Tanks based on Aquaforest Products:

Thle009 · Sep 6, 2016

Anirban said:
If you are running complete zeovit then this will be cheaper.

Even with cheaper salt? I'm using reef crystal.

m0jjen · Sep 6, 2016

Anirban said:
Actually I will suggest not to take out the macro algae until you run out of Triton base in that way there will less nuisance algae in the DT and once the elements are over and you shift to a full AF procedure just take macro algae out.

Ay ay!

Anirban · Sep 6, 2016

Thle009 said:
Even with cheaper salt? I'm using reef crystal.

Yup, example Zeobak 50 ml -$52.99 compared to AF ProbioS 50 ml-$25 and also the system is much complicated with a lot of variables present.

bowen1022 · Sep 6, 2016

I feel like even if zeovit was cheaper, the easy to read directions and exact dosing amounts would encourage me to still buy the AF line. Zeovit is just too confusing for me

Thle009 · Sep 6, 2016

I'm assuming you would want to buy a dose as well.

Anirban · Sep 6, 2016

Thle009 said:
I'm assuming you would want to buy a dose as well.

Oh yeah, actually thats the part where AF is better than Zeovit. You dont but a tons of dosing stuff with different combinations in AF. Just 3 components and if you need or like you can dose some other supplements too but not necessary.

reeferfoxx · Sep 6, 2016

Hi, i'm thinking about making the switch to AF products. I went through about 14 pages and I'm sorry if the questions have been asked already. I have just a 8 month old small 30 gallon tank. I typically only perform a 10% water change every 3 weeks. No supplements required, yet. However I do add KNO3 for nitrates and feed fairly heavy to bring up PO4. I run a skimmer and nothing else for filtration. So my questions are...

This is for mixed reef with demanding SPS(in the future)

Amount of required water changes and why?
Do the salts contain silicates?
Should I still dose ProBio S and NP Pro?
When should I start using Comp. 1, 2, 3?

Thanks

Robthorn · Sep 6, 2016

I don't run either system but saying this is less complicated than zeo or one is cheaper doesn't make sense to me. Say the half price bacteria. Are they drop for drop the same product or do you use 2 drops of aquaforest and 1 zeo? Not knocking this system because it is one of the only ones I have not tried. I have no judgement I just see some of the claims as suspect.
Zeo is 4 basic components. Take away the stones and it is 3. I never liked or used the stones so to me it is the same. 1 drop went a long way.
Watching these threads to see what people think long term. I will also check out the manual to see more for myself as well.

There are some very nice tanks so I can see why people are jumping on the band wagon. Just don't think it is that different. Aquaforest looks to have about 25 to 30 products you can dose. How is this any less difficult than Zeo? lol

Anirban · Sep 6, 2016

Robthorn said:
I don't run either system but saying this is less complicated than zeo or one is cheaper doesn't make sense to me. Say the half price bacteria. Are they drop for drop the same product or do you use 2 drops of aquaforest and 1 zeo? Not knocking this system because it is one of the only ones I have not tried. I have no judgement I just see some of the claims as suspect.
Zeo is 4 basic components. Take away the stones and it is 3. I never liked or used the stones so to me it is the same. 1 drop went a long way.
Watching these threads to see what people think long term. I will also check out the manual to see more for myself as well.

There are some very nice tanks so I can see why people are jumping on the band wagon. Just don't think it is that different. Aquaforest looks to have about 25 to 30 products you can dose. How is this any less difficult than Zeo? lol

First the comparison between bacteria dosing is drop to drop. 1 drop of Zeobak per 25G vs 1 drop of Pro bios per 27 G.
Second the Zeovit although run by 4 component and other than Zeolites all other 3 components lower down nutrient load. Now the tricky part is when it comes to mineral supplementation or what Zeovit says coral colouration you supplement minerals. These minerals comes in different packages and people use them in different combinations. I was one of them. Now in addition the reefers best salt is possibly one of the most costliest salt in the market. So, now if a person tries to start a new tank Zeovit will be costlier as a package and complicated compared to AF. Its somehow has a good balance between balling method and probiotic system. I am also like you who suspect new stuffs but I decided to give it try to figure out its potential.

eg8r210 · Sep 7, 2016

Robthorn said:
There are some very nice tanks so I can see why people are jumping on the band wagon. Just don't think it is that different. Aquaforest looks to have about 25 to 30 products you can dose. How is this any less difficult than Zeo? lol

the 25-30 products you see are all basically the same thing but offering the user different control. 123+ is the same as a CaRx using component ABC+Kalium. You could also DIY the balling and buy component strong which is the same as the two already mentioned. You could choose none of these and buy all the elements individually. That is 4 different ways to do the same thing. Lots of different bottles all serve the same purpose and allow customer to choose what works best for their situation. After that you have Coral ABEV, and a couple different type of coral food.

Basically pick a process for dosing the tank with macro and micro elements and add 4 bottles ABEV.

When I first started Zeo it was much more complicated and about twice as expensive. I ended up dropping Zeo because I didn't want to buy a specialty reactor. Haha, sad I know.

jsker · Sep 7, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Hi, i'm thinking about making the switch to AF products. I went through about 14 pages and I'm sorry if the questions have been asked already. I have just a 8 month old small 30 gallon tank. I typically only perform a 10% water change every 3 weeks. No supplements required, yet. However I do add KNO3 for nitrates and feed fairly heavy to bring up PO4. I run a skimmer and nothing else for filtration. So my questions are...

This is for mixed reef with demanding SPS(in the future)

Amount of required water changes and why?

Do the salts contain silicates?

Should I still dose ProBio S and NP Pro?

When should I start using Comp. 1, 2, 3?

