Quiverfull's Biggle Juice Expeeiment

[ReefsandGeeks]

Thank you. I didn't know if there was a deviation from the bottle's instructions per the BJ method or if it's simply using KC and Lugols as directed.

I do have a mixed reef, about 70% SPS and the rest are zoas and a hammer coral. Does anyone know if this will affect the soft coral as well? either good or bad.

 

[reefmutt]

I think it's pretty loose as to how much to use. But you certainly don't want to start with too much. It's an additive that requires close observation. Getting the right amount will vary from one system to another and may require experimenting with raising and or lowering the dose until you see the best (if any) colour shift.
In my case, I am also using the micro element additive Micro E which has other colour and health related elements so I am only using 1ml per day of KC in my 300 gallon tank (and a half dose of Micro E). Both Koralcolor and Micro E have manganese in them so I didn't want to over dose..

I think the first thing I saw was some colour improvement in the few favia type lps around my tank..

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

will using the biggles method require increasing light intensity, or will coral benefit from it? From reading about Lugols and KC, it seems that the coral will become more resistant to light, or able to tolerate more light.

I currently have a 160W LED over a 40 gallon tank, but I have it turned down to about 1/3 power (so about 50-60W). I've had minor issues that I suspected in the past were from my lights being too bright. I'd like to slowly turn them up with the Biggles method if it'll help growth and/or color.

 

[Piper27]

I don't really use bigglejuice but I do dose a combination of additives with the same elements. There are a lot to choose from which all have combinations of the same elements.
Devastator, I run a lot more light than normal on my 3 foot cube. I would attribute the amount of food I feed to being able to run a high par without problems. The elements may help, especially the zinc I would think, since it's supposed to help keep burnt tips from happening. And I like to use this element since I run potassium a little high. I run two 400w reflux 12k electronic hair settings and supplement with 4 t5s and 60 blue LEDs.
What I noticed with dosing elements that has maganese in it is a little sheen to the flesh of some corals which is nice, and a few looked a little more solid colored. I don't really like how much iron most companies put in their "bigglejuice" bottles. I have been dosing for a long time so I don't remember what things looked like without it to be honest, but they weren't much different. Changes you can see well will be small and I would care to say bottles gets his colors from good husbandry and other things more so than what he doses. l would rather dose this separate when needed, which is never in my experience. All it does is make greens more green and create algae growth. Which I would think this is what most of you all have noticed first right? Although cyano does cut back some especially in the nuisance areas where there is just a small spot of it.
I like this topic of conversation but I wish we would call it what it is so more people could understand what we are talking about. There are probably a lot more people who dose these elements in other products that could chime in with experience.

 

[Geeray]

I like this topic of conversation but I wish we would call it what it is so more people could understand what we are talking about. There are probably a lot more people who dose these elements in other products that could chime in with experience.

Come on anyone who frequents this form knows what biggle Juice is... Lol

 

[Rakie]

Great pictures... Some of the stuff I've seen here and in biggles thread gives me Acro Envy -- Which I just learned was a thing.

 

[Quiverfull]

"Biggle Juice" is just a term for a collection of additives that was coined by a fellow reefer, Biggles - see his post in "Splash of Color" . His original recipe called for dosing Brightwell's KoralColor and Lugols' solution along with an additive called TraceHard. He has since recommended only the KoralColor and Lugol's which is what I use at his recommendation via PM.

I think the discussion above points out that getting good results is more than just additives. It is good husbandry all around including great lighting (controversial subject) and pristine water with the right balance of nutrients which is a function of many factors including feeding, number of fish, skimming rate, water changes, etc. The fact is, as many have pointed out, no 2 systems are alike but there seems to be some common threads for results. i suggest following the most popular discussions in the sps forum. You will learn a tremendous amount from the "masters" of which I do not consider myself one of. It's important to stay dedicated and on top of things for good success.

All the Best,

Greg

 

[Bdial]

I am doing bj. But I'm doing Koralcolor, replenish and lugols. But I'm also dosing some zeo. Zeo start, sponge power, and zeo food 7. I like quiver lowered my replenish and kc because of a bit of algae. But now I'm running steady with good colors.

Hey quiver it's been over a month we need some pictures.

 

[reefmutt]

Hey Greg, may be time for some new photos..
Been a while.. Let's see how your reef is like its BJ!

 

[Quiverfull]

Well, had some issues lately. I can only attribute them to neglect secondary to work/travel. Had my large Cali tort and one of my smaller Cali's STN. I have fragged the large one and hopefully they will hang on but it's clearly not over for them. Luckily I have a fairly size able frag of my most colorful Cali (has been growing separately from the mother colony for several years) that I can restart with if the colonies continue to go south.

