Why cant u keep sps?
- Thread starter ycnibrc
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Andrews_aquarium
Active Member
I ordered the Live sand activator package from them after reading this thread, which includes live sand,wondermud, and what I think helped just as much was the bags of Liquid N-Reducer which is a concentrated solution of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobactor Bacteria. I was very impressed with the shipment. Everything was extremely alive, I now have more noticeable creatures living in the sand ( worms etc ). But what I noticed the most was I was starting to get bad Dinos in the tank, killing a few SPS and within 4 days of the addition of LS Activator all the Dinos were gone and I haven't had them since.
On the same day I received the LS Activator I also received a shipment of 3 pounds live rock shipped in a bag full of water from KP Aquatics. The rock is going to help seed my Caribsea life rock which is the only rock I had in prior to adding the live rock. Rock came in amazing condition, smelled fresh and had multiple types of Coraline algae, sponges and feather dusters all of which survived the shipment. I did no curing and just put directly into tank( I had a tank setup for curing the rock, but upon receiving and inspecting the rock it looked great to put in directly).
The only negative thing I noticed from adding these two shipments was phosphates went up slightly to 1 instead of my normal 0 ( which im still trying to bring back up) after 4 days the phosphates returned to 0. I have been feeding more reef riods as a form of phosphate dosing which seems to be working.
Its now been over a month since the additions and SPS are slowly starting to gain more color, a few have even gotten better color then when I bought them.
Some pictures of the shipments, sorry for amateur photos, was trying to get into the tank ASAP.
t5Nitro
Valuable Member
I just received my surf zone package today. Incredible. Of course I received mine with the same algaes. What are they exactly? I have them in my sump, but I don't have an actual fuge or sump light. Would my tangs eat them as a snack? I put my wondermud in a cut off gatorade bottle in the sump as well as the LSA in a cutoff gatorade bottle right next to it. I dumped the N-reducer in near the return chamber, and put the pods in. Everything is so active.I ordered the Live sand activator package from them after reading this thread, which includes live sand,wondermud, and what I think helped just as much was the bags of Liquid N-Reducer which is a concentrated solution of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobactor Bacteria. I was very impressed with the shipment. Everything was extremely alive, I now have more noticeable creatures living in the sand ( worms etc ). But what I noticed the most was I was starting to get bad Dinos in the tank, killing a few SPS and within 4 days of the addition of LS Activator all the Dinos were gone and I haven't had them since.
On the same day I received the LS Activator I also received a shipment of 3 pounds live rock shipped in a bag full of water from KP Aquatics. The rock is going to help seed my Caribsea life rock which is the only rock I had in prior to adding the live rock. Rock came in amazing condition, smelled fresh and had multiple types of Coraline algae, sponges and feather dusters all of which survived the shipment. I did no curing and just put directly into tank( I had a tank setup for curing the rock, but upon receiving and inspecting the rock it looked great to put in directly).
The only negative thing I noticed from adding these two shipments was phosphates went up slightly to 1 instead of my normal 0 ( which im still trying to bring back up) after 4 days the phosphates returned to 0. I have been feeding more reef riods as a form of phosphate dosing which seems to be working.
Its now been over a month since the additions and SPS are slowly starting to gain more color, a few have even gotten better color then when I bought them.
Some pictures of the shipments, sorry for amateur photos, was trying to get into the tank ASAP.
Also great to hear you were able to order just 3 lbs of KP shipped in water. With it being that small were they able to deliver it to your door?
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Have you tested your nutrients? Nitrates and phosphates
Andrews_aquarium
Active Member
Yeah overnight shipping. You have to order another item though( fish or crab etc) to be able to do 1lb or more. I got a Sailfin Blenny, which is very happy and healthy.
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Just FWIW - this is not an ICP test - its an actual microbiology DNA testI believe youill run an icp test and see what's up and keep things stable!
Punchanello
Well-Known Member
I've been reading this thread with great interest. I'm starting my second SPS reef tank at the moment (just added fish, no corals yet) and have been thinking about this topic a lot.
In Australia where I live, live rock just isn't an option. If it wasn't dead as a market already because of environmental laws and cost, it will be now because of covid. Few reefers want other reefer's rock and the problems that come with it (especially if you are like me and meticulous about keeping pests out) and there are obvious maintenance and flow benefits to not having sand in a reef tank. So essentially, there are good a proportion of us starting a reef as a bacterial desert. I think this is a growing reality. The only current solution is bacterial additives. I hope I can achieve the same results as @ycnibrc.
