Newbie - Where To Start

[G.Alexander]

Sounds good, lets do some smaller changes to your dosing regimen:

Zeo CV-4 drops 2 x weekly
Xtra-2ml, 2 times a week
Zeo AA-2 drops, 2 times a week
Zeo BB-2ml, 3 times a week
Zeo PIF-2 drops, 2 times a week
Sponge Power 2 drops every other day
CoralSnow 2ml, 3 times a week
Zeo KB-keeps 380 mg stable

Additional 2 drops ZeoBac 2 x weekly & 0.2 ml ZeoStart 2 x daily

Replace the ZeoVit material every 6 weeks, the carbon every 4 weeks on alternate days.

G.Alexander

[UncleFester]

Thanks G.Alexander, I have just changed the Zeo stones, so, will dose 2 Drops ZeoBac 2 x daily, all others will revert to above dosing instructions.

Im dealing with a large infestation of Aiptasia and have just introduced 6 Berghia Nudibranches, so, hopefully over the coming weeks and months the Aip's should be gone.

In addition to the above, would there be any other additives that I should be dosing ?

Thanks in advance.

[G.Alexander]

Basically the products you use should be enough if everything runs fine. Personally I would add BioMate to the dosing regimen (4 drops 2 x weekly) additional but this can also be done later.

G.Alexander

[UncleFester]

Been a while so though I would share my current parameters and an up-date on the system;

Dosing the following;

Zeo CV-4 drops 2 x weekly
Xtra-2ml, 2 times a week
Zeo AA-2 drops, 2 times a week
Zeo BB-2ml, 3 times a week
Zeo PIF-2 drops, 2 times a week
Sponge Power 2 drops every other day
CoralSnow 2ml, 3 times a week
Zeo KB-keeps 380 mg stable

Calcium 30ml Daily
Alk 24ml Daily
Magnesium 6ml Daily

Since my last post there has been quite a demand on the 3 main elements, Calc, Alk and Magnesium, this has now been brought back into check with my current parameters are as follows;

Calcium 410
Alk 7.0
Magnesium 1250
PH 8.2
Phosphate 0 (Nyos Test Kit)
Nitrate 3 (Nyos Test Kit)
SG 1.025

The tanks is really starting to bloom with SPS Corals showing good signs of growth, LPS are all looking well and growing, the one thing that is causing me some concern is browning on certain corals.

I have had this happen before with the corals eventually returning to full colour, but, at a loss as to why this has happened and continues to happen with certain corals, currently have got some first fire mdntipora that is heavily browned and a plating montipora (unsure of name) doing the same.

There is also a Mdntipora True Un Data that was fine for two weeks, then loss of colour and minor patches of browning ?

Would welcome as always input and any suggestions as to the browning of certain colours.

Thanks in advance.

[G.Alexander]

Montipora corals are sensitive to lower potassium concentrations, have you checked the level already ? Do they just loose color or does growth also decrease ?

G.Alexander

[UncleFester]

Potassium levels are fine, if anything, I would say too high as they are well over 400, both colour and growth, interestingly enough, Stylophora and Poccilipora are growing really well and colours are vibrant ?

[G.Alexander]

Can you please additional post the actual PO4 level ?

Also do the affected corals stay in the system doing fine before they suddenly start to get darker tissue ?

Can you post some pictures which does show those corals ?

Are all kind of corals affected or just Montipora corals ?

G.Alexander

[UncleFester]

Firstly apologies for the late reply, I believe that I may have resolved the issue as corals are looking lot healthier since my last post. Basically I removed the browned parts from the coral, increased water changes over a few weeks and have introduced Flatwork stop, which I think is purely coincidental to the outcome, that being said, corals look healthier. I have also purchased the latest Hanna Nitrate checker along with their phosphorous checker so will post parameters over the weekend. I'm sure that I be asked this before but wanted to double check, when changing the Zeo media, ow much of the old media should be retained, thanks in advance.

[G.Alexander]

Glad to hear things are looking better. Always just replace 90% of the material while keeping ~ 10% of the old material in the reactor. This will speed up the process to colonize the fresh material with bacteria.

G.Alexander

[UncleFester]

A few pictures to show progress

[UncleFester]

Current water parameters are as follows;

Nitrate 3.28 Hanna Checker
Calcium 420 Hanna Checker
Phosphate 0.015 Hanna UL Phospherous Checker
Alk 6.8 Hanna Checker
PH 8.2
Magnesium 1280
SG 1.026

In terms of Zeo products used, I have been using Flatworm Stop for approx 2 months now, I have noticed that my SPS appear stronger, thicker branches and better polyp extension.

I had cut back on all other supplements as was working on getting my Phosphate and Nitrates down, which appears to have worked, albeit the Nyos testers were showing a zero result, however the Hanna checkers proved otherwise, I have also had my results double-checked with a fellow reefer.

As was pointed out to me some time ago, it's not about chasing numbers albeit they are an important part of the process, it's more how the corals look, which I am now beginning to better understand.

Current issues, been having issues with Cyano, which im sure is down to the drop in both Phosphate and nitrate levels, I am currently treating with Cyano clean and daily stirring of the sand bed, im confident that over time this will receed.

The other issue is Bryopsis, TBH not entirely sure on the best method to eradicate as I am not keen on some of the chemicals that are being recommended, so, would welcome your input. I ma currently manually removing this every other day, so keen to get a better resolution.

Overall, delighted with the way things are shaping up and how the tank is taking shape, still early days, (10 Months In) but the growth and colour over the past few months is impressive.