Best colour enhancing supplement?
- Thread starter Chris C
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this puzzles me....
there are 2 sides of the fence i see with this.
those that (supposedly) have better coloration.
those that have cyano. (raises hand)
i wonder what the difference is between the yay's and nay's.
i will never use AA again personally. i wonder if it is a placebo effect? or does it really work?
if it does work. why dont i see anything but cyano?
please understand i am trying to be neutral regardless my experience.
+1 fish poop and amino. I use acro power, I watched lots of sps and lps color up when I finally found the right amount, I was under dosing for too long.
Start at a small dose and work your way up, overdosing will lead to cyano for sure. If you hit that point back off a bit.. But you should see things color up before you see cyano if your moving at the right pace.
Start at a small dose and work your way up, overdosing will lead to cyano for sure. If you hit that point back off a bit.. But you should see things color up before you see cyano if your moving at the right pace.
Good quality light spectrum is your best friend. Aside from that and aminos/vitamins/protein flocks you can use something like red seas coral colors kit, iron for greens, iodide for pinks, potassium and boron for reds. These do work but I would argue that without proper conditions they wont really make a difference and some people argue against their use at all as it really makes keeping up with all your tests aggravating. I like them though.
May not work for everyone, if I remember correctly you run a skimmerless system and that may explain why you get cyano outbreaks when using an amino/vitamin/protein food source like acropower. I think the main benefit to food sources like that is so you can keep your water super clean without it being nutrient free. My two cent, sprung and paletta both use it and their tanks have always been astounding.
I'm curious to how you found the right dose for your system. For my 250g total volume system I've dosed acropower for 30 days (5 days a week, skip weekends) and I've yet to notice any difference with my current dosage
of 10ml/day. Many folks have anedoctally claimed better polyp extension and color, but I'm not seeing the results.
ifarmer
Valuable Member
this is my testimony.
2 years of using Zeovit = not so much luck with desired coloration
1 year of using acropower and vinegar = not so much luck with desired coloration
1 year of using high end salt like Neomarine, Red Sea Coral Pro but did not get desired coloration
So....started 4 months ago
I went back to the basic reef principle. no more to any of the above. Went with Instant Ocean salt and stopped using any of the above and with my always weekly change => great color
2 years of using Zeovit = not so much luck with desired coloration
1 year of using acropower and vinegar = not so much luck with desired coloration
1 year of using high end salt like Neomarine, Red Sea Coral Pro but did not get desired coloration
So....started 4 months ago
I went back to the basic reef principle. no more to any of the above. Went with Instant Ocean salt and stopped using any of the above and with my always weekly change => great color
DaveRaz
Active Member
I think perhaps folks over dose AP. I dose 15ml once a week in my 90 gallon. I found that too much brings on the cynao. Other than that my home made chum and good light is all I provide. And stability of course. Having Too much indirect flow is not possible as well.
And there are many more, in a rush this morning so I could only pull up two but the information is certainly out there. Maybe I should elaborate that there is no evidence that I am aware of that aminos actually FEED corals what they do is trigger the feeding response, thats generally why amino supplements either have an A/B or also contain protein flocks/vitamins.
Well everyone's system is different. Lots of other things will play into the right amount.
I have a 100 gallon system with a 4in sandbed ( which I would get rid of if I didn't love my wrasses so much). Skim very heavy and AWC 1 gal/day with esv salt. I run carbon and gfo (brs rox and HC). I supplement iodine and strontium(esv), and dose microbacter7. Also I have set up my sump so zero detritus can settle.. At night I have a wp-40 in each chamber that stirs up all the detritus and delivers it to the display feeding the corals, very simple to employ and a much cleaner sump!
I started at .5 ml per day for the first couple weeks, then boosted that by .25ml per week until I started to see a change in colors. I finally found my sweet spot at 1.5 ml per day..
Remember nothing good in this hobby comes quick, take your time and make sure all your parameters are in line.
