What SPS additives do you use?

[ecam]

I recently hit the magic number of zero for phos and nitrates. At this point I assume im running a ULNS. So now its time to start adding back the good stuff. Just wanted to see what the "Pros" use for their SPS tanks. in order to get great growth.

Tank info:

Im running an 8-bulb ATI fixture on my 180 gallon mixed reef tank. SPS are doing okay but not super. With the ATI fixture it cant be the lighting.. So im focusing on nutrients. My current salt is Salinity and I do a 20 gallon water change every 2 weeks. In addition, Im running bio pellets (thinking of pulling them) and lots of GFO and carbon. I also have a cyano issue, which is concerning, but im letting everything settle.

 

[horseplay]

I am using red sea energy a+b for two weeks now. Not seeing a lot of difference but I will let you know in a month.

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[iTzJu]

when I had my frag tank running and what I soon will do once I beat my cyano issue on my display was dose various amino acid products.

I used Acropower, Brightwells CoralAmino and Red Sea Reef Energy A+B. I would dose every other day alternating each product and dosed half of the recommended doses to prevent any nutrient spikes. I had great colors on my sps, lps and good growth with my zoas.

with all things reef, patience is the key. not one product is the go to product. they all do help alittle though.

 

[Classklown90]

Acropower!!

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[ecam]

Judeo. What are u doing to combat the cyano issue?

 

[iTzJu]

Judeo. What are u doing to combat the cyano issue?

water changes, gfo, and dosing probido bioclean or coral snow with mb7. im down to just small patches of cyano thats just holding on. the sand bed was covered in cyano 2 weeks ago when I came back from Canada. Auto feeder is to blame, it was feeding too much while i was away and with a fairly young tank, a cyano heaven.

 

[Mike S]

Acropower!!

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I started using it about two weeks ago. I didn't notice much of a difference the first week but I just came home from being out of town for a few days and noticed an increase in color on a few pieces that have been washed out for a while.

 

[jgraz]

It's possible that the SPS don't look so great cause you nutrients are so low. Ever since pulling my pellets and increasing my feeding I have seen better color and growth. I add nothing for the coral. They get what they get if it's naturally occurring in the system. I think the case for 0's in this hobby is not always a good thing.

 

[Mike S]

That is a strong possibility. My nitrates and phosphate have been reading 0 with little cheato growth. I took my biopellets offline a few weeks ago and in an attempt squash the dinos in my tank stopped water changes about two weeks ago. I'm going to test my phosphate and nitrate this weekend before starting water changes again. Ill be curious to see if the levels have risen.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm not understanding running biopellets with GFO.....especially early in the game. Biopellets don't work if you don't have the proper balance of phosphates and nitrates. You eventually can start GFO with biopellets if you see that your phosphate number is through the roof. Otherwise, GFO should be off-line for the first six months or so of Biopellets.

 

[ecam]

I'm not understanding running biopellets with GFO.....especially early in the game. Biopellets don't work if you don't have the proper balance of phosphates and nitrates. You eventually can start GFO with biopellets if you see that your phosphate number is through the roof. Otherwise, GFO should be off-line for the first six months or so of Biopellets.

Paul my phos was .18 and up. needed phos

 

[mnat]

As I posted in another thread:

DISCLAIMER: Dosing for SPS is not a magic cure all that will give you instant color, pe and growth IF YOUR ALK, CAL, AND MAG are our of line.

With that being said, if you are running a ULNS system through zeo or biopellets/carbon dosing, it has been shown that corals (especially SPS) can lose their color because there is nothing in the system to "feed" them. This is why zeo had all the additives to add if you are doing the full zeo system. I would look at their line first. I have heard great things so far about acro power, I will be picking up some in the next couple of days and will add my input.

 

[jgraz]

Paul my phos was .18 and up. needed phos

Edwin, if your po4 was that high using Biopellets I suspect that you did not have enough nitrates in the system. There must be both po4 and nitrates present in order for Biopellets to perform properly. This is why many say to add Biopellets after the system has been established rather then at startup.

 

[ecam]

Edwin, if your po4 was that high using Biopellets I suspect that you did not have enough nitrates in the system. There must be both po4 and nitrates present in order for Biopellets to perform properly. This is why many say to add Biopellets after the system has been established rather then at startup.

So essentially i should just pull the pellets for now.... Remember guys although the tank got put up in Aug. Everything came from my 120 that was running for at least a 1yr or so

 

[Paul B]

Basically nothing but baking soda and driveway ice melter.