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reefraf

My fork in the road - Ultra Low Nutrient levels

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by
reefraf
, 04-12-2010 at 09:53 AM (3293 Views)
Marc, You have always been a great resource as I have gone through my reefing journey. You built my sump and have answered numerous questions for me. My tank has been established for a year and is thriving. Over the last three months I have been adding corals. So far everything is thriving, although I have had some algee issues - which i hope are gone for good now. In taking my reef to the next level, I feel like I have a decision to make and have no idea which way to go.

I have been looking into some form of ultra low nutrient level system and dosing. I have scoured the internet and found many fragmented parts that talk about it, but they usually end is arguments. I think this would be a great piece for your new site. I know you carbon dose, and you or others on here probably have some familiarity with other methods.

Frankly, Zeovit doesnt seem like a bad idea but i dont know what kind of bacteria I am putting in the tank and is is really safe to stick my hand in the water after that? I believe you dose vodka and your tank loks great, although you dont get the extreme colors. Others use probiotic. And next is a calcium reactor better with this or a 2 part? Help!

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Comments

  1. agsansoo's Avatar
    Please provide some system details please.
  2. Tumbleweed's Avatar
    All of the methods you mentioned above are used for different things. Running carbon helps rid the system of any toxens that might be present and also helps the clarity of the water. Dosing vodka is to help lower Nitrates in your tank. Running a calcium reactor or using some sort of 2-Part dosing method is used to help maintain the right clacium and alkalinity levels in your tank.
    So it depends on what you are trying to accomplish as to what you should do. Also as Agsansoo states more info about your tank would help. Tank parameters, size, inhabitants and so forth.
  3. salty's Avatar
    i dose zeo vit and i love it. i dont use there four part but i use there coral vitalizer, pohls extra, b-balance, pohls sponge power, and potassium iodide flouride. my colors look amazing and now im going try making my own dosing chamber for pickling lime.
  4. melev's Avatar
    I think coloration is based on several things, including the lighting above. If the corals are healthy and you put a 14,000K Phoenix bulb over the tank along with actinics, hardly a soul will ever avert their gaze. It just looks stunning.

    The various bacterial products on the market aren't even labeled as a risk factor to hobbyists reaching in the tank, so I wouldn't worry about that. A calcium reactor is nice once dialed in, but some opt to use 2-part with dosing systems instead. Either way is a requirement for alk & ca demands, so you'll have to decide which one is for you.

    This is a good topic, and as you pointed out the information can be scattered and the discussions heated. The trick is finding the most facts and deciding for yourself what sounds reasonable.
  5. agsansoo's Avatar
    Lets see ... I've tried VSV (vodka, sugar and vinegar), Prodibio, Zeovit and NeoZeo systems ! All with some success. The problem is how to determine how much bacteria and carbon source to dose and maintain ULNL. (more later, I'm at work)
  6. agsansoo's Avatar
    My favorite system has been the NeoZeo system. Very simple. Bacteria (MB7), carbon source (BioFuel) and zeolites. Before using neozeo I couldn't keep any sps's alive. They all died. I was just about to give up on the hobby and then my tank started to take off.

    Before Neozeo:


    After Neozeo:


    There's nothing natural about a glass box full of saltwater in your living room, whether it's 5 gallons or 500 gallons. My tank was just missing something. I feel it was beneficial bacteria. Is it all just snake oil ? Maybe. All I know my tank seems to like it.
    Updated 06-10-2010 at 05:51 PM by agsansoo