Purist Line dosage for new tank

[Fatboy]

Jesse,

As you already now, my new tank is running since past Monday.....

Tonight I decided to test my values and these were the results:

Calcium: 430 (Salifert)
Alkalinity: 4,3 (Salifert)
Magnesium: 1350 (Salifert)
Nitrates: 2 (Tunze test)
Phosphates: 0,15 (Hanna colorimeter)

In my old tank, nitrates were always undetectable and phosphates were around 0,02 - 0,05. I think that the increase in the values is normal since we are talking about a new tank and because I changed all the substrate for a new one. Maybe the bacteria in the new tank is not settle in yet...... and the skimmer hasn't been working normally.

My question is: I think that my system is holding 185 gallons. I already started dosing purist line but I was wondering if I should go for the full dosage or half of it. I also have 1,5 liters of Elos Zeolits in a Deltec Fluidizer and I was wondering how much water do I need to pass through them. If there is a lot of flow, do you think that the Zeolits are going to grind against each other ?

What products should I dose while my values are at the current level ?

Thanks for the help.

[elosusa]

Fatboy,
Did I put a small brochure in your package? The first column is, "During the set-up, without animals or when nutrients are high" this would be the "maximum dosage". Since you have animals in your tank I would stick to the "maintenance" dosage and test po4 and no3 regularly just so you don't reduce nutrients too quickly. I would run the reactor slow, 100-150 gph to begin and you will be fine without having to worry about it grinding. Obviously rinse it well and stick to the instructions on how to remove and replace it. The purist line is based around Filtra M, rb10-50 and since you have the complete line I would use it:) I will email you this weekend and maybe we can talk on the phone. Talk to you later.

[Fatboy]

Jesse,

I have all the instructions and I did received the small brochure...... just wanted to make sure if I started with the maintenance dosage or if i should be more aggresive at the start.

This is the fluidizer were I placed the Filtra M

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/3913/imagen058uq4.jpg

Boy...... it was difficult to wash that material.

When would you recommend to start with the daily and weekly integrator ? Once I lower my nutrient levels ?

[elosusa]

It does take a while to rinse the Filtra M. I use an old filter bag and run it under hot water. I have to look at pictures of your tank again but from our conversations I remember it is mostly SPS. The C1 can be used everyday but the C7 would depend on how much LPS you have. I use both when the lights are off and I only use my C7 about every other week. If you see your levels rising then stop the feeding for that week. Everything looks great and I will talk to you later. What kalk are you using?

[Fatboy]

Jesse,

The tank is mostly SPS

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/6850/imagen081eq7.jpg

Most of the Acros lost some color because of all the stress during the tank change, but I hope they will recover soon.

How do you add RB30 and RB40 ? Do you add it directly to the sump or you mix it with water first and then put in the tank ?

I guess I will have to order some more "bottles" of C1......

[elosusa]

Mix the Rb30 and 40 with tank water. I use a turkey baster to get it into the tank. The rb40 mixes much quicker than the rb30 so give that one some time to mix. Your tank looks great. When you add the C1 take a flashlight and you will get the idea of how well it stays in suspension. A little goes a long way and since the tank is new I think you will be ok with using less until things stabilize. Talk to you later.

[Fatboy]

Jesse,

Any secrets for making rb30 mix better ? I'm having a hard time mixing it.

[elosusa]

I simply use tank water, leave it for a bit and use the turkey baster to mix it. It does take a while but no real secret that I have come up with. I will say that when I put it into the tank my fish seem to love the bigger particles and they do a good job of turning them into to small particles:)

[Fatboy]

Last night I measured my parameters and they seem to be doing better:

Nitrates: 0,5
Phosphates: 0,02

Some of the corals are starting to regain some color and the tips in my Acropora yongei are starting to show like if growth will resume after the change.

Since my nutrient levels are low, I'm only dosing the maintenance level.

[CamBarr]

sweet tank btw

[jake2045]

Is the Elso system similar to the Zeovit method? I see both use a zeolith. Do you have to add a bac and food for the bac? Do they offer a kit with everything you need or did you have to order them separately? Sorry for all the ?

[Fatboy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7909321#post7909321 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fatboy Last night I measured my parameters and they seem to be doing better:

Nitrates: 0,5
Phosphates: 0,02

Well....... the tank looks like it's stable. Still nitrates in 0,5 and phosphates in 0,04 which is not a surprise since I feed a lot of a homemade recipe that must be very phosphate rich (ex: sea urchins, razor clams, shrimp, salmon, cyclop-ezze, pink clams, fish eggs, etc......).

Even that phosphates are not in 0, they are very low if I compare them to what they used to be.