Summer Plan

[reefgeezer]

Hi everyone. As I was getting ready to go out to mow the grass, I stopped to take a look at the tank. I started wondering what I was going to do with it for the summer. It's running well right now and I think I have finally finished tweaking the systems. I don't have any fish in QT, and summer fund requirements will keep me from buying frags.

I'm currently carbon dosing (vinegar only), have way more of the proper spectrum of LED lighting than is required, have very low nitrate/phos, and have stable alk, magnesium, and calcium. Flow is adequate. I feed blender mush heavily. I have Acros, Birdsnests, Digita, etc. They are growing like weeds, but color is an issue.

Now after that long post... here the question... what can I do over the summer to help with color without sacrificing summer fun money? Amino acids, more food, Zeo products, whatever... I'm open to suggestions.

[cmaxwell39]

What is the issue with color? Is it just pale colors, or can you not get corals to color up at all/everything turns brown?

[reefgeezer]

Just pale.

[clowndude]

I would try amino acids. That should help. Be careful though as to much can fuel unwanted algae also.

[cmaxwell39]

+1 to trying some aminos. But do not go by the directions on the bottle of aminos. Start with waaaay less and build up slowly. Watch your phosphates as you go, and watch for any signs of a nutrient spike.

[reefgeezer]

Does anyone have a favorite brand of amino acids? I've thought about trying them but they seem so expensive.

[clowndude]

Does anyone have a favorite brand of amino acids? I've thought about trying them but they seem so expensive.

I used to use seachem fuel. Worked really well. I def agree though don't go by the bottle. Start half to a forth and watch your tank.

[Dexters Reef]

I use Red Sea Reef Energy A/B. A is carbs and vitamins and is designed to promote polyp extension. B is amino acids which is food/energy for the corals

[reefgeezer]

Thanks for the reply Clowndude. I've never used Seachem stuff. It does seem however that it is more of a mixture of additives. I'm afraid the carbohydrates and vitamins would act as a carbon source and effect my vinegar dosing schedule.

I checked out Brightwell's AA. Just based on the size of the bottle, it's cost, and the recommended dosage it is quite expensive. I've never been a fan of Kent or Brightwell additives anyway, although I do use Kent salt.

I'm still looking... Maybe Pohl's Extra Special. Anybody have experience with this product?

[dvanacker]

You dont really need anything but enough fish and good food to get deeper colors.....assuming everything else is good that is. Although amino acids will help there are lots of amino acids being introduced as proteins in the food you feed.

[reefgeezer]

You dont really need anything but enough fish and good food to get deeper colors.....assuming everything else is good that is. Although amino acids will help there are lots of amino acids being introduced as proteins in the food you feed.

I've always thought so too. However, I have quite a few fish in the system, don't have the time/money to buy & QT any more, and already feed quite heavily with "freezer mush" that is very high in protein. I believe that the system is simply stripping the proteins/organics too quickly for the corals to benefit from them. I really don't want to inhibit the system while feeding so heavily with this kind of food. I think amino acids might allow me to turn the skimmer off while a relatively "clean" source of "food" is added.

[reefgeezer]

I use Red Sea Reef Energy A/B. A is carbs and vitamins and is designed to promote polyp extension. B is amino acids which is food/energy for the corals

Thanks Dex. Can you buy just the B part of the system? I'm afraid carbohydrates in Part A will be an additional carbon source.

[Dexters Reef]

You can use just the B if you want. The A also has amino acids in addition to the orher stuff

I don't run gac or a phosphate reactor, just a skimmer and chemi pure packs, and don't have any issues with my levels. I dose 10 ml of A and 10 ml of B every 2-3 days

[franklypre]

I had the pale colors after a few weeks of running resin to remove N&P, got some Elos Amino/pro skimmer and it has worked well with the fish food, no rise in phos at all. I recently went so far as to try the powdered phyto and it seems to help as well.