Getting back to AF, questions about some products

[wdavid]

I have a 75G display that I'd like to get back on AF with, and had some questions.

1) I've used Bio S, Pro Bio S, -NP pro for nutrient control in the past, but for SPS tank, should I be using Pro Bio F and/or zeolite/phosminus as well for nutrient control?

2) Last time I used AF build & energy one day and AF vitality & aminos another day, switching off. But now I see AF pure food, AF growth boost, and AF power food as well? Which do I use for keeping SPS based tank? The later 3 seems redundant to me compared to the other ones? Or are they different enough to be used along with the previous 4 I mentioned?

3) What's in AF life source and how is it helping me? "components and minerals derived from natural environment." but what is it? Am I putting in mud that contains microbes to increase biodiversity or is this some sort of trace element supplement?

4) I have a product called "Coral B" I got from someone, what does this do? The picture looks similar to the AF build, does it do a similar function/ contain similar items just packaged new? Or something completely different?

5) Which recipe is the right one for the balling method? I saw a youtube video of you guys mixing the magnesium in to the 3rd solution but I also saw forum posts and another video of you mixing magnesium into the 1st solution. Can you use the liquid CA, KH and Mag to make balling? Or only the dried products?

6) Which products have to be stored in a fridge? The storage gets pretty hot during summer so anything that is heat sensitive needs to be put away for me. I know the Bio S and Pro Bio S needs to be after opening, what else?

Thanks.

 

[Anirban]

I have a 75G display that I'd like to get back on AF with, and had some questions.

1) I've used Bio S, Pro Bio S, -NP pro for nutrient control in the past, but for SPS tank, should I be using Pro Bio F and/or zeolite/phosminus as well for nutrient control?

2) Last time I used AF build & energy one day and AF vitality & aminos another day, switching off. But now I see AF pure food, AF growth boost, and AF power food as well? Which do I use for keeping SPS based tank? The later 3 seems redundant to me compared to the other ones? Or are they different enough to be used along with the previous 4 I mentioned?

3) What's in AF life source and how is it helping me? "components and minerals derived from natural environment." but what is it? Am I putting in mud that contains microbes to increase biodiversity or is this some sort of trace element supplement?

4) I have a product called "Coral B" I got from someone, what does this do? The picture looks similar to the AF build, does it do a similar function/ contain similar items just packaged new? Or something completely different?

5) Which recipe is the right one for the balling method? I saw a youtube video of you guys mixing the magnesium in to the 3rd solution but I also saw forum posts and another video of you mixing magnesium into the 1st solution. Can you use the liquid CA, KH and Mag to make balling? Or only the dried products?

6) Which products have to be stored in a fridge? The storage gets pretty hot during summer so anything that is heat sensitive needs to be put away for me. I know the Bio S and Pro Bio S needs to be after opening, what else?

Thanks.

Hi David,

Let me answer these questions one at a time..

1) I've used Bio S, Pro Bio S, -NP pro for nutrient control in the past, but for SPS tank, should I be using Pro Bio F and/or zeolite/phosminus as well for nutrient control?

Ans. You dont need to use Pro Bio F but you can definitely use Zeolite and phosminus for nutrient control. You can add Life biofil with them which is a pre-seeded media with bacteria for immediate and faster nutrient control.

2) Last time I used AF build & energy one day and AF vitality & aminos another day, switching off. But now I see AF pure food, AF growth boost, and AF power food as well? Which do I use for keeping SPS based tank? The later 3 seems redundant to me compared to the other ones? Or are they different enough to be used along with the previous 4 I mentioned?

Ans. You can still use ABEV like you used to do earlier and then once or twice a week you can feed either of those 3 new products to the corals.

3) What's in AF life source and how is it helping me? "components and minerals derived from natural environment." but what is it? Am I putting in mud that contains microbes to increase biodiversity or is this some sort of trace element supplement?

Ans. Yes, you are putting in pacific ocean mud which will in turn help to build biodiversity and more stable ecosystem inside the tank.

4) I have a product called "Coral B" I got from someone, what does this do? The picture looks similar to the AF build, does it do a similar function/ contain similar items just packaged new? Or something completely different?

Ans. Yes, coral B is AF build. They both are same.

5) Which recipe is the right one for the balling method? I saw a youtube video of you guys mixing the magnesium in to the 3rd solution but I also saw forum posts and another video of you mixing magnesium into the 1st solution. Can you use the liquid CA, KH and Mag to make balling? Or only the dried products?

Ans. The newest recipe is Mg going in 3rd component. You can still mix it in the component 1 but mixing it in component 3 gives you more flexibility to control each of 3 main parameters. You need the dry powders to mix your own components.