Stability promotes success!!
Good luck
JasReef
Active Member
Russ
Just because you didn't have success with aminos doesn't mean everyone else won't. When you say things like (supposedly) it seems like you are belittling that reefers experience, like they don't know as much as you and can't tell an improvement in their own tank (placebo). I'm sure you don't think that but it definitely comes across that way. It is hard to see you as staying neutral with comments like that.
I use aminos and have never got cyano. I won't say that you didn't get cyano because I don't know anything about your tank and I won't even say that anybody else will or won't get it because as we all know everyone's tank is unique. I do wonder as someone pointed out that you don't use a skimmer and that may be why you only see cyano as a result. I also wonder how long you used them for. I don't believe that they work overnight and if you stopped as soon as the cyano showed (if you feel like aminos are the cause then it is wise for you to stop) then you wouldn't see any results.
I do appreciate you saying you got cyano and giving the warning to people who are looking to try aminos but your one experience is not enough to close the door on aminos for others. I think it is also not my responsibility to prove to you (or anyone else) that they are working for me. I can only share my experience and you can take it as you would like.
i see more "i got cyano" comments than "it made my reef color up".
the amount of befores and afters lacks even after it's years of use. hardly conclusive.
i am not stating they dont work. But you come off like this kind of thing only happens in my tank.
my system would be a perfect candidate as it eats more nitrate and phosphate than it produces. what would a skimmer be solving?
Salty1962
Wrasse and SPS Lover
Cyano is the nemesis of all reefers. There are many causes and the cures are numerous. I usually have a breakout when I don't utilize my husbandry practices, Hello!!
I've used aminos for @ 2 to 3 yrs. now with some noticeable results. I think combining aminos with other food sources are inline with successful outcomes, at least for me. As mentioned some folks accidently add too much and it causes a nutrient bonanza. My tank is @ 60G water volume, I use 10ml of aminos a week and the Red Sea ABCD once a week, @1ml of each spread over 3 days. I have tested my levels after wc and using the elements in between to find my sweet spot. I don't have explosive grow but steady and consistent with good colors, especially after my corals have settled in. Some corals can take months for their true colors to show. So the best advice is to go slow, test often, and be patient. You will be rewarded with a beautiful tank that you'll enjoy instead of dreading. JME, JMO
Temp - 79
Sal. - 1.025
PH - 8.12
Alk - 8.6
NO2 - .05
NO3 - .01
Mag. - 1450~1500. High due to boxing match with Bryopsis.
I've used aminos for @ 2 to 3 yrs. now with some noticeable results. I think combining aminos with other food sources are inline with successful outcomes, at least for me. As mentioned some folks accidently add too much and it causes a nutrient bonanza. My tank is @ 60G water volume, I use 10ml of aminos a week and the Red Sea ABCD once a week, @1ml of each spread over 3 days. I have tested my levels after wc and using the elements in between to find my sweet spot. I don't have explosive grow but steady and consistent with good colors, especially after my corals have settled in. Some corals can take months for their true colors to show. So the best advice is to go slow, test often, and be patient. You will be rewarded with a beautiful tank that you'll enjoy instead of dreading. JME, JMO
Temp - 79
Sal. - 1.025
PH - 8.12
Alk - 8.6
NO2 - .05
NO3 - .01
Mag. - 1450~1500. High due to boxing match with Bryopsis.
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JasReef
Active Member
Russ,
This thread is about the best supplements for color. You seem to have a habit of derailing these threads with a prove it to me attitude when you don't agree with someones method. I don't want to do that. If you would like to debate the efficacy of amino acids by all means start a thread and you will probably get many folks who want the "friendly" debate.
Now back to the thread. I don't think there is any supplement alone that is going to be better than stable parameters, good husbandry, and a good stock of fish that you feed a lot and poop a lot. I am using amino acids because I can and it is fun for me to log what I do and the results I see. Whatever you choose remember nothing good happens fast and most of all have fun doing what you do.
