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

[purplereef]

I would agree that it is Cyano and not slime Algae. For flow I am using two modded Tunze 6105's pointed at each other on opposite sides of the tank. Maybe after the Cyano slowly goes away I can very slowly dose Acrropower again.

 

[Tradewinds]

Hello All!
I have been following this thread since inception and finally ordered a 500 ml bottle from Amazon. That was 2 weeks ago and now have found that at no fault to amazon it was our local post office that didn't make the delivery, instead sent it back. I emailed the company through amazon yesterday and within a couple hours I had a response from Carlos at MarineandReef.com. Carlos not only provided superior customer service but also is resending the Acropower to me via FexEx. I found to mention this here to be appropriate in two ways. One, the fact that you can go here Two Little Fishies C-Balance Bactiv8 NPX
And get this amazing product at great prices and available in all sizes. Second, because of Carlos and his excellent customer service which in today's world has become very hard to find especially in our hobby!

I am excited to try this product as it has received a lot of great reviews and what's better than a tank full of happy and healthy animals!

Thank You Diesel for starting this thread!

Also on a side note, I am in no way affiliated with any of these companies, the purpose here was to publicly mention a company that provides excellent customer service and a product that we all want.

Cheers!

Thanks for the link, I'll probably buy it by the gallon next time and save about $30. (Which would last me two years at 5ml per day)

 

[Big E]

Here’s some general info for anyone who cares or wants to think about -------


Amino acids contain Nitrogen in a molecule form..........when you dose it, that molecule breaks down and this is where the nitrates are created. That's a layman's explanation and why slime algae can thrive. They are very good at sequestering nitrate because they are bacteria, not algae.

Sellers of AA get away with saying their product doesn't contain Nitrates aren't lying, but they also aren't telling you the truth. In the bottle there aren’t any nitrates, but as soon as you dose that in your tank it creates nitrate.

The acros bacteria that take in those needed aminos might be happy, but so will many other bacteria strains in the tank. This is basically what happens when people carbon dose.........many strains of bacteria take advantage and grow including unwanted slime bacteria that's photosynthetic.

If you take what I just said, it's obvious why anyone running Zeo or carbon dosing may see better/desirable results...........the abundant nitrate eating bacteria are sucking up the nitrates from the aminos and at the same time the corals are getting some aminos they need. They are both in competition for those nitrates as well as the slime bacterias. Because of different variables from tank to tank, certain bacteria will win out. In a Zeo tank you get a leg up because these tanks are constantly adding the "good" bacteria to win the battle and at the same time the corals are in hyper drive because they are getting starved out.

One thing to keep in mind is that corals can create approx 16 of the 21 required aminos they need on their own. The few they don’t get from the zoo they get from fish food and other nutrients that are added or plankton that may grow in the tank.

Soooo ……….if you’re dosing an AA supplement that you have no clue what it contains, you could be adding 21 aminos and the corals only need 5 or 1 or maybe none. Guess who sucks up all those unwanted aminos? Slim algae,cyano, and other unwanted bacteria strains, as well as just regular pest algae that also feeds off the bacteria and nitrate.

There are no magic potions…..some people will see some type of success or results and some won’t. In general terms, if you have pastel starved acros they’re going to benefit.

Most coral vendors run with very few fish or low bioloads so it’s obvious why they can see better results with Acropower or any other AA than someone running a full populated reef with a normal livestock population.

You may think…….what the heck it’s $12 or whatever, nothing to lose really. Just keep in mind you’ve made a change at the bacterial level and your system is going to react good or bad. It’s not something you’re going to see on a test kit………. by then the change is already entrenched and this can take you down a road of chasing numbers or throwing in chemicals to get rid of the bad stuff. It’s there now, it’s not just going to disappear because you stopped dosing the new super coral food.

Or maybe things will improve or nothing will happen………..just know the implications going in.

Also think in terms of months not what happened in two weeks……….remember the old adage………….good things take a long time to happen in a reef tank.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php#15

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1843218/bacterial_food_supplements_for_small_algae/?source=r_sciencehttp://www.coral-shop.com/news.php?id=143

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1218179/

http://www.biocyclopedia.com/index/plant_protocols/amino_acids_proteins/nitrogen_analysis_by_micro-Kjeldahl_method.php

http://www.coral-shop.com/news.php?id=143

 

[RalphsReef]

What is everyone using for potassium test kits and dosing? I have been using AcroPower with great results, but I want to try testing and dosing (if necessary) for potassium to further maximize my SPS colors.

