Hey do you still run the mixed system? Do you mind if I ask some questions on how you're running your systems?
1. Are you using zeostart or -np pro?
2. Are you running phos minus or no GFO at all?
3. Did you have any big issues mostly due to mixing the brands?
Or anything else you've experienced that you'd mention? Thanks!
I do. I run a sort of Spike's System now. Keep in mind I just tore down the tank because the leasing office wants to assess water (floor) damage, so all my corals and critters are living in a sump.
I will answer based on "as of 2 days ago":
- Neither. I used to use -NP Pro, but the effect was slow. I believe it's a form of liquid biopellet in a sense. I was dosing vinegar (around 20 mL for a 40 gal / 150 L system), plus 1/2 L biopellets (that I got for "free" for buying a reactor, so I feel compelled to use it and not throw it away, even though thus far I believe it's done nothing). To get the nitrates down initially though, I actually only dosed a little bit of vinegar (~10 mL), and mostly dosed sugar (~5 - 10 packets/day). I had to dose phosphate though (I was a few hundred ppm nitrate and 0 phosphate). I'd dose phosphate using Randy's techniques .. As for the few hundred ppm nitrate I measured using RedSea Pro kit--they teach you to do a dilution to get a higher multiple.. so if you dilute your sample to 1/10, then whatever your test result, you multiply by 10). I also purchased a really big calcium reactor, and will use that as a sulfur denitrator (unfortunately that only knocks out your nitrates and not your phosphates, and consumes alkalinity. Carbon dosing on the other hand, produces alkalinity. I'm going to be working on producing a method to balance the production of alkalinity from carbon dosing vs the loss of alkalinity from sulfur denitration. I also am the proud owner of a ClearWater Algae Scrubber.It works really well. I use a card to scrape off algae every 1-2 weeks.
- I ran Phos Minus. It works quite well. There are reviews that indicate it won't fit in a BRS media bag and will leak out, but that's simply not true. I pulled the draw string, did one of those grocery bag knots, then did another such knot on the whole bag, and put the bag in the sump. I'm placing a huge order of high capacity BRS GFO though. Going thru a reactor would've been way better though, and when I rebuild the tank, that's how I'll set it up. Also I tried Phosphat-E for a bit. If you try that, be careful as it heavily depletes alkalinity. I did run into the problem where the rocks were leaching out phosphates (yes, the same phosphates I dosed above. Irony, eh?) I used half a jug and phosphates just kept coming back, but I had no more GFO on hand. Also it leaves a nasty white coating .. I regret buying three jugs. I'll use it in moderation. I did also buy spa cleaner. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CMQZZJ6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 .. you can see in reviews that other people have been using this for some time. It seems to be alkalinity-neutral.
- No issues mixing brands. The issue came up when a poor fish died and that caused an ammonia spike. Most of the components such as aminos, vitamins .. get what works. For certain things like metals, you can make them yourself. I started by buying them (e.g., KZ iron) then in learning from Randy and others, realised how silly it was. For something like Pohls Xtra Special,
Here is my dose list. Asterix means I
currently dose it still to my sump aquarium. Hash tags means it's on a dosing pump.
- * Aquaforest MicroE Elemenents -- will be discontinuing after bottle's empty and using my own manufactured macro and micro elements
- Aquaforest Pro Bio S Probiotic Bacteria
- * Aquaforest Amino Mix Amino Acids -- dose this quite a bit when you have nearly 0 nitrates and phosphates
- * Aquaforest Vitality Coral Vitamins
- Zeovit Zeospur Macro Elements -- will be discontinuing after bottle's empty and using my own manufactured macro and micro elements
- * Zeovit Pohl's Coral Vitalizer
- Zeovit Zeospur 2 -- dose way less than instructions (maybe up to 1/2), but it does work
- Zeovit Bio-Mate
- * Zeovit Amino Acid Concentrate -- dose this quite a bit when you have nearly 0 nitrates and phosphates
- * Zeovit Sponge Power -- this is a fav of the KZ forums
- * Zeovit Zeofood 7 -- a lot of people hate it because of side effects like cyano, but I have not experienced this
- Zeovit Zeobak Microorganism Solution
- # Zeovit Coral Booster -- another really good one
- # Zeovit Zeozym
- # Zeovit Zeolife
- # Zeovit Amino Acid Concentrate LPS -- another fav
- # Zeovit Pohl's Xtra Special
- # Flatworm Stop
- Spike's Coral Snow -- https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-kz-coral-snow-with-97-purity.211722/
- * Spike's Iron
- Spike's Manganese
- Spike's Potassium (in lieu of Zeovit K-Balance)
- Spike's Moly
- Spike's Copper
- ... and several others, all using Randy's recipes found on R2R
It doesn't take a long time to dose. If it takes you a long time to do a couple of drops, you're not doing it right =P
The sump aquarium is heavy water changes. The new tank's parameters will match the sump tank (..oh right: I use Aquaforest Probiotic Reef Salt. I add additional Red Sea Black Bucket salt, dissolved, to main tank when the salinity starts to drop to 33-34 ppt. Otherwise, I try to keep it at 35 ppt.)
This is the bulk of the effect. Many people say you must follow any of the systems precisely. I find that mixing and matching doesn't really mess things up (unless of course, say you're trying to make certain corals more red, and you essentially overdose a component by using multiple brands). Instead, I find that falling outside of these parameters on multiple counts might not be so good:
I try to follow recommendations of both beloved Aquaforest and KZ Zeovit alike, as well as the venerable Dr Randy: Randy's recommendations:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/
Aquaforest and KZ Zeovit's recommendations (I searched for the newest sources .. they both changed their recommendations over time):
For zeolites, I've been using Aquaforest Zeo Mix, but I'm placing a 20 bag order of KZ Zeovit zeolites to try them out, as I just bought (and assembled) an Avast Marine auto-shaking reactor!! Everyone says you don't have to shake the Aquaforest zeolites (even their own site); however, if you do, you'll find white mulm go into your display tank (good).
Oh right. If nitrates or phosphates are high, you won't see the special effects of the Zeovit or Aquaforest Probiotic systems.
For sort of my angle on all this:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dizastix-a-tank-for-the-road.400338/
lot's of good information there.