6) Which products have to be stored in a fridge? The storage gets pretty hot during summer so anything that is heat sensitive needs to be put away for me. I know the Bio S and Pro Bio S needs to be after opening, what else?

Ans. Once opened you need to store ABEV, NP Pro and Pro bio S in the fridge for long term storage.

 

[wdavid]

Hi David,

Let me answer these questions one at a time..

1) I've used Bio S, Pro Bio S, -NP pro for nutrient control in the past, but for SPS tank, should I be using Pro Bio F and/or zeolite/phosminus as well for nutrient control?

Ans. You dont need to use Pro Bio F but you can definitely use Zeolite and phosminus for nutrient control. You can add Life biofil with them which is a pre-seeded media with bacteria for immediate and faster nutrient control.

2) Last time I used AF build & energy one day and AF vitality & aminos another day, switching off. But now I see AF pure food, AF growth boost, and AF power food as well? Which do I use for keeping SPS based tank? The later 3 seems redundant to me compared to the other ones? Or are they different enough to be used along with the previous 4 I mentioned?

Ans. You can still use ABEV like you used to do earlier and then once or twice a week you can feed either of those 3 new products to the corals.

3) What's in AF life source and how is it helping me? "components and minerals derived from natural environment." but what is it? Am I putting in mud that contains microbes to increase biodiversity or is this some sort of trace element supplement?

Ans. Yes, you are putting in pacific ocean mud which will in turn help to build biodiversity and more stable ecosystem inside the tank.

4) I have a product called "Coral B" I got from someone, what does this do? The picture looks similar to the AF build, does it do a similar function/ contain similar items just packaged new? Or something completely different?

Ans. Yes, coral B is AF build. They both are same.

5) Which recipe is the right one for the balling method? I saw a youtube video of you guys mixing the magnesium in to the 3rd solution but I also saw forum posts and another video of you mixing magnesium into the 1st solution. Can you use the liquid CA, KH and Mag to make balling? Or only the dried products?

Ans. The newest recipe is Mg going in 3rd component. You can still mix it in the component 1 but mixing it in component 3 gives you more flexibility to control each of 3 main parameters. You need the dry powders to mix your own components.

6) Which products have to be stored in a fridge? The storage gets pretty hot during summer so anything that is heat sensitive needs to be put away for me. I know the Bio S and Pro Bio S needs to be after opening, what else?

Ans. Once opened you need to store ABEV, NP Pro and Pro bio S in the fridge for long term storage.

Thank you for the fast reply. I saw some recommendations in the mean time about using bacteria media such as siporax to help seed the bacteria from pro bio s. Will the life fill work in this role or are they separate purposes and I should get siporax anyway?

 

[Anirban]

Thank you for the fast reply. I saw some recommendations in the mean time about using bacteria media such as siporax to help seed the bacteria from pro bio s. Will the life fill work in this role or are they separate purposes and I should get siporax anyway?

They play different role. Siporax is a permanent house for your bacteria while life biofil is ready to use pre-seeded with bacteria and you change some of it monthly.

 

[wdavid]

So my general setup for the system is like this then?
Core: zeolite, carbon, phosminus in reactor, AF ABEV, and pro bio s & np pro

Situational: AF pure food, etc for more coral nutrition
Siporax to house pro bio s if nitrates rise(?) - in a reactor or bag?
Life fill for just more ammonia processing, in a reactor?
Life source for bio diversity

Is that about it? And pro bio s will work fine without life fill, siporax or similar bacteria hosting places, right?

 

[Anirban]

So my general setup for the system is like this then?
Core: zeolite, carbon, phosminus in reactor, AF ABEV, and pro bio s & np pro

Situational: AF pure food, etc for more coral nutrition
Siporax to house pro bio s if nitrates rise(?) - in a reactor or bag?
Life fill for just more ammonia processing, in a reactor?
Life source for bio diversity

Is that about it? And pro bio s will work fine without life fill, siporax or similar bacteria hosting places, right?

Hey David,

You are right on most of those things. I will put siporax in the reactor and life bio fil can go into reactor or some high flow area in the sump.
For Pro Bio S to work well you need some surface to house them so siporax or enough rock will be a good choice.

 

[Aquaforest]

I have a 75G display that I'd like to get back on AF with, and had some questions.

1) I've used Bio S, Pro Bio S, -NP pro for nutrient control in the past, but for SPS tank, should I be using Pro Bio F and/or zeolite/phosminus as well for nutrient control?

