Red Sea Coral Growth Program

[Jordan]

I did a couple of searches and found a little bit of information, but not a ton.

Has anyone been doing the Red Sea Coral growth program for a lengthy period of time?

If so, I have a couple of questions:
-Are you running your alkalinity at the seemingly extreme 12.6dkh it calls for?
-If you are running that high, what are you keeping your Nitrates/Phosphates at?
-From what I understand it is important to not run ULN or the uber-high alk will burn the coral.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Are you talking about the a and b system?
If you are running that high of alk. You are going to need to keep the temps up and yes lots of food. The higher the threshold numbers, the more the corals should grow.
Higher temps mean more anaerobic bacteria growth and more anaerobic death too with chances of algae break outs. A lot of thought in rapid growth too?

 

[jzaso]

I think he is referring to the 3 part system -if you use there reef fund pro test they tell about it - imo those # far from nsw levels -expect problems anything in excess is never good, let me add bacterial blooms to what Mario said

 

[monique]

I Have been using the red sea formula for about 6-8 months now, but i keep my perimiters at average to whate the books recomend. alk and cal slightly higher. I dose at about 1/4 to what red sea wants and i use the posphate remover at about 1/2 once a week. I am finding good growth on my corals, cleared up a small cyno problem I had been having for months. the phosphate remover cranked up my skimmer by probably 1/2. Dont use the dosing instructions. Start with about 10% and figure out where you are happy. I dose the additives when i do water change and the phos remover once a week. I also use their test kits. Water change first, wait an hour then test then add. I dont test for phos, I just add. I use red sea reef foundation ABC. 265 gal mixed reef with three nems and a crocea clam, softys, lps and sps corals, mushrooms and zoas, fish. Ichange 30 gal every 2 wks or so. 5 tesla leds on top

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

I Have been using the red sea formula for about 6-8 months now, but i keep my perimiters at average to whate the books recomend. alk and cal slightly higher. I dose at about 1/4 to what red sea wants and i use the posphate remover at about 1/2 once a week. I am finding good growth on my corals, cleared up a small cyno problem I had been having for months. the phosphate remover cranked up my skimmer by probably 1/2. Dont use the dosing instructions. Start with about 10% and figure out where you are happy. I dose the additives when i do water change and the phos remover once a week. I also use their test kits. Water change first, wait an hour then test then add. I dont test for phos, I just add.

I'm not sure if I read this wrong, but alot of bad info. W/c then test?

 

[monique]

I water change first then test then add because if my chemicals are at the right level after the water change then why add. Plus why would i add stuff to the water then do a water change right after. I am just pouring it down the drain. But i only ever add about 10 to 15 ml each time. If i followed the instructions i would be adding 50 to 60 ml every wk no matter what. Thats to much, You will get a big algae bloom. For the phosphate stuff, i add about 25 ml every wk, whether i do a water change or not. if you test first then do a water change you have to test again right after to check if you have to ajust for cal, mag. etc.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

I water change first then test then add because if my chemicals are at the right level after the water change then why add. Plus why would i add stuff to the water then do a water change right after. I am just pouring it down the drain. But i only ever add about 10 to 15 ml each time. If i followed the instructions i would be adding 50 to 60 ml every wk no matter what. Thats to much, You will get a big algae bloom. For the phosphate stuff, i add about 25 ml every wk, whether i do a water change or not. if you test first then do a water change you have to test again right after to check if you have to ajust for cal, mag. etc.

Again, that did not clear things up. If you do a w/c, then test, chances are you are testing the w/c water. You should wait 24 hrs before testing mag, alk, cal.
As far as cyano, the phosphate is what you should be monitoring. It is likely that you are just feeding your cyano. If you are breaking out in algae when you feed the minimum feed requirements of the product, you have a high nutrient system and probably should not feed until you can control the doc/waste output.
You may mean something completely different, this is what I got out of the info you provided.

 

[monique]

You are probably right about waiting 24 hrs before i test, but thats not going to happen. If I wait then it doesnt get done. I change 30 gal at a time. In a tank the size of mine I am going to get a pretty good reading. And yes I have a high nutrient system. I have a lot of stuff in there and probably over 3 hundred lbs rock. When i started using the red sea phosphate remover I had a small cyno problem. It disapeared over about 2 wks. I dont see any algae anywhere cause the tangs eat it. Since i started adding the red sea coral growth stimulaters I have seen much more growth of my sps corals. I dont recomend any one operating their tank the way I do. I dont have a sump and my skimmer is right at the limit and my tank is overstocked, but all my fish are small except for my 4 tangs and I clean my skimmer almost dayly..I also have a refugium on it The gentleman asked if any one had an experience with the red sea foundation products and I was telling how I use it. I like it and will continue to use the products, especially the phosphate remover. I use reef foundation A,B,C and Coral colors A,B,C,D and Reef energy A and B. I rarely have to add reef foundation but I add 10 ml of each of the colors and 10 ml of each of the energy with each water change. Phospate remover 25 ml once a wk. It works well for me