Power-up your Acro's..........

[LowezAkar24]

Yeah bro. I think you will like it. I was using Brightwell's Coral Amino and switched to Acropower. So far so good. I dose it manually daily. The first time I used it, I did the once a week doseage of 25ml. Lol

 

[bluwtr]

The last time I checked my params were: Ca+ 477, Alk 3.38 meq/L, Mg+ 1260ppm, pH 8.1, NO3 0.00ppm, PO4 0.00ppm (Hanna), temp 78, SG 1.026

 

[LowezAkar24]

The last time I checked my params were: Ca+ 477, Alk 3.38 meq/L, Mg+ 1260ppm, pH 8.1, NO3 0.00ppm, PO4 0.00ppm (Hanna), temp 78, SG 1.026

You may not see much change using Acropower because of those parameters. Not saying they are bad but (don't kill me because it is only an opinion) your Alk is too high at approx 9.4dkh, calcium is a bit high and your mag is low. Everything else looks good. I think you should aim for (not chase but aim for) approx. 420ppm of Calcium, 2.85 meq/l of Alk and 1320 of Magnesium. At those parameters, you will see a change in how your corals react to the Acropower.

 

[Diesel]

The last time I checked my params were: Ca+ 477, Alk 3.38 meq/L, Mg+ 1260ppm, pH 8.1, NO3 0.00ppm, PO4 0.00ppm (Hanna), temp 78, SG 1.026

I might ad to it that your PO4 is BAAAAAAD, yes I know it's low but you starving your corals.
Not sure what kind of Hanna you using but 0.00 is BAD!

 

[LowezAkar24]

I might ad to it that your PO4 is BAAAAAAD, yes I know it's low but you starving your corals.
Not sure what kind of Hanna you using but 0.00 is BAD!

Good point Diesel.

 

[bluwtr]

I am like 99% of all other reefers and have shot for 0 phosphates for a long time. I know the new train of thought is some phosphate--0.03 or so. I have been feeding a lot heavier than I would like as in the past I typically fed the entire system only twice a week. I've also begun to skim a lot less. I do have a little bit of some nuisance algae (bubble and some other kind) but they aren't running amok so I know I do have some PO4/NO3. As far as "which Hanna", not sure what you mean. I have only Hana I am aware of--the ultra low unit.

I'm not really too concerned with my Ca or Alk as I prefer to run them a little high, but I do realize my Mg is a little low. I'd like to have it around 1400.

On a similar but separate note, do you all turn off your skimmer when you dose? I can't help but wonder if the skimmer just sucks it out otherwise.

 

[LowezAkar24]

I don't turn my skimmer off when I dose.

 

[Diesel]

The Hanna Family,

Portable Single Parameter Photometers | HANNA Instruments

Benchtop Photometers | HANNA Instruments

Portable Multiparameter Photometers | HANNA Instruments

Checker HC Handheld Colorimeters| Hanna Instruments, USA

Even 0.03 on PO4 is to low but if you run a full Zeovit line include a reactor you will be fine.
If not you need to get your PO4 around 0.1
If your corals do fine with the level of alk,cal and mag you should keep it like that.
But as you stated that you don't see improvement on your corals you might have to bring down your alk and cal.
On a side note but a real important factor to corals, what is you potassium (K) level?
A lot of ppl I noticed leave this out.
I for one test just for the heck of it my PO4 once or twice a month but K every week as my alk and cal and sometimes twice a week.
When I was doing ZEO my PO4 was at 0.03, now I'm running it 0.1 to 0.14, and have no algae issues what so ever.
Be aware that there are two kinds of PO4, Soluble reactive phosphates (SRP) and Organic phosphates.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/general-sps-discussion/150804-we-all-know-do-we.html

Good luck and let us know the progress on your corals.

Btw, yes your skimmer can take part of your dosing out but only minimal levels, dose AP during day time when lights are on.

