Aquaforest ulns system

jtietz · Sep 9, 2017

Starting a new ulns system and would like to start a conversation about the setup and progression if it. I am not new to reefing. Ive been the hobby for 10ish yrs. I sold my 210 mixed reef which most would consider a dream tank and went nano. The new aquarium is 25 gallons and will be a ulns system using all aqua forest products. Live stock will be all sps, a pair of clowns, and a clam.
Components list...
- 25 gallon IM nuvo lagoon all in one
- A350w kessil led tuna blue wide
- IM auto top off
- Aquatop reactor mr-20
- Pls50 CAD lights skimmer
- marine pure balls
- 18lbs of tonga granch rock
- DA reefkeeper rkl
- DA reefkeeper sl2 v2
- jebao dp2 dosing pump
- jebao dp4s slave dosing pump
- jebao wave maker
- 2x IM 360 spin

Attached are pics of new aquarium and 1 nostalgic pic of my old reef

jtietz · Sep 9, 2017

Please send ideas and or sugestions

Anirban · Sep 9, 2017

Welcome to R2R. To start with I would say you can skip the probiotic salt and components 123 for some months atleast when the tank is cycling. Just get some Bio S and NP Pro and dose as per recommendation for next 2 weeks. You can use the reef salt for now. Then once the cycle is over and you have enough corals then shift to pro biotic salt if you wish and start dosing Pro bio S and NP pro as per recommendation. If you are not planning a SPS dominant tank then you don't need to follow a probiotic method.

jtietz · Sep 9, 2017

Anirban said:
Welcome to R2R. To start with I would say you can skip the probiotic salt and components 123 for some months atleast when the tank is cycling. Just get some Bio S and NP Pro and dose as per recommendation for next 2 weeks. You can use the reef salt for now. Then once the cycle is over and you have enough corals then shift to pro biotic salt if you wish and start dosing Pro bio S and NP pro as per recommendation. If you are not planning a SPS dominant tank then you don't need to follow a probiotic method.

Thank you for your response... i am not going touse cal, mag, or alk till i get corals so i can dose accordingly. Ill prob use the probiotic salt from the beginning since i already bought it. Bio s, bio s pro, and np pro are in the mail and plan on using them from the start. The question i have for everyone is should i use my reactor from the start with the zeo mix, phos minus, and carbon?

chefjpaul · Sep 9, 2017

Nice set up, I've had a nuvo 40, good little tanks.

I run full AF on my new tank that is about 6 mo. Old, I still havent switched to probiotic salt yet, still using reef salt with only 20 sps frags.

Just go slow with it, like zeo.
It can keep nutrients down pretty quickly.
I like their life bio fil as well.

jtietz · Sep 9, 2017

chefjpaul said:
Nice set up, I've had a nuvo 40, good little tanks.

I run full AF on my new tank that is about 6 mo. Old, I still havent switched to probiotic salt yet, still using reef salt with only 20 sps frags.

Just go slow with it, like zeo.
It can keep nutrients down pretty quickly.
I like their life bio fil as well.

Yes i hear the bio fil is great. Can you tell me more about your experience with it.

jtietz · Sep 9, 2017

jtietz said:
Thank you for your response... i am not going touse cal, mag, or alk till i get corals so i can dose accordingly. Ill prob use the probiotic salt from the beginning since i already bought it. Bio s, bio s pro, and np pro are in the mail and plan on using them from the start. The question i have for everyone is should i use my reactor from the start with the zeo mix, phos minus, and carbon?

Oh and it will be all sps

chefjpaul · Sep 10, 2017

jtietz said:
Yes i hear the bio fil is great. Can you tell me more about your experience with it.

I run a large skimmer, bio s, np pro, siporax, marine pur block (block is a few years old from last tank).

I was having no3 to high for my very low almost zero po4, added the bio fil to help with the bio s / np pro as experiment. I belive it did help in aiding in lowering the no3 but not to drastically while keeping it steady, I think its just another good media for bacteria to party on. It will take more time to see the full effects, but for this short time, its going well

jtietz · Sep 10, 2017

Ok. I filled both overflow bays with marine pure balls. This should be enough surface for bacteria since the rock is tonga and not very poruis. But i will keep the bio fil as a back note in case i need more media.

