The DSR Method (Dutch Synthetic Reefing)

[Tangchaser]

Watch you PO4 level!
Washed out colors means low....

Yes sir! I have recently up food in my tank along with cutting off my phosphate reactor time.

Thanks by the way. Good read. I'm glad there are people pushing boundaries.

 

[glennf]

Yes sir! I have recently up food in my tank along with cutting off my phosphate reactor time.

Thanks by the way. Good read. I'm glad there are people pushing boundaries.

There is a lot to be gained by independent control over PO4 and NO3.
When you add food you never know what will run up harder. In most case it will turn out just fine, but it's about those cases where things get out of control and you wonder why.....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

deleted (read a result wrong)

 

[Tangchaser]

There is a lot to vmbe gain by gaininh independent control over PO4 and NO3.
When you add food you never know what will run up harder. In most case it will turn out just fine, but it's about those cases when you where things get out of control and you wonder why.....

What do you suggest for raising P04 and N03?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Glenn may suggest something else, but there are many suitable products, including potassium nitrate (sold as Spectracide Stump Remover in the US, for example, on which there are many threads here) and various phosphate salts and buffers, such as Seachem Neutral Regulator and Brightwell Neophos.

 

[Tangchaser]

Thanks Randy. I was just reading about it. Good thing AL Gore created the Internet or I would be lost. Lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks Randy. I was just reading about it. Good thing AL Gore created the Internet or I would be lost. Lol

You're welcome

Happy Reefing.

 

[glennf]

as randy suggested/pointed out...
get what you have available locally from trusted and knowledgeable supplier.
I don't know what (quality) products are locally common available to consumers
And i don't want to get blamed for accidents with experiments, so i will leaf the responsibility to the product manufacturer

In holland I took the guesing out of the equation for people willing to try my method.
Outside holland is a little out of my reach, because i am retired and intend to stay retired.

So please read, learn, experiment, ask, but please respect the bounderies i've set.
ASK ANYTHING, but no recipes!
Because I have a responsibility towards the dutch LFS and reefing community.

You may try suggestion from fellow members your trust, but i will not confirm nor reject their suggestions.

 

[glennf]

Hi Glenn
Happy New year
My Sulfate levels are dropping slowly and will supplement my Mg in the sulfate form a few times this year.

I see you have included manganese in the calculator now, are you using the salt or the sulfate?

Here is a screen grab from my Triton test.

Cheers,
Tony

Let us know you findings.
Most reefers i know who did the test with low S saw no stress at all.

So to stay in touch with S, i suggest inccidently supplying MgSO4 is a good idea.
Structural aiding will be a little to much.
I know people who did weekly wc and supply MgSO:MgCl2 1:6 ended up measuring way to high on S.

Mn is a finetuning element.
I have experimented with it and seen nothing "shocking" or mindblowing.
Some succesfull fraggers using it claim that fragged pieces heals faster than without.
Although it seems like Mn benefit some species of goniopora's, there is a danger in using Mn.. PO4 drops faster than normal which can create a deficiency of PO4. This PO4 deficientcy affected corals including the goniopora's
So when using Mn make sure you PO4 is 100% in controll.

Recipes Tony...
Don't guess to much. I know you have the knowledge to make the right choice and calculations.

 

[Squamosa]

Let us know you findings.
Most reefers i know who did the test with low S saw no stress at all.

So to stay in touch with S, i suggest inccidently supplying MgSO4 is a good idea.
Structural aiding will be a little to much.
I know people who did weekly wc and supply MgSO:MgCl2 1:6 ended up measuring way to high on S.

Mn is a finetuning element.
I have experimented with it and seen nothing "shocking" or mindblowing.
Some succesfull fraggers using it claim that fragged pieces heals faster than without.
Although it seems like Mn benefit some species of goniopora's, there is a danger in using Mn.. PO4 drops faster than normal which can create a deficiency of PO4. This PO4 deficientcy affected corals including the goniopora's
So when using Mn make sure you PO4 is 100% in controll.