What's confusing to me is that most of the products I can get hold of here only ever claim to to be, or be food for, nitrifying bacteria. Some make vague claims about coral health but that's about it. Is that what we are really talking about here or a broader spectrum of bacteria?
In Australia where I live, live rock just isn't an option. If it wasn't dead as a market already because of environmental laws and cost, it will be now because of covid. Few reefers want other reefer's rock and the problems that come with it (especially if you are like me and meticulous about keeping pests out) and there are obvious maintenance and flow benefits to not having sand in a reef tank. So essentially, there are good a proportion of us starting a reef as a bacterial desert. I think this is a growing reality. The only current solution is bacterial additives. I hope I can achieve the same results as @ycnibrc.
What's confusing to me is that most of the products I can get hold of here only ever claim to to be, or be food for, nitrifying bacteria. Some make vague claims about coral health but that's about it. Is that what we are really talking about here or a broader spectrum of bacteria?
OP
OP
ycnibrc
SOCAL REEF TOTM 11/2019 GHL TOTM 02/2020
As far as zeovit zeobak contain multi microorganisms , zeostart3 has different strain of bacteria to consume nitrate and phosphate and sponge power is food for sponge and filter feeder in your tank which filter phosphate and nitrate from your water.
OP
OP
ycnibrc
SOCAL REEF TOTM 11/2019 GHL TOTM 02/2020
I think more as a preservative
Somewhere in this combo, I am now keeping SPS, first time in my current setup, after a year and dozens of dead frags. NP Pro, ProBioS, KZ Flatworm Stop, KZ Pohls Extra Special, and AF Build. If I were to guess, it would be the Probiotic bacteria, but KZ products selected specifically for coral health. No stones, passive carbon, and mangrove fuge, with aggressive skimming. 6 weeks in to my specific method, and couldn't be happier. Cheers
OP
OP
ycnibrc
SOCAL REEF TOTM 11/2019 GHL TOTM 02/2020
The key to success is more bacteria diversity no matter what brand. Because we start with dry rock our tank is lacking of beneficial bacteria and microorganisms. The technology of reefing nowadays is far more advanced than before. We should be able to successfully keeping sps without a doubt. However we gain the advancement of equipment we losing the good bacteria providing from real live rock from the sea. From dino to cant keep sps are the result of missing the key ingredients bacteria.
driftin
Active Member
Read this whole thread as a lurker before registering for the forum, I find it very intriguing. There is a new thread in the chemistry forum that looks to be directly related to the topics discussed here. (And started by a microbiologist)
www.reef2reef.com
Bacteria...let's really start understanding them! part one
Well I’ve been on here for a month or two and I've found a really heavy misunderstanding of bacteria in the aquarium and what they're actually useful for. This is NOT another cycling thread! None of this is opinion unless I say IMO. First before I begin I'll introduce myself. I have loved...
www.reef2reef.com
I seriously do not see any disadvantages to periodically or consistently dosing bacteria, of course depending on the source. I prefer AF Probiotic Bacteria personally, but give an occasional dose of mb7, post water change. I can only advise on what I see, but when I discontinue use of bacteria, corals just don't appear as healthy/happy as when I dose. That said, I will continue to dose daily, albeit in smaller doses, less than recommended. I am convinced that this is exactly what most tanks are missing, especially newer reefs established with dry rock. To each their own, but my reef is an example of that "what's missing " component.
Cheers
So, my acros really respond to bacteria dosing, anecdotal, but colors, health, pe, all appear happy with continued dosing. When I discontinued for 2 weeks, all were well, but just not popping. Just my observation my friend
drawman
2500 Club Member
I like it Perry. Interestingly I noticed a big difference in my previous tank when I got some live sand and mud from the keys and added it to my sump in glass jars.So, my acros really respond to bacteria dosing, anecdotal, but colors, health, pe, all appear happy with continued dosing. When I discontinued for 2 weeks, all were well, but just not popping. Just my observation my friend
Nick428
Community Member
Theres definitely a symbiotic relationship between microbes, algae, protists, and corals. I've read a few studies showing that algae can release compounds that cause bacteria to bloom that are harmful to corals. Also corals can release compounds that feed bacteria that harm algae.
Some out of balance elements could be a trigger.
For example raising magnesium seems to have an impact on on certain algae species and for all we know this could trigger the release of specific organic compounds which can cause certain microbes too bloom.
So organic compounds can act like a switch
Some out of balance elements could be a trigger.
For example raising magnesium seems to have an impact on on certain algae species and for all we know this could trigger the release of specific organic compounds which can cause certain microbes too bloom.
So organic compounds can act like a switch
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