Anirban · Sep 10, 2017

Just start with 14 days of Bio S and NP Pro then shift to Pro bio S. you don't need to start the reactor now but start the skimmer on after 7 days. If you have some space then put a litre of siporax it will help in long run.

jtietz · Sep 10, 2017

Anirban said:
Just start with 14 days of Bio S and NP Pro then shift to Pro bio S. you don't need to start the reactor now but start the skimmer on after 7 days. If you have some space then put a litre of siporax it will help in long run.

Thank you for this schedule. Ill be starting the cycle within the next 2 weeks. Ill keep everyone up dated on the progress.

jtietz · Oct 1, 2017

jtietz said:
Starting a new ulns system and would like to start a conversation about the setup and progression if it. I am not new to reefing. Ive been the hobby for 10ish yrs. I sold my 210 mixed reef which most would consider a dream tank and went nano. The new aquarium is 25 gallons and will be a ulns system using all aqua forest products. Live stock will be all sps, a pair of clowns, and a clam.
Components list...
- 25 gallon IM nuvo lagoon all in one
- A350w kessil led tuna blue wide
- IM auto top off
- Aquatop reactor mr-20
- Pls50 CAD lights skimmer
- marine pure balls
- 18lbs of tonga granch rock
- DA reefkeeper rkl
- DA reefkeeper sl2 v2
- jebao dp2 dosing pump
- jebao dp4s slave dosing pump
- jebao wave maker
- 2x IM 360 spin

Attached are pics of new aquarium and 1 nostalgic pic of my old reef

If anyone was interested in following the progress of this system. Its been 14 days of since i filled it with aquaforest probiotic salt. Every day i dose 1 drop of Bio s, Pro Bio S, and NP pro. After testing all levels are perfect except ph. It was 8.13 with is in the realm of acceptable. According to Aquaforest im aloud to add fish and inverts now including sps. So here is what i added.
- nassarious snails
- 4 asteria snails
- 1 skunk cleaner shrimp
- 1 green eyed montipora frag $100

I agree adding a sps coral after 14 day old setup is crazy but Aquaforest says i can. I figured for $10 ill test it out for everyone. Ill keep everone posted.

jtietz · Oct 1, 2017

jtietz said:
If anyone was interested in following the progress of this system. Its been 14 days of since i filled it with aquaforest probiotic salt. Every day i dose 1 drop of Bio s, Pro Bio S, and NP pro. After testing all levels are perfect except ph. It was 8.13 with is in the realm of acceptable. According to Aquaforest im aloud to add fish and inverts now including sps. So here is what i added.
- nassarious snails
- 4 asteria snails
- 1 skunk cleaner shrimp
- 1 green eyed montipora frag $100

I agree adding a sps coral after 14 day old setup is crazy but Aquaforest says i can. I figured for $10 ill test it out for everyone. Ill keep everone posted.

Here is the monti

jtietz · Oct 3, 2017

Just finished my dosing system. Made a bracket with some blk plastic from a milk crate and some air hose connections. Using 6 dosing pumps. 3 for alk,cal,and mag. The other 3 will be for the color uo components.

Ubergroover · Oct 3, 2017

jtietz said:
Starting a new ulns system and would like to start a conversation about the setup and progression if it. I am not new to reefing. Ive been the hobby for 10ish yrs. I sold my 210 mixed reef which most would consider a dream tank and went nano. The new aquarium is 25 gallons and will be a ulns system using all aqua forest products. Live stock will be all sps, a pair of clowns, and a clam.
Components list...
- 25 gallon IM nuvo lagoon all in one
- A350w kessil led tuna blue wide
- IM auto top off
- Aquatop reactor mr-20
- Pls50 CAD lights skimmer
- marine pure balls
- 18lbs of tonga granch rock
- DA reefkeeper rkl
- DA reefkeeper sl2 v2
- jebao dp2 dosing pump
- jebao dp4s slave dosing pump
- jebao wave maker
- 2x IM 360 spin

Attached are pics of new aquarium and 1 nostalgic pic of my old reef