon as I can I will take a few pics of certain corals that I think may help to document results. Of course these will be the before pics. I will start the dosing regiment on Monday (first dose).

A little info about the tanks maintenance/dosing regiment:
The reef is a fairly new tank (about 3 months old) which was an upgrade from my old tank. I feed the tank some home made food three times a week. This food contains numerous things like cyclops, flake foods, golden pearls, mysis, and whatever else I have on hand. It is blended really well and then placed in zip lock baggies to be frozen. When I feed the tank all I do is break off a piece and throw it into the main tank. This I feel is necessary to help feed corals, inverts and etc that are in the tank cause at this point the tank is fish-less (due to a disease outbreak). Once a week I dose Lugols iodine (3 drops) and Strontium (30ml).
The glass is cleaned twice a week whether it needs it or not and once a month I clean the sump. Water changes of 10% are done once per month. Skimmer cup is emptied and cleaned every three days. Mh are on for 7 hours a day and atinic vho are on for 2 hours before and after halides to create a dawn and dusk effect.
More tank info can be found on these threads if interested:
Build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=938462
Coral Growth thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1119980

 

[Henry Bowman]

This should be interesting Micheal. Did you happen to follow the Blu Coral method ? It was started in Italy. The guys use a HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which is a steroid i think but it's not avaliable to us here in the US. The thread continued to develop and folks started using AA before feeding (in place of HGH).

The feeding is the interesting part. They use a blender mush of Oyster, Shrimp, Mussels and Scallops IIRC. THey freeze it just like you are doing and add a small cube once a week. Interestingly, they disable their skimmer for a few hours at feeding time (night) and have reported amazing growth. They also maintain high levels of Ca and keep the alk up there too.

I have more info on the Blu Coral method that I cut and pasted to my computer if you are interested.

If you have read Borneman's coral recipe, its a similar method !

I think tanks where the corals are intentionally fed are healthier.

I'll be following your thread to see how your project develops.

 

[Michael Mota]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9972537#post9972537 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Henry Bowman
This should be interesting Micheal. Did you happen to follow the Blu Coral method ? It was started in Italy. The guys use a HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which is a steroid i think but it's not avaliable to us here in the US. The thread continued to develop and folks started using AA before feeding (in place of HGH).

The feeding is the interesting part. They use a blender mush of Oyster, Shrimp, Mussels and Scallops IIRC. THey freeze it just like you are doing and add a small cube once a week. Interestingly, they disable their skimmer for a few hours at feeding time (night) and have reported amazing growth. They also maintain high levels of Ca and keep the alk up there too.

I have more info on the Blu Coral method that I cut and pasted to my computer if you are interested.

If you have read Borneman's coral recipe, its a similar method !

I think tanks where the corals are intentionally fed are healthier.

I'll be following your thread to see how your project develops.

Lol, I was beginning to think I was too harsh when I started this thread cause no one had responded

As far as the blue coral method goes I do not know what it is. I have always kept the keep it simple philosophy when it came to my reef tanks. As of right now the calcium reactor is keeping the cal at 450 and alk is at 4.0 meg/l (10dkh). It use to be higher before the reactor was tuned in to where I wanted it. I have been happy with these levels and the corals to me look good and healthy. I have to supplement Magnesium which is kept at 1300-1400. As far as growth I am getting some really fast growth rates with the sps corals by doing what I do. Even though I have no fish I feed the tank cause I feel the corals, snails and hermits etc need to be fed. The only difference is that I blended the food till it was a liquid consistency. I also think you have to be careful so as not to over feed and cause problems with the water quality. It is a delicate balance as most know. I also believe in having a good skimmer and very high water flow in the tank. In this 125 reef I have about 6,000 gph (pump capacity without head pressure) more or less. The Ph on the tank also stays at a constant 8.2 day or night. I have been testing it for a few weeks at different times and it stays constant and It is due to a good skimmer and water flow plus having a open top tank and open sump with three fans that help circulate air in and around the tank. I do also run the refugium on a reverse light cycle.
I think I covered everything that I missed in my earlier post
The major reason I am doing this is to see what the results would be for my reef and to have a thread that would be complete and to the point. I have been researching threads and it seems that you never get an end result. Besides now that my tank build is complete I feel the need to experiment
I should have the pics taken today and posted maybe tomorrow or Monday and the first dose will be on Monday before feeding the tank.
Take care and welcome aboard for the ride!
Mike

 

[Henry Bowman]

Do you mind taking pics of when you feed and possibly a look at your food. Do you feed in the evening or at a regular time?

The other method I refered to doses the AA's an hour or so before feeding the tank. There was discussion about the AA's being avaliable during feeding and or enhansing the feeding response of the corals.

Oh, and dont worry. I'll be asking alot of questions and or making comments. This is an area that I am very interested in as I am in the finishing stages of setting up and SPS dominant tank. Got the LR in the last week and am cycling now....

 

[fisheebill]

Can't wait to see how the AA work out!

 

[Michael Mota]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9975061#post9975061 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Henry Bowman
Do you mind taking pics of when you feed and possibly a look at your food. Do you feed in the evening or at a regular time?

The other method I refered to doses the AA's an hour or so before feeding the tank. There was discussion about the AA's being avaliable during feeding and or enhansing the feeding response of the corals.

