Mhucasey's SPS obsession

[Myka]

Looks awesome Matt. I feel sorry for those sps in the flubber tank - they must be so embarassed.

 

[mhucasey]

Perhaps I should put under-performing SPS in there to teach them a lesson....."Flubber shaming":ape:

 

[Reefvet]

Good info, thanks! Any more detail on what is specifically in Acropower? I ask because Steve Garrett told me he tasted it and it was super sweet- which led him to speculate that Aspartame was a component. From what I read that wouldn't work, but Aspartic acid is a component of Aspartame. Is Aspartic acid sweet on its own?

It's pretty hard to determine what was used to produce a formulation once everything is in solution. I have some notes from the chemist but I didn't read them because they're in chemist speak. I'm a biologist, we're considered sub-human by chemist's :fun5:

I'll look at the notes and see if I can give you any more info.. I can tell you that it does need to be shaken before each use and after less than a year an open bottle does have a precipitate. So something(s) is going out of solution through chelating and/or oxidation plus evaporation.

FWIW I'm using it and from my experience it's like everything else with an SPS tank, there's a fine line between a useful dose and an over dose. That's fluent as well, photoperiod, temp, and current growth demands affect what works best.

 

[mhucasey]

It's pretty hard to determine what was used to produce a formulation once everything is in solution. I have some notes from the chemist but I didn't read them because they're in chemist speak. I'm a biologist, we're considered sub-human by chemist's :fun5:

I'll look at the notes and see if I can give you any more info.. I can tell you that it does need to be shaken before each use and after less than a year an open bottle does have a precipitate. So something(s) is going out of solution through chelating and/or oxidation plus evaporation.

FWIW I'm using it and from my experience it's like everything else with an SPS tank, there's a fine line between a useful dose and an over dose. That's fluent as well, photoperiod, temp, and current growth demands affect what works best.

Interesting, does it stratify if you don't shake it? I'm a Physiology and Neuroscience major myself, my mental block was with Physics. I dislike advanced math:debi:

 

[Reefvet]

I adjusted the valves and the skimmer went crazy and the tank got a big dose of bacteria.

Does the reactor effluent go through a filter sock ?

If not you may want to consider that for the future. There's a lot more than bacteria in what you dumped into the tank.

 

[Reefvet]

Interesting, does it stratify if you don't shake it?

Perhaps not the correct term, but, Yes

 

[.Chris.]

Interesting, does it stratify if you don't shake it? I'm a Physiology and Neuroscience major myself, my mental block was with Physics. I dislike advanced math:debi:

Meanwhile I'm a physicist and my block comes with chemistry and biology.

So it's not recommended to use acropower on a dosing pump? What would be the result of doing that? Suboptimal performance of the acropower? No effect? Negative effects?

 

[Myka]

Perhaps I should put under-performing SPS in there to teach them a lesson....."Flubber shaming":ape:

Brilliant idea. Please report back - it may be worth it to have a flubber tank across the room so the Acros can see it. Hehe

Well crap, now I'm going to have to taste the AcroPower.

 

[mhucasey]

Does the reactor effluent go through a filter sock ?

If not you may want to consider that for the future. There's a lot more than bacteria in what you dumped into the tank.

Probably a lot of carbohydrates from the pellets too. The reactor goes into a Tee on the skimmer inlet, so 100% goes into the skimmer. Some people have had issues with red sludge but I have had minimal amounts of that.

 

[mhucasey]

Meanwhile I'm a physicist and my block comes with chemistry and biology.

So it's not recommended to use acropower on a dosing pump? What would be the result of doing that? Suboptimal performance of the acropower? No effect? Negative effects?

I know a lot of people have done that(dosed with a dosing pump, no mixing) and reported good results, but for best results I guess a stirplate would be in order to keep it mixed.

 

[mhucasey]

Brilliant idea. Please report back - it may be worth it to have a flubber tank across the room so the Acros can see it. Hehe

Well crap, now I'm going to have to taste the AcroPower.

New "Coke A" sweetened with Acropower!

 

[slavetonet]

I am doing my own mix of amino acids. Yes it does taste sweet..
It isnt the aspactic acid, which is sour on its own.
Glucose in my mix would be the cause.
Someone else at the LFS mentioned she accidentally mistaken it for coconut juice and drank from acro power. She said it was sweet.

 

[reefmutt]

Well crap, now I'm going to have to taste the AcroPower.

Well, I'm a sociologist/fish guy.. My mental block was chemistry.. Biology.. Physics.. Neuroscience.... And advanced math..

Gimme that acropower!!! Thirsty fer sumthin' sweet!!

 

[mhucasey]

The Euroquatics LED tubes are available for pre-order. I think I'll start with four of the "Blue Pop" tubes, and get that royal blue goodness in the tank:

 

[reefmutt]

Matt, does it concern you at all that although these bulbs have the same or similar peak as the plus plus bulbs, they do not have any of the higher areas of the spectrum (green and yellow)?
I'm very curious to see your tank's reaction to these babies.

 

[mhucasey]

Matt, does it concern you at all that although these bulbs have the same or similar peak as the plus plus bulbs, they do not have any of the higher areas of the spectrum (green and yellow)?
I'm very curious to see your tank's reaction to these babies.

I'm looking at them for my dawn and dusk bulbs to start, and like that the peak is at 450 rather than 465 like the blue plus. Since the FM royal blue bulbs still aren't available here I'm thinking that these will fill in for them nicely. That radium-like 450NM peak is great for coral color.

Because there is no green peak, they likely can't replace all the current blue bulbs I have, it would be too dim. They have a cool white bulb that I may get to try, I can always use it on the Flubber reef. Diffuse cool white mixed with these bulbs plus an aquablue special and a Fiji purple might be workable. I'll be the Guinea pig on this one.

While I think 99% of LED fixtures are missing something based on recommended density and such, I am a huge believer in the Lani LED panels and they get by with blue, cool white, and 400nm UV only. Perhaps the right mix of these LEDs would work as well. They just need to make more colors.

 

[Myka]

I tasted the AcroPower - it is very sweet. Not chemical sweet. Almost like honey in water. Quite tasty actually.

 

[slavetonet]

I tasted the AcroPower - it is very sweet. Not chemical sweet. Almost like honey in water. Quite tasty actually.

Interesting - I might take a sip later on tonight. :beer:

 

[.Chris.]

You guys are all nuts. Why are you tasting your acropower? Hahaha.

 

[joshky]

You guys are all nuts. Why are you tasting your acropower? Hahaha.

DITTO. :lolspin: