My Bacteria Driven Journey

[GSMguy]

Originally posted by Tswifty


Thanks. Yeah there are some real gems around RC. I blame Nick (GSMguy) and 143gadgets for getting me on the rimless bandwagon.

.

Word!


Your tank looks much better than mine ever has.

[melev]

Now I feel like I need to buy some MB7.

[ReefWreak]

Marc, you didn't have cyano problems though, did you? I believe you and I were "gettin' on the vodka dosing train" at about the same time in their thread. I had cyano problems then and still had problems now until I did the Microbacter7. If it weren't for the cyano, I'd just do vodka by itself no question. If it ain't broken, don't fix it!

[melev]

I've got a little in my system. Nothing to rant about, but I'd rather have zero, right?

I hear you though.

[scaryperson27]

Originally posted by Bill14
I just cleaned out my fuge this weekend as well. I was shocked at the amount of stuff that had collected. It was probably a large source of my problems. Are you going to wait a while before you start dosing to see if cleaning out that section will have an effect first?

If I were to run a fuge system now a'days, I would have cheato in with a powerhead to keep stuff off of the bottom and keep the cheato in a rolling motion.

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by saltygeek
Nice thread, will be neat to see it progress.

Originally posted by ChrisKirkland
Really nice thread looking forward to see the progress

Originally posted by ReefWreak
I'm glad you're starting with the MB7 before the vodka. I started the other way around, because I wasn't aware at first about the mb7, just about vodka, and as a result, any small patches of cyano in my system blew up and grew a TON, but after about 2 weeks of vodka with the mb7, the cyano disappeared, and now after about 3 months of dosing both, I'm happy to say that I don't have any cyano, and I never really had an algae problem, so I guess I'm clear there too.

This will be a good thread, and I'm excited to see your progress.

Thanks guys. Hopefully this will be a positive experience for everyone involved.

Originally posted by flamron
IMO, test kits for PO4 are worthless. I'd recommend finding someone with a hanna handheld PO4 meter.

I wouldn't call them worthless. It's no secret that test kits aren't accurate. However, at this point I feel some idea of what's going on in there is better than none. I agree though, the Hanna Photometer would be ideal.

Originally posted by PogoMonogo
I'll second what was said earlier about amino acids. I have been running a bacteria driven system for almost two years and I have yet to add them. Do one thing at a time, it will help trouble shoot through process of elimination. Start with the vodka dosing for a few months, tthen add the AAs and if you get weird results, you'll know why. Overall, the bacteria driven system is the best thing I have ever done. I have more fish than ever, yet my tank is still super clean with sps thriving. Just have a big skimmer.

Glad to hear you have had good results with the system. I plan on taking it very slow, but hadn't heard that tip about the AA's. Thanks for pointing that out.

Originally posted by NaH2Ofreak
Just curious why you are dosing 140ml of Mg a week? Dosent that seem in excess? Also, you're dosing that much Mg and have no test kit? Also seems like a pretty high fish load for such a small tank. JMO. YMMV.

Dennis

Come on now... you don't think I would dose something to my tank without testing?

I guess I should have specified, I ran out of my Salifert Magnesium test kit a few weeks ago. 140ml per week is what it takes to keep my system around 1400 ppm. The potency of supplements will differ, that's just the amount it takes with the particular brand I use. Since I have the dosage figured out, I really don't plan on switching.

If you look at the amount of fish, I guess it may seem high. However, I really don't feel as if any of my fish are high waste producers. I look at it in terms of the footprint a large Tang probably has versus my little Yasha Gobies (a large Tang's waste would probably be as large as them ). I think the largest fish in my system is 2.5" with the majority around 1" or so.

Only time will tell though.

Originally posted by Bill14
I just cleaned out my fuge this weekend as well. I was shocked at the amount of stuff that had collected. It was probably a large source of my problems. Are you going to wait a while before you start dosing to see if cleaning out that section will have an effect first?

No, I plan on moving forward regardless. It's going to be a few days before I can start the MB7 though, because I can't find a LFS around here that sells the Brightwell line. So I'm going to have to order it online.

I have considered extending and teeing off that line that empties into the fuge though. That way I can get flow moving across the bottom of the refugium, underneath the macro algae. Also, I'm hoping to add 1 or 2 Tunze 6025's to the display tank to address some dead zones or low flow zones that I feel may also be causing issues.

Originally posted by GSMguy
Word!


Your tank looks much better than mine ever has.

Whatever man...

Originally posted by melev
Now I feel like I need to buy some MB7.

Originally posted by scaryperson27
If I were to run a fuge system now a'days, I would have cheato in with a powerhead to keep stuff off of the bottom and keep the cheato in a rolling motion.

Well... I haven't seen many refugiums that keep cheato "rolling." Especially as it grows, I think it's impossible to achieve that effect. However, as Sonny pointed out in his thread... I agree that it's important to keep any deritus from settling in the sump area and in suspension so it can either be filtered off or taken up by the corals.

I'll actually be interested to see if I am able to keep a refugium once I progress with the system. It seems most people who run UNLS do not, or maybe I should say... cannot keep refugiums.

[rsuplido]

Thanks for this thread.

Can you really dose Lugol's daily? What's the rule on dosing Lugol's?

Thanks.

[aquariumclown]

Originally posted by rsuplido
Thanks for this thread.

Can you really dose Lugol's daily? What's the rule on dosing Lugol's?

Thanks.

Personally I think that's scary unless you are accurately testing for it. I'm dosing 2 times a week about 4 drops on my 150gal. I'm not sure I'll continue, not seeing any difference by dosing.

[ReefWreak]

Originally posted by aquariumclown
Personally I think that's scary unless you are accurately testing for it. I'm dosing 2 times a week about 4 drops on my 150gal. I'm not sure I'll continue, not seeing any difference by dosing.

Yea after a few threads on improving blue color in corals I bought some brightwell lugols at 50% off, and have been dosing about 2-3 drops a week since I'm not testing at all. I have been doing this for about 2 months now, and have yet to see any difference at all...... In contract to vodka+bacteria dosing, where I've seen a lot of colors lighten up and more skimmate being produced.

[scaryperson27]

I would think you would have trouble keeping a refugium. I remember reading Sonny's post on that.

Goo luck with your ULNS

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by rsuplido
Thanks for this thread.

Can you really dose Lugol's daily? What's the rule on dosing Lugol's?

Thanks.

I don't have the bottle yet, but from what I've read the dosages are listed as once per week. However some people break the recommended weekly dosage into smaller daily dosages. After viewing the directions online, I'll probably dose it once per week, as my total water volume isn't enough to make daily dosing a realistic option.

Directions: Add 1 drop per 25 gallons aquarium capacity weekly to sump or an area of high water flow.

Originally posted by ReefWreak
In contract to vodka+bacteria dosing, where I've seen a lot of colors lighten up and more skimmate being produced.

Glad to hear you've experienced positive results with the system.

Originally posted by scaryperson27
I would think you would have trouble keeping a refugium. I remember reading Sonny's post on that.

Goo luck with your ULNS

Thanks. Yeah, that's something I'll be on the lookout for.

[flamron]

Be very careful when dosing the lugols. I've seen it sneak up on ya pretty quick.

[KEEPERZ]

when your yellow sticks start turning green, you will know you dosed more then needed-stuff is very strong so use small amounts

[aquariumclown]

Originally posted by KEEPERZ
when your yellow sticks start turning green, you will know you dosed more then needed-stuff is very strong so use small amounts

What do you mean yellow sticks? You mean yellow sps turns green it signals how much iodine is in the water?

[Padrino]

Originally posted by Tswifty
Over the next few days I plan on getting everything that I'll need ordered, pulling the live rock and live rock rubble out of my refugium section, as well as working my alkalinity down into the 8-9 dKH range. Hopefully I'll have my "before" pictures to post later.

As always... questions, comments, concerns, and suggestions are always welcome.

Why must you remove the live rock from your fuge and drop the alk to 8-9?

[Padrino]

Very interesting thread. I will be following along and will probably try this myself when i hit the 6 month mark. Thanks for posting all the links and info so that i can do some additional reasearch.

[KEEPERZ]

Originally posted by aquariumclown
What do you mean yellow sticks? You mean yellow sps turns green it signals how much iodine is in the water?

not how much obviously, but it does signal your leaning on the heavy side-good luck with using iodine test kits, get a yellow acro instead-I'm at 4 drops twice a week on 1000g-I blame Sunny for getting me started 3 yrs ago by the way =)

[flamron]

High Alk and vodka dosing generally don't get along. You may experience burnt tips.

Originally posted by Padrino
Why must you remove the live rock from your fuge and drop the alk to 8-9?

[SunnyX]

So this is why my ears were ringing.

Good luck with the dosing. Take it slowly and please keep us updated.

Sonny

[mg426]

I will be tagging along with this one as well.

[aquariumclown]

Originally posted by KEEPERZ
not how much obviously, but it does signal your leaning on the heavy side-good luck with using iodine test kits, get a yellow acro instead-I'm at 4 drops twice a week on 1000g-I blame Sunny for getting me started 3 yrs ago by the way =)

Can you list some yellow acros you have seen this happen, or some examples of the specific ones you are referring to. Thx. I'd love to try and see for myself.

[Tswifty]

Originally posted by flamron
Be very careful when dosing the lugols. I've seen it sneak up on ya pretty quick.

Originally posted by KEEPERZ
when your yellow sticks start turning green, you will know you dosed more then needed-stuff is very strong so use small amounts

Thanks for the tips, perhaps I'll start out at 1/2 the recommended dosage.

Originally posted by Padrino
Why must you remove the live rock from your fuge and drop the alk to 8-9?

You have to run a lower alkalinity or you risk getting alk burns. 9 dKH was considered the upper limit. I'm probably going to shoot for around 8 dKH.

As far as the live rock go. In most cases it just acts as a deritus trap in the sump. Plus, in my particular situation I have more than enough rock in my display. For those who feel the need to keep rock in the sump, it was recommended to place the rock on some type of rack with flow underneath so deritus cannot accumulate in that section.

Originally posted by Padrino
Very interesting thread. I will be following along and will probably try this myself when i hit the 6 month mark. Thanks for posting all the links and info so that i can do some additional reasearch.

No problem. I ordered everything tonight from Drs. Foster and Smith and plan on starting the MB7 as soon as it arrives.

Originally posted by SunnyX
So this is why my ears were ringing.

Good luck with the dosing. Take it slowly and please keep us updated.

Sonny

I was wondering how long it would take until you noticed.

Thanks Sonny. I'm sure I'll have more than a few questions once I begin.

Originally posted by mg426
I will be tagging along with this one as well.

Glad to have you along.

[aquariumclown]

In case you're not following this thread, I've posted some personal experience/insights here you may find helpful...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=4

[KEEPERZ]

Originally posted by aquariumclown
Can you list some yellow acros you have seen this happen, or some examples of the specific ones you are referring to. Thx. I'd love to try and see for myself.

Here's a couple pics with the green peeking through my Shawn Bennett tort and Sunrise for reference-they are both bright yellow normally-

[trueblackpercula]

I have read your thread and welcome the the beautiful world of Vodka dosing. In a few weeks your tank is going to look amazing if done right.
iodine is very powerful go slow with it.
MB7 is good stuff I am dosing it as well with Vodka every day.
I do not add anything else but plan on dosing iodine/iodide in the future. I know my tank is not eye candy yet but it gives you an idea of how Vodka dosing has helped my System grow in the right direction. Good luck with your system as it will be a more Beautiful one in a very short time.
Here are some pictures
JUNE 15th

August 9th