 

[-Logzor]

What is everyone using for potassium test kits and dosing? I have been using AcroPower with great results, but I want to try testing and dosing (if necessary) for potassium to further maximize my SPS colors.

I actually just posted this same question to UQ so we'll see what they say, I know they dose potassium:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/un...s-coral-frags-coral-propagation-industry.html

 

[SaltyChef]

Thanks for the link, I'll probably buy it by the gallon next time and save about $30. (Which would last me two years at 5ml per day)

You are very welcome!

 

[-Logzor]

Thanks for the link, I'll probably buy it by the gallon next time and save about $30. (Which would last me two years at 5ml per day)

Keep in mine these AA could degrade quickly, their shelf life may not be 2 years.

 

[Tradewinds]

Here’s some general info for anyone who cares or wants to think about -------


Amino acids contain Nitrogen in a molecule form..........when you dose it, that molecule breaks down and this is where the nitrates are created. That's a layman's explanation and why slime algae can thrive. They are very good at sequestering nitrate because they are bacteria, not algae.

Sellers of AA get away with saying their product doesn't contain Nitrates aren't lying, but they also aren't telling you the truth. In the bottle there aren’t any nitrates, but as soon as you dose that in your tank it creates nitrate.

The acros bacteria that take in those needed aminos might be happy, but so will many other bacteria strains in the tank. This is basically what happens when people carbon dose.........many strains of bacteria take advantage and grow including unwanted slime bacteria that's photosynthetic.

If you take what I just said, it's obvious why anyone running Zeo or carbon dosing may see better/desirable results...........the abundant nitrate eating bacteria are sucking up the nitrates from the aminos and at the same time the corals are getting some aminos they need. They are both in competition for those nitrates as well as the slime bacterias. Because of different variables from tank to tank, certain bacteria will win out. In a Zeo tank you get a leg up because these tanks are constantly adding the "good" bacteria to win the battle and at the same time the corals are in hyper drive because they are getting starved out.

One thing to keep in mind is that corals can create approx 16 of the 21 required aminos they need on their own. The few they don’t get from the zoo they get from fish food and other nutrients that are added or plankton that may grow in the tank.

Soooo ……….if you’re dosing an AA supplement that you have no clue what it contains, you could be adding 21 aminos and the corals only need 5 or 1 or maybe none. Guess who sucks up all those unwanted aminos? Slim algae,cyano, and other unwanted bacteria strains, as well as just regular pest algae that also feeds off the bacteria and nitrate.

There are no magic potions…..some people will see some type of success or results and some won’t. In general terms, if you have pastel starved acros they’re going to benefit.

Most coral vendors run with very few fish or low bioloads so it’s obvious why they can see better results with Acropower or any other AA than someone running a full populated reef with a normal livestock population.

You may think…….what the heck it’s $12 or whatever, nothing to lose really. Just keep in mind you’ve made a change at the bacterial level and your system is going to react good or bad. It’s not something you’re going to see on a test kit………. by then the change is already entrenched and this can take you down a road of chasing numbers or throwing in chemicals to get rid of the bad stuff. It’s there now, it’s not just going to disappear because you stopped dosing the new super coral food.

Or maybe things will improve or nothing will happen………..just know the implications going in.

Also think in terms of months not what happened in two weeks……….remember the old adage………….good things take a long time to happen in a reef tank.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php#15

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1843218/bacterial_food_supplements_for_small_algae/?source=r_sciencehttp://www.coral-shop.com/news.php?id=143

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1218179/

http://www.biocyclopedia.com/index/plant_protocols/amino_acids_proteins/nitrogen_analysis_by_micro-Kjeldahl_method.php

http://www.coral-shop.com/news.php?id=143

Thanks for the detailed information, it sounds like sage advise and something which we should all be aware.

 

[Tradewinds]

Thanks for the heads up -Logzor, the bottle states two years from mfg date, so I hope it is accurate.

With that being said, it would be wise to finish the first bottle, which will last me a hundred days, and see if I continue to like the results.

 

[BfishLpond78]

Sounds like what's going on in my tank...tried AP and one or two days later my perfectly spotless fuge is covered in cyano...lol. Oops!!

 

[zibba]

I noticed that my Alkalinity was a little lower than usual last night (7.5 dKh; normally around 8.2-8.5). I automate dosing of Alk/Cal and I haven't had to increase the dosing rate in the last 3-4 months, so I was surprised to see the change. The only real change has been dosing AP for 10-days now, so I'm going to correlate the decreased Alk to increased growth rate.

I can also say, with confidence, that there's increased PE on more SPS now than when I previously commented in this thread after 4-5 days. Still not ready to say that there's "better" color than before because (1) it's only been 10-days and (2) I don't have pictures to compare or qualify the statement.

For those who are seeing "slime algae"/cyano, how long have your tanks been running? I'd go out on a limb and say that more mature tanks, i.e., tanks that have already gone through a few algae cycles, won't see these results. I could be wrong though. Also, on that same line of thought and based on the comments in this thread, it seems that that more mature tanks are better candidates for AA dosing and I wouldn't recommend dosing on a newer tank.

 

[Diesel]

All what Is said make sense as far as the usage of AP.
Some have good results others seen some side effects.
Again you need to find the balance what fits your setup.
As I'm 40+ years in the hobby and saw it all from FW to SW and learned from some of the best German hobbyist.
My motto is always "when you thing you going too slow.................go even slower"
The DT that refer to is only 15 months running and I'm surprised that I had good results from the beginning but kept my system through ZEO very nutrients low.
You get the real light pastel colors of the coral and some LPS won't like the low nutrients system especially chalices didn't do well in my tank.
I had a fortune invested in chalices, maybe close to $5k.
All are now in a 6' frag tank none ZEO but with AP and color and PE are awesome.
If you make a change do it slow and take your time.
Most tanks run on the edge of their balance, if you ad a nice group of Anthias to your setup or just sometimes a pair of wrasses you go over and balance the system out.
A large sump with enough LR will help a lot but if you keep your fish stock moderate you should be fine.
A good skimmer is a must to but don't over skim.
It's all about the right balance and yes matured tank for over a year or two seems to be more stable.

 

[Blue face angel]

Following along and interested in results . Been using fuel for some time now and cost wise this is better deal.

 

[Jimbo]

What is everyone using for potassium test kits and dosing? I have been using AcroPower with great results, but I want to try testing and dosing (if necessary) for potassium to further maximize my SPS colors.

Salifert makes a Potassium kit. Very easy to read and has very good reviews.

Also, good post Big E trying to keep everyone grounded. That's the problem with posts like this, people see it and start dumping stuff in their tank whether they need it or not.

Acropower can be beneficial in a lot of tanks but it certainly shouldn't be used by everyone. If you have high nutrients already ths stuff is going to push the tank over the edge causing all sorts of nuisance algae.

 

[ricwilli]

I just received a bottle of acropower and it was solid frozen when I opened up the box. I was home to receive the package, so it was not sitting on my door steps. So do you think I could still use it? The strange part of it all is that I also ordered some Salifert test kits and they were not frozen.

 

[DrewBrees713]

Any updates guys?

How much should I dose? I have a 90g. The bottle says 5ml per 25g at least once a week. I just started yesterday with 15ml and slowing drip them within 5min. Hope I didn't add too much.

 

[kandymann]

Hey yall

I just got Acropower yesterday.

I have started a dosing schedule as follows for my 80 gallon shallow reef (full of SPS and LPS corals). I dose 1ml at 1 pm and 1ml at 4pm. So 2 ml a day that equals 14 ml a week.

I am excited to see the effects of this over the course of a couple of months.

I will post before and after pics.

 

[Maximus]

I also just received my acropower. Where do you guys store the bottles at? Would it be better to store it in the fridge? I know it states it can be stored in a cool place and doesn't need to be refrigerated, but would it extend the life if it were refrigerated? I'm guessing yes. I haven't had the courage to use it yet as I have flashbacks to excess algae due to AA dosing years ago.

 

[kandymann]

I also just received my acropower. Where do you guys store the bottles at? Would it be better to store it in the fridge? I know it states it can be stored in a cool place and doesn't need to be refrigerated, but would it extend the life if it were refrigerated? I'm guessing yes. I haven't had the courage to use it yet as I have flashbacks to excess algae due to AA dosing years ago.

Heck just try it. You bought it right? Just dose half the dose recommended for a couple of weeks and increase the dosage or resume initial dose if you have positive results. I am very curious to see what happens with this stuff. It's been hyped up to death by good sources.

Good luck!

 

[Blue face angel]

Just ordered some , going to see how compares to fuel .