Mother colony:

Secondary colony:

Old frag:

I'm a little bummed. Need to get back in the game. Everything is looking a little pale. Haven't found the right fish to increase my fish quotient which I think will help some.




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[Quiverfull]

On the brighter side (better images) my SSC is doing really well:

And so is my sunset Millie:

I've noticed my purples have gotten more intense:

Tricolor:

Purple nana (on the far left) and purple stylophora (on the right):

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[Bdial]

Where at in Ohio? I'm bout 2 hrs from Columbus. Maybe I'll come up and get some of that Tort and keep it safe for you

 

[Rakie]

Amazing looking SSC!!!

 

[reefmutt]

Despite the issues, the corals are still looking pretty good.
I love your turbinaria colonies. The pe is still amazing!

 

[Big E]

Just my thoughts, but a random RTN to only one coral would make me look hard at what I'm dosing.

Not all corals will need or want some of those at certain levels. Each coral species has it's own set of specific bacteria that feeds the coral and an upset can cause a negative change or RTN.

I'd only dose cocktail mixes that have what's in them labeled on the bottles so you don't accidentaly double dip on certain trace elements. With these trace metals only being in natural seawater at parts per billion levels it's easy to overdose and there's a fine line between dosing being good and heavy metal damage.
Koralcolor doesn't list what's in the bottle but they stress not to overdose.

http://brightwellaquatics.com/products/koralcolort.php

I'd also note your green corals are showing the best response and the blue coral shows the RTN.

My personal suggestion would be not to cross mix different brands, it's what gets people in trouble. It's going to be most widely problematic months down the road not in a few weeks as it may take time to skew the levels.
Replenish and Koralcolor seem to work hand in hand for example.

 

[dadummy]

Just my thoughts, but a random RTN to only one coral would make me look hard at what I'm dosing.

Not all corals will need or want some of those at certain levels. Each coral species has it's own set of specific bacteria that feeds the coral and an upset can cause a negative change or RTN.

I'd only dose cocktail mixes that have what's in them labeled on the bottles so you don't accidentaly double dip on certain trace elements. With these trace metals only being in natural seawater at parts per billion levels it's easy to overdose and there's a fine line between dosing being good and heavy metal damage.
Koralcolor doesn't list what's in the bottle but they stress not to overdose.

http://brightwellaquatics.com/products/koralcolort.php

I'd also note your green corals are showing the best response and the blue coral shows the RTN.

My personal suggestion would be not to cross mix different brands, it's what gets people in trouble. It's going to be most widely problematic months down the road not in a few weeks as it may take time to skew the levels.
Replenish and Koralcolor seem to work hand in hand for example.

good info here, a tad bit too late for me, not that I would have listened lol.. I messed around with AF products and KC. Corals started looking amazing then it was too late, STN, RTN.

 

[Quiverfull]

Weird.. I can never measure either nitrate or phosphate (salifert, non expired kits) in my tank. It's been that way for several years. 0 0 all the time. Even when I get a small business t of cyano or other algae growth. It makes me paranoid I'm missing something.

For the past month or so, I've dropped my KC to 2 ml per day which is the recommended dose for my water volume. Lugol's is 1.5 ml per day (2 drops on the even days and 1 drop on odd days).


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[wheelman76]

Weird.. I can never measure either nitrate or phosphate (salifert, non expired kits) in my tank. It's been that way for several years. 0 0 all the time. Even when I get a small business t of cyano or other algae growth. It makes me paranoid I'm missing something.

For the past month or so, I've dropped my KC to 2 ml per day which is the recommended dose for my water volume. Lugol's is 1.5 ml per day (2 drops on the even days and 1 drop on odd days).


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Is that a typo on the Lugols dose ? Because 1.5ml per day is a tonne unless you've diluted it. I think most bottle droppers are somewhere around 20 drops equal 1ml or so.

 

[reefmutt]

I think that is supposed to be 1.5 drops.. Average of 1 drop and 2 drops in alternating days.
The problem with dosing blind is that you don't know if or when you've met natural seawater levels...
Greg, it may be time for some new shots! it's been, like.... Weeks and weeks..
And weeks...

 

[Quiverfull]

Right, sorry it is 1.5 DROPS, not mls. I will work on some more pictures. I need to get a bit more creative with my field of views and angles. Maybe something different from my iPhone.


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