Oh, and dont worry. I'll be asking alot of questions and or making comments. This is an area that I am very interested in as I am in the finishing stages of setting up and SPS dominant tank. Got the LR in the last week and am cycling now....

I feed the tank on Mon, Wed and Fri only in the evening sometime after the Mh lights go out. At this point when I do feed I do see more polyps extend or come out. Maybe its just some kind of feeding response, almost like they know there has been food added to the tank. I think I will be adding the amino acids at the same time as when I dose the other stuff which usually is in the morning on Mondays. Remember this will be dosed one vial once a week and not everyday as most do before they feed.

 

[Michael Mota]

I was able to take pics of five corals on 5/18/07. I selected these due to there coloration and growth, which seems to be slower than the others in my tank.
The pics are a really good example of how the corals look in the tank as of the day they were taken. I must say I have to learn to use the new camera and learn how to adjust a few of the settings like white balance seems off a bit. I did not edit the pics, I did however resize them to fit in this thread. My objective is to not make the corals look better than they do by editing the pics (as some do when posting pics of there corals) but to represent/show them as they are so to be able to judge the before and after effects.

This afternoon will be the first dose to the tank.

 

[fisheebill]

Nice

 

[Michael Mota]

Yesterday I opened up a vial/packet of the Elos Amino Acids and what a smell that stuff has. It reminds me of the amino acids I use to take back in my work out days. It is also has a dark yellow color to it.
I went ahead and poured it into my sump in the area where I always add the other stuff. Mixed it well in the sump and then just waited to see if there would be any type of reaction from the corals.
After about five minutes all but two corals had there polyps out and extended quite a bit. I would even say the polyps where extended much more than they normally do. Of course I was told that this would happen by my LFS but seeing is believing. A short while later I proceeded to feed the tank as I normally do.
No other observations have been made at this time.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Interesting, I'm betting that you get some noticable difference in the speed of growth and or positive change in color.

I appreciate you documenting this process. So many other threads just post results and they are not quantifiable.

Keep us posted !

 

[Michael Mota]

I happen to notice last night before lights out one coral that was browned out has become lighter in color almost bleached. I also notice that the red color on my multi colored milli has started to become very bright red almost pink like. The only change to the tank is the Elos amino acids. I also have a Mike Palleta Blue coral and the tips seem to have a more intense blue color. These are corals I did not photo graph for before and after pics.

 

[Jeff]

I am very interested in the Elos amino acids and have waited to do anything. I cant wait to see how you do for a few weeks. I am planning a larger tank upgrade this summer and considered using this product due to the fact that is seems a lot less expensive then the other meathods such as Zeo etc.

Jeff

 

[Michael Mota]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10024791#post10024791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Engine 7
I am very interested in the Elos amino acids and have waited to do anything. I cant wait to see how you do for a few weeks. I am planning a larger tank upgrade this summer and considered using this product due to the fact that is seems a lot less expensive then the other meathods such as Zeo etc.

Jeff

I actually had used Salifert amino acids in the past with my last tank and did not see a difference with its addition to the tank. Also the stuff looked like water and had no smell to it which makes me think that it was pretty much water. Of course I am no chemist so I can't be sure. The other problem I have with most products in this hobby is that the manufacturers do not label what the ingredients are on the label. Makes me wonder why?
It is still to early to tell on the Elos Amino Acids but so far I am impressed. My multi-color Milli has colored up very nicely within a weeks time. And most of the browned out corals have lighten up tremendously and are taking on some nice colors.
Tomorrow the tank will receive the second dose.

 

[Jeff]

It is nice to hear that one of these additives that look great on the website/catalog actually seems to be working.
Have you seen the new amino acid by Elos? Click Me

Dont read the crap on the that thread hehe, just the info about the product.

Jeff

 

[Michael Mota]

Engine7,
Man what a mess of a thread that is! That is exactly what I do not want to happen to this thread!
I dosed the tank today before I fed the tank with 1 vial/packet of Elos Amino acids Monodose. After that I cleaned the glass of the tank with the magnet cleaner and of course I had to stare at the corals. I could not believe what I was seeing?! Most of the acros have grown about 1/2" of new growth. My blue ridge if I am to guess has grown maybe about an 1" of new growth. My multi colored Milli is now showing green with blue tips and pink high lights. The browned out acros have all lightened up and are beginning to show some nice colors. I also get really good polyp extension as soon as the Amino acids are dosed into the tank water. One coral that I was having trouble in coloring up seems to be turning a purple color just like the mother colonies was/is. Time will tell how this coral will do.
Again this is my experience and opinion with this product. Any one is welcome to comment but lets keep the tread on target and specific to this product.
thanks

 

[fisheebill]

Sounds awesome Michael!
Thanks!

 

[Jeff]

Sounds great 11 days and that much improvement is unbelievable.

 

[Saldarya]

I am going to chime in here as I have been using the Elos Omega AA for about a week now. I am using the new concentrated prodcut, and being very conservative with the dosing. The total water volume of the system is approx 75 gal, so I am dosing 3 drops every other night, about an hour before lights out. I feed Oyster Eggs primarliy 2 times a week about an hour after the AA are dosed.

My initial opinion is good so far. I have not seen any algae issues, that being said I skim hard and have tons of flow. I feel I have seen a bit of increase in Blues, especially on the tips of a particular Mille. Hate to hijack, but wanted to offer some more insight .

 

[flyingphish]

another elos AA user here...good stuff.