2) Last time I used AF build & energy one day and AF vitality & aminos another day, switching off. But now I see AF pure food, AF growth boost, and AF power food as well? Which do I use for keeping SPS based tank? The later 3 seems redundant to me compared to the other ones? Or are they different enough to be used along with the previous 4 I mentioned?

3) What's in AF life source and how is it helping me? "components and minerals derived from natural environment." but what is it? Am I putting in mud that contains microbes to increase biodiversity or is this some sort of trace element supplement?

4) I have a product called "Coral B" I got from someone, what does this do? The picture looks similar to the AF build, does it do a similar function/ contain similar items just packaged new? Or something completely different?

5) Which recipe is the right one for the balling method? I saw a youtube video of you guys mixing the magnesium in to the 3rd solution but I also saw forum posts and another video of you mixing magnesium into the 1st solution. Can you use the liquid CA, KH and Mag to make balling? Or only the dried products?

6) Which products have to be stored in a fridge? The storage gets pretty hot during summer so anything that is heat sensitive needs to be put away for me. I know the Bio S and Pro Bio S needs to be after opening, what else?

Thanks.

1) Pro Bio F is not necessary. Besides of ZeoMix an Phosphate Minus, we strongly reccomed Life Bio Fil which is filtration media with already settled bacteria. It quickens tanks maturation and is very helpful in nutrients control.

2) Your previous ABEV dosage is fine. As for powdered coral foods, we recommend starting with 1/2 or even 1/4 of the dose and monitoring aquarium and corals. All these products are different and profitable for the corals. Just avoid overdosing and remember that doses should be established based on corals observation. We recommend to use powdered foods at least once a week.

3) AF Life Source provides corals with nutrients from their natural habitat. Besides it provides your tank with biodiversity and, in the effect, parameter stability.

4) Same as AF Build

5) We've changed the formula some time ago. You can find the current recipe here -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urLrgWH-KMI

6) ABEV - store in the fridge if the temperature exceeds 24oC
Pro Bio S - Once opened store it in the fridge – If temperature in your room is not higher than 24 Celsius degrees – you can keep it in room, not in the fridge.

 

[wdavid]

A few more questions.

1) Is the zeolite needed to commit to an ULNS levels or is the np pro with pro bios enough to keep levels low? I have a fairly high nutrient load.

2) Does the pro bio s have to be dosed constantly? Or is constant dosing of NP pro enough?

3) Does aquaforest method also deplete potassium like zeovit method in ULNS? If it does, what should I do to replace the potassium? Kalium? Or will component 123 take care of that? Or does it deplete other elements at faster levels?

 

[Anirban]

A few more questions.

1) Is the zeolite needed to commit to an ULNS levels or is the np pro with pro bios enough to keep levels low? I have a fairly high nutrient load.

2) Does the pro bio s have to be dosed constantly? Or is constant dosing of NP pro enough?

3) Does aquaforest method also deplete potassium like zeovit method in ULNS? If it does, what should I do to replace the potassium? Kalium? Or will component 123 take care of that? Or does it deplete other elements at faster levels?

1) Zeolite helps as an add on to keep your NO3 low as it absorb the ammonia. So, if you are targetting to achieve ULNS then its a good way to add it along with Pro bio S and NP Pro.

2) Ideally yes, you need to dose them constantly to replenish the bacterial population in the system.

3) The loss of potassium can be replenish by either dosing Kalium individually or if you are dosing components then its good enough.

 

[wdavid]

1) Zeolite helps as an add on to keep your NO3 low as it absorb the ammonia. So, if you are targetting to achieve ULNS then its a good way to add it along with Pro bio S and NP Pro.

2) Ideally yes, you need to dose them constantly to replenish the bacterial population in the system.

3) The loss of potassium can be replenish by either dosing Kalium individually or if you are dosing components then its good enough.

Right but do I need to to use it to keep an ULNS? Or is siporax + life fill + np pro + phos minus enough? Or even just np pro + phos minus

Just wondering because I don't have room for a big enough reactor to fit zeomix, carbon, and phosminus. Also if I do find a right dimension reactor to do that with, how do people change out just carbon and phosminus from the reactor without spilling zeomix out too?

 

[Anirban]

Right but do I need to to use it to keep an ULNS? Or is siporax + life fill + np pro + phos minus enough? Or even just np pro + phos minus

Just wondering because I don't have room for a big enough reactor to fit zeomix, carbon, and phosminus. Also if I do find a right dimension reactor to do that with, how do people change out just carbon and phosminus from the reactor without spilling zeomix out too?

siporax + life fill + np pro+ Pro bio S + phos minus this should be a good enough combination.