Thanks

1. AF has three different program listed in there guide I am using the Reef Salt and dosing there 1+2+3+ balling method and have cut my 10% water changes to every 14 days now.
2. I am not a chemist and that one is for @Perry as far as I have read at the AF site no.
3. Pro Bio s and Np pro are for controlling nutrient rich system to bring down the nitrates and phosphates
4 I would start with the Probiotic Reef Salt see how the tank looks and tests. The 1+2+3+ are Ca,Mg,Alk and trace elements. If you discover that your systems demand goes up for Ca, Mg ,Alk then I would bring the 1+2+3+ online.

reeferfoxx · Sep 7, 2016

jsker said:
1. AF has three different program listed in there guide I am using the Reef Salt and dosing there 1+2+3+ balling method and have cut my 10% water changes to every 14 days now.
2. I am not a chemist and that one is for @Perry as far as I have read at the AF site no.
3. Pro Bio s and Np pro are for controlling nutrient rich system to bring down the nitrates and phosphates
4 I would start with the Probiotic Reef Salt see how the tank looks and tests. The 1+2+3+ are Ca,Mg,Alk and trace elements. If you discover that your systems demand goes up for Ca, Mg ,Alk then I would bring the 1+2+3+ online.

That is why I was asking about the water changes. I only do water changes for trace elements. But if I use 1, 2 and 3, for ca mg and alk + trace elements, then use probioS and Np pro for excess nutrients, why do a water change?

sa6hir · Sep 7, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
That is why I was asking about the water changes. I only do water changes for trace elements. But if I use 1, 2 and 3, for ca mg and alk + trace elements, then use probioS and Np pro for excess nutrients, why do a water change?

Water changes are not only there to replace trace elements. For example if you had a sps dominated tank water changes alone wouldn't be enough for the growth of corals you would have to dose. Water changes help rid of nutritions from water such as waste matter, nitrate, phosphate, etc. There are other ways like skimming, filter sock, carbon, Rowaphos, purigen that help. But best method with adding anything to the tank would be water change.

jsker · Sep 7, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
That is why I was asking about the water changes. I only do water changes for trace elements. But if I use 1, 2 and 3, for ca mg and alk + trace elements, then use probioS and Np pro for excess nutrients, why do a water change?

Just use the reef salt or the Probiotic reef salt and Components A,B,C that should cover you then. A,B,C are the trace elements that you find in 3+ or you could use the reef mineral salt and mix you own dose.

Anirban · Sep 7, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
That is why I was asking about the water changes. I only do water changes for trace elements. But if I use 1, 2 and 3, for ca mg and alk + trace elements, then use probioS and Np pro for excess nutrients, why do a water change?

Logically there is no need but over the period the system store a lot of debris at places and may be some unwanted ions accumulation. Right now we can not check this because of unavailability of ICP testing from AF. But I think it will be here soon. So may be a small water change in two months will help the system to take out that load. I am currently doing bimonthly and in next couple of months wish to bring it to once a month.

One more point regarding silicate, I was reading other day about some ICP testing of AF salt and figure out its one of those salt which possibly lack anti caking agent containing silicates. This is the reason why AF salt when comes into contact with air absorb a lot of moisture and become solidified like rock. When tested for its moisture absorbing capabilities AF salt has highest capabilities across any other branded salts. On the other hand this salt has one of the most closest mineral balance compared to NSW. I dont know a lot but Triton testing detects silicon not silicate and hence making it difficult to guess.

120reefkeeper · Sep 7, 2016

Anirban said:
Logically there is no need but over the period the system store a lot of debris at places and may be some unwanted ions accumulation. Right now we can not check this because of unavailability of ICP testing from AF. But I think it will be here soon. So may be a small water change in two months will help the system to take out that load. I am currently doing bimonthly and in next couple of months wish to bring it to once a month.

One more point regarding silicate, I was reading other day about some ICP testing of AF salt and figure out its one of those salt which possibly lack anti caking agent containing silicates. This is the reason why AF salt when comes into contact with air absorb a lot of moisture and become solidified like rock. When tested for its moisture absorbing capabilities AF salt has highest capabilities across any other branded salts. On the other hand this salt has one of the most closest mineral balance compared to NSW. I dont know a lot but Triton testing detects silicon not silicate and hence making it difficult to guess.

I hate anti caking agents! This is the reason I switched from RC to Aquaforest in the first place. Best move EVER!!!!!!!![emoji12]

Anirban · Sep 7, 2016

120reefkeeper said:
I hate anti caking agents! This is the reason I switched from RC to Aquaforest in the first place. Best move EVER!!!!!!!![emoji12]

Yes, it is but its not when your seller mess up with the packaging and it gets exposed to air. Then you receive a big solid chunk of AF salt and now you need to break in.

This happened to someone and I was reading it yesterday.

jsker · Sep 7, 2016

Anirban said:
Yes, it is but its not when your seller mess up with the packaging and it gets exposed to air. Then you receive a big solid chunk of AF salt and now you need to break in. This happened to someone and I was reading it yesterday.

Yes that has happen to me also, with the salt turning in to a block for the reason that I did not put the lid on tight. Now I make sure the lid is on tight after using the salt

sa6hir · Sep 7, 2016

So which of these aquaforest products would you guys use in a heavily dominated sps and a handful of lps?

Anirban · Sep 7, 2016

sa6hir said:
So which of these aquaforest products would you guys use in a heavily dominated sps and a handful of lps?

Read this..

http://aquaforest.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Aquaforest_Products-Guide_EN_RGB.pdf

There are few options available with different combinations but to start with reef salt Probio S, NP Pro, A, B, E, V and depending upon need 1+2+3+, phosminus and carbon.