My Bacteria System

[newsalt]

Started my own version of Polyp Lab Reef-resh system. the Reef-resh system consists of:
RF Genesis
RF Plus
RF Acids
RF Fuel

I'm substituting the following for the Polyp Lab products:

Brightwell MicroBacter7 (for RF Genesis)
Zeo Coral Vitalizer (for RF Plus)
Zeo Amino Acids High Concentrate (for RF Acids)
Brightwell Reef BioFuel (for RF Fuel)

My dosing is going to be:
MB7 : 4 drops/day
AAHC: 4 drops/day
Coral Vitalizer: 4 dropsday
BioFuel: 6ml/day for weeks 1&2, 8ml/day for weeks 3&4, 10ml/day for week 5 and on.

Today PO4 measured 0.08 (Hanna)
Nitrate measured 0 (Salifert)

 

[crab0000]

What size tank do you have? I'm interested to see what results you have!

 

[newsalt]

What size tank do you have? I'm interested to see what results you have!

I have a 180g SPS Reef. I'll post results

 

[thejuggernaut]

Following along. We need some FTS of the tank before you get started though!

 

[newsalt]

I'll take one tonight and post.

 

[elijaher]

Tagged alone

 

[nickxx4360]

taged

 

[newsalt]

Some pictures I took tonight 11/23/09:

Full Tank Shot:

Left Side:

Right Side:

 

[newsalt]

I was using Lugol's Solution to try and bring out the "blues" in the coral. I've been dosing 1 drop/day for approx. 2 months and have not ssen any inprovement in the blues. I'm thinking about stopping the Lugol's, and switching to Zeo's PIF (Potassium Iodide Flouride) at 4 drops/day.

 

[newsalt]

I switched today from Lugol's to Zeo's PIF (Potassium Iodide Flouride) at 4 drops/day we'll see how that goes.

 

[Henry Bowman]

I have recently started using MB7 as opposed to Zeo's Bac for cost reasons only. It will be interesting to see how mixing some of the different systems components respond to each other.

I have not had any issues with switching over, other than spending less $$$....

I am still using the ZeoLiths, Start2, AA's and PIF as well as sponge power, coral snow and ZZ.

 

[newsalt]

Water Params this morning:

PO4: 0.04
Nitrate: 0
Alk: 8.96
Ca:435

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

4 gtts isn't very much! Are you at ULN now? I have lots of fish and rock I add about 20 gtts/day in my 175 (170gal net) and 10gtts in my 90 (60gal net) daily.

 

[newsalt]

gtts

What is gtts?

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

drops....sorry.

 

[newsalt]

I'm using 4 drops because I'm trying to take this process slowly.

 

[newsalt]

One month into this homemade system. I still have some patches of hair algea that I can't seem to shake.

I stopped dosing ZeoVit PIF as it didn't seem to be doing anything. My Nitrates seem very low with my Salifert Kit and my PO4 seems to be hanging around 0.04. Yesterday I started dosing Zeovit Sponge Power to see if that would help the coral colors. Only problem with Sponge Power is that mojano's love it to. I'm trying to find out what Brightwells equivalent to Sponge Power is. My current daily dosing schedule is:

MB7 : 6 drops/day
AAHC: 6 drops/day
Coral Vitalizer: 6 drops/day
BioFuel: 4ml/day
Sponge Power: 6 drops/day

Any ideas what to do to drop the PO4 a little more? I'm trying to get it to about 0.02.

 

[Orr2003]

any ideas what to do to drop the po4 a little more? I'm trying to get it to about 0.02.

gfo

 

[newsalt]

gfo

I didn't think you were supposed to use gfo when you're carbon dosing.

 

[Henry Bowman]

I didn't think you were supposed to use gfo when you're carbon dosing.

There was a heated debate on the Zeo Forums about using GFO's in ULNS systems. Some swore by using it and others that tried it ended up with STN problems. IF...anyone should decide to try, I would go very slowly with it.

Within the debate there were quite a few posts regarding corals NEEDING a minute amt of Phosphates and Nitrates in the system. FWIW I have read other posts regarding ULNS systems whos owners actually dosed nitrates and "reported" increased growth. IDK, I'd be afraid to try that....

NewSalt... Sponge power is a food support supplement for filter feeders. It is also supposed to help with the bacterial population. When I have used it, I have also noticed no difference in corals.