 

[bluwtr]

I do not run Zeo. The only thing I "run" in my system is I use Brightwell Xport PO4 and NO3 in my media reactor. As far as Hanna, yes they do offer many instruments, but I don't believe a hobbyist is going to have benchtop photometer! LOL! Obviously I use the handheld colorimeter--Checker. I have heard of others starting to test for K. Which test are you using or would you recommend? Aside from Hanna Checkers, I like and use the Red Sea Pro kits. Also, are you dosing K and if so which product?

Thanks for all of the help and suggestions. I will keep updating.

 

[bluwtr]

Thanks for the awesome article links and reads. SOOOOOO, let's say I want to increase my PO4 from where it is--even though it reads 0 we all know there is some--to 1.0-.05ish. How would I go about doing this? I don't want to shock the system by all of the sudden removing my media.

Another question/thought--if PO4 is actually a good thing (in moderation) can we assume (no comments!) that the true factors affecting algal outbreaks/growth are actually NO3 and Fe as someone else pointed out, as did one article. If this is the case then it seems those should be the ultra limited ions and not the phosphate.

The more I've thought of this the more it makes sense and here is why I say this. Even though this isn't the best analogy, we all get the point. If you have a vegetable garden and you add no fertalizer (NPK) your plants most likely will grow, but generally so-so. If you add fertizlier you will have better grow and crop production. If you add too much you will kill your plants or have 7 foot tall okra (I know this from experience!) Since we all know that corals (most) are photosynthetic from their little algal tissue tenants (zooxanthellae) then it would stand to reason to "fertilize" these plants. If these guys grow and multiply then the corals should prosper because more symbiotic production of sugars=more energy for growth and also, our corals should have more color because the little algal tissue tenants also act as sunscreen which equals more color.

Granted this a super simplistic suggestion, but I think it makes the point.

Thoughts, agreements, arguments?

 

[LAX Noob Reef]

So it have arrived....

 

[LowezAkar24]

So it have arrived....

Keep us posted on your experience. I want to see if your eyes look like The ThunderCats pic above.

 

[Reef Pets]

I am on my 7th week of using it and the polyp extension is by far MUCH better but I have not noticed any change in color. If you want your SPS happy by showing polyp extension this is by far the best product.
From my experience the acros seem to like it better with a weekly dose rather than daily. They seem to like the high level of once a week dose rather than stability of daily dosing.

 

[LAX Noob Reef]

Keep us posted on your experience. I want to see if your eyes look like The ThunderCats pic above.

Yep, going to stop dosing Red Sea, and just use this to see it. I'll post a pic of what my Acro look like tonight in my sps thread, and another in few week.

 

[spspirate]

Ok so I also jumped on the band wagon. I'll post any observations I notice. I'll probably start off dosing slow then go to a daily regiment.

 

[Mallard]

Ok so I also jumped on the band wagon. I'll post any observations I notice. I'll probably start off dosing slow then go to a daily regiment.

Welcome aboard buddy! Been using it for a few weeks now

 

[Diesel]

Welcome aboard buddy! Been using it for a few weeks now

We missing a few acro heads but they will come!
See it like this "I build this and they will come".
Btw, how your puppies doing under this Coral Crack?

 

[Mallard]

We missing a few acro heads but they will come!
See it like this "I build this and they will come".
Btw, how your puppies doing under this Coral Crack?

I'm getting some excellent colors and growth. But I have a lot of different things going on with my tank. To say this is what is making it happen would be untruthful. But I'm getting all around great growth and coloration from my SPS, z/p's and chalices. I'd say this is part of the equation, just not the end all be all. But I will for sure be dosing this for quite some time. Just need my new PAC sun Doser to come in for daily automatic dosing.

 

[Diesel]

You getting the Pro of PAC?
I did order one too but did placed a order for a Cal reactor from Lifereef too.

 

[Mallard]

Na. I already have a Tunze ATO and the difference from .2 to .1ml wasn't enough to justify the difference. Plus I can get the tubing separate if I ever do need that much control.