This thread is about the best supplements for color. You seem to have a habit of derailing these threads with a prove it to me attitude when you don't agree with someones method. I don't want to do that. If you would like to debate the efficacy of amino acids by all means start a thread and you will probably get many folks who want the "friendly" debate.
Now back to the thread. I don't think there is any supplement alone that is going to be better than stable parameters, good husbandry, and a good stock of fish that you feed a lot and poop a lot. I am using amino acids because I can and it is fun for me to log what I do and the results I see. Whatever you choose remember nothing good happens fast and most of all have fun doing what you do.
Sabellafella
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Everyone says fish poop, but nothing is better then getting the best nutritional foods for your fish to poop. Ive always stuck by my statement that fish food really does make a big difference, and ive always seen results good nd bad from switching my fish foods. Also potassium dosing is a good nutrient to keep in check for your corals
zoomonster
Valuable Member
There's just so many factors at play in the whole color thing with water quality, lighting, salt, additives, high/medium/low nutrient etc. As far as additives so many pieces and systems available. Probably more straight forward is some like Red Sea coral colors with specific additives for specific colors and an associated coral colors test kit for those. Aquaforest (and others) have the same sort of additives but you shouldn't be adding most of that w/o testing. Triton's another example of those types of systems and has the best testing.
I'm still phasing in aquaforest but one of those I'm not using yet has copper sulfate for the express purpose of bleaching corals to get more pastel colors. I think its the coral e and the coral b is the one like KZ coral snow. One of those has pretty high levels of potassium and I have seen a tank where some acro's got burnt tips at recommended doses so I'm a little wary. Don't remember which one but KZ has a similar product with the copper sulfate hidden in it (they are not to good at letting people know whats in products).
If you use nothing else I think some form of amino is key. If your having issues with cyano then use it with KZ coral snow or Aquaforest coral b.
I've switched up over time and still phasing out the two KZ products I'm using but right now I use
KZ coral snow, KZ Pohls coral vitalizer, AF aminos, AF vitality, AF Pro Bio S and AF NP pro. I use a calcium reactor (with KZ mag media + caribsea media) and a kalk mixer so I don't deal with 2/3 part or similar. Other than that I have lugols, magnesium and the 4 red sea coral colors for occasionally tweaking tested levels. The CaRx pretty much also takes care of strontium.
Everyone is just always looking for better colors and more growth and other than a healthy tank there's really no magic bullet. A lot of the stuff helps but a lot is just more things to spend money on. With occasional coral feedings, Amino's, constant automatic water changes, good lighting and overall good husbandry you could probably accomplish the same thing.
I'm still phasing in aquaforest but one of those I'm not using yet has copper sulfate for the express purpose of bleaching corals to get more pastel colors. I think its the coral e and the coral b is the one like KZ coral snow. One of those has pretty high levels of potassium and I have seen a tank where some acro's got burnt tips at recommended doses so I'm a little wary. Don't remember which one but KZ has a similar product with the copper sulfate hidden in it (they are not to good at letting people know whats in products).
If you use nothing else I think some form of amino is key. If your having issues with cyano then use it with KZ coral snow or Aquaforest coral b.
I've switched up over time and still phasing out the two KZ products I'm using but right now I use
KZ coral snow, KZ Pohls coral vitalizer, AF aminos, AF vitality, AF Pro Bio S and AF NP pro. I use a calcium reactor (with KZ mag media + caribsea media) and a kalk mixer so I don't deal with 2/3 part or similar. Other than that I have lugols, magnesium and the 4 red sea coral colors for occasionally tweaking tested levels. The CaRx pretty much also takes care of strontium.
Everyone is just always looking for better colors and more growth and other than a healthy tank there's really no magic bullet. A lot of the stuff helps but a lot is just more things to spend money on. With occasional coral feedings, Amino's, constant automatic water changes, good lighting and overall good husbandry you could probably accomplish the same thing.
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