Recipes Tony...
Don't guess to much. I know you have the knowledge to make the right choice and calculations.

I saw and continue to see no stress from my lower value of S, however, I will bring the value back inline again by periodic additions (3-4 times/year) of MgSO4

I won't guess the recipe Glenn, I have it pretty well down already
I always use the chloride version of a chemical.

I am still using DSR as the core, but now I find that suppressing the nutrients and supplemental feeding with AA's, reef pearls and other trace elements is yielding extremely positive results in growth and colour
Experiment, experiment, experiment, it's ongoing!

 

[glennf]

I saw and continue to see no stress from my lower value of S, however, I will bring the value back inline again by periodic additions (3-4 times/year) of MgSO4

I won't guess the recipe Glenn, I have it pretty well down already
I always use the chloride version of a chemical.

I am still using DSR as the core, but now I find that suppressing the nutrients and supplemental feeding with AA's, reef pearls and other trace elements is yielding extremely positive results in growth and colour
Experiment, experiment, experiment, it's ongoing!

Thanks for sharing...

Looks nice. [emoji106]
Yours back on track

 

[pfoxgrover]

Glenn,
I love your tanks! I am very impressed with your results. I have been adopting many aspects of your method and appreciate the information.
Can you tell me how you made the rock arch in this video?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[glennf]

Glenn,
I love your tanks! I am very impressed with your results. I have been adopting many aspects of your method and appreciate the information.
Can you tell me how you made the rock arch in this video?

Thanks,
Paul

In dug a hole in the sand to make a mould.
Than I poured portland cement into the mould and modelled it to my liking.
I used chickenwire as reinforcement and made sure the wire is cobered covered with cement.

 

[pfoxgrover]

In dug a hole in the sand to make a mould.
Than I poured portland cement into the mould and modelled it to my liking.
I used chickenwire as reinforcement and made sure the wire is cobered covered with cement.

Thanks Glenn. I would love to try something like that on my next tank. I would be a little nervous using metal inside the concrete, do you think it would be possible to make plastic or fiberglass work instead of the chicken wire?
Thanks again for sharing your methods, I hope someday to have a tank that looks as good as yours.
-Paul

 

[glennf]

Thanks Glenn. I would love to try something like that on my next tank. I would be a little nervous using metal inside the concrete, do you think it would be possible to make plastic or fiberglass work instead of the chicken wire?
Thanks again for sharing your methods, I hope someday to have a tank that looks as good as yours.
-Paul

Plastic pipe /fiber or any other material should be fine as reinforcement. As long as it can handle the force and hold together the pieces if for any reason the cement itselfs would break.

I have another piece in my reef using 16mm pvc pipe reinforcement.

 

[The-Russ]

Glenn. Do you dose nitrate? I have 0 nitrate and think I need to dose some to help the tank out. I am dosing potassium Nitrate.

 

[glennf]

Glenn. Do you dose nitrate? I have 0 nitrate and think I need to dose some to help the tank out. I am dosing potassium Nitrate.

I dose both nitrate and phosphate
When you dose that in large amouth keep a watch on your potassium level.
My tank has a minimal potassium consumption.

 

[The-Russ]

Thank you Glenn. I am concerned about a Potassium Increase so I am going to monitor it closely and test it every few days. I am looking into possibly switching to Sodium Nitrate if it becomes an issue. this is readily available and can be purchased in different grades. (Food, Tech...) I assume that food grade will probably be fine.

 

[glennf]

Thank you Glenn. I am concerned about a Potassium Increase so I am going to monitor it closely and test it every few days. I am looking into possibly switching to Sodium Nitrate if it becomes an issue. this is readily available and can be purchased in different grades. (Food, Tech...) I assume that food grade will probably be fine.

Montly K test is just fine...

 

[Adam Obenauf]

How are you testing S/SO4?