Observation awareness…..fantasy vs reality

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I’ve been in the hobby for minute. I never participated in any forums or watched YouTube’s until a few years back. One thing I notice in regards to claims of products or methods, is that some report spectacular results/changes the instant they dose x or change to method x , swap to brand x lighting, etc,. I myself (prior to vision issues) never noticed any instantaneous changes of note (of the good variety, I have had mishaps that were instantly bad with corals closing, etc.).

I’m curious if instant and amazing results as far as growth, color, health are fantasy, a sort of placebo effect, or reality and only obtainable by a select few. I’m not shouting liar, liar….I think people truly belive these changes are happening (on the forums….with the exception of a select few hucksters out there). YouTube is a whole different story though.

In the past, when I did notice changes for the better, it for sure wasn’t overnight. Maybe several months later. Even then, not drastic to the eye. Unless I photo documented it and looked back.

I’m curious if any of you have noticed night and day changes, almost immediately, by dosing x, changing methods, swapping lights, etc.? Or if you’ve dosed x, changed methods, swapped lights, etc., and didn’t notice any changes or did but it took a minute (minute meaning a long time)? Maybe it’s just me….

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’ve been in the hobby for minute. I never participated in any forums or watched YouTube’s until a few years back. One thing I notice in regards to claims of products or methods, is that some report spectacular results/changes the instant they dose x or change to method x , swap to brand x lighting, etc,. I myself (prior to vision issues) never noticed any instantaneous changes of note (of the good variety, I have had mishaps that were instantly bad with corals closing, etc.).

I’m curious if instant and amazing results as far as growth, color, health are fantasy, a sort of placebo effect, or reality and only obtainable by a select few. I’m not shouting liar, liar….I think people truly belive these changes are happening (on the forums….with the exception of a select few hucksters out there). YouTube is a whole different story though.

In the past, when I did notice changes for the better, it for sure wasn’t overnight. Maybe several months later. Even then, not drastic to the eye. Unless I photo documented it and looked back.

I’m curious if any of you have noticed night and day changes, almost immediately, by dosing x, changing methods, swapping lights, etc.? Or if you’ve dosed x, changed methods, swapped lights, etc., and didn’t notice any changes or did but it took a minute (minute meaning a long time)? Maybe it’s just me….

One example is iron dosing, but I agree fast effects are few, which clouds interpretations. If a headache medicine took a week to work, is it actually working?

In one scenario, the owner of Reef Central was having an issue with pale and poorly growing macroalgae in his refugium. I convinced him to dose iron and in 1-2 days they darkened up green. Growth obviously takes longer, but it did follow in time.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Yes. I can get rid of an occasional cyano outbreak in a couple days with Chemiclean. I always verify with a microscope before treating my tanks. But I don’t mess around with guessing what the problem is, or “waiting it out”. I know what works for me, and I do it. Another is using uv for Osteropsis dinos. Gone in 2-5 days. Also using fluconazole for byropsis. Gone in two days or less. But your mileage WILL vary.

 

[bobnicaragua]

Significantly increasing PH and minimizing the nightly PH drop has a very noticeable impact on acropora.

It’s hard to miss calcium and alkalinity uptake continuously increasing, along with better coloration from all the new growth.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

One example is iron dosing, but I agree fast effects are few, which clouds interpretations. If a headache medicine took a week to work, is it actually working?

In one scenario, the owner of Reef Central was having an issue with pale and poorly growing macroalgae in his refugium. I convinced him to dose iron and in 1-2 days they darkened up green. Growth obviously takes longer, but it did follow in time.

Ah, yes good example. In this case, I’m guessing something was deficient (iron). I have noticed that as well. I wasn’t very specific…

A step further. Say all things being equal and nothing is notably deficient. Example (and related to one of your threads), one is dosing nitrate (brand x, assuming sodium nitrate) and has been maintaining a detectable amount of nitrate. They switch to your diy ammonium bicarbonate recipe (maintaining the exact same level of detectable nitrate as before), and immediately the colors are brighter, polyps are out like never before, and growth has increased.

Another would be something like iodine. Instant coloration.

Or, potassium…

Switching from two-part to kalkwasser (maintaining the same levels of kh/ca) and noticing an instant growth spurt.

Switching from two part to a certain once a day, large dose, product….

Is an endless list really

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Yes. I can get rid of an occasional cyano outbreak in a couple days with Chemiclean. I always verify with a microscope before treating my tanks. But I don’t mess around with guessing what the problem is, or “waiting it out”. I know what works for me, and I do it. Another is using uv for Osteropsis dinos. Gone in 2-5 days. Also using fluconazole for byropsis. Gone in two days or less. But your mileage WILL vary.

Ah, another good example. Medications…and I have seen somewhat instantaneous results with that as well.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Ah, another good example. Medications…and I have seen somewhat instantaneous results with that as well.

Another example specifically for coral, is water changes. If my coral seem off, I’ll do a 40% water change. It usually fixes the problem in a day or two. I know this is a broad brush, but going crazy trying to analyze a deficiency or contaminate isn’t worth my time usually. I do a wc and move on.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Significantly increasing PH and minimizing the nightly PH drop has a very noticeable impact on acropora.

It’s hard to miss calcium and alkalinity uptake continuously increasing, along with better coloration from all the new growth.

This one is a good example of maybe, and depends for me. All things being equal and ph is on the lower end of the spectrum, I definitely notice more alk consumption when ph is increased to the higher end of the spectrum within a day or two typically. Coloration though (I mean I can’t tell now due to vision) but I personally don’t know that it changes one way or the other. If one is at a decent ph and just bumps it up a smidge, again alk consumption increases slightly, but do colors really change? I don’t know and couldn’t tell on my own but I do hear this quite often.

 

[vlangel]

I think a lot of claims are more of a placebo effect. I have been in the hobby for 25 years and most products take time, in fact most problems take time to remedy.

However I agree with @Reefer Matt that if my tank looks off doing a 40% water change or a series of water changes can bring it back around relatively fast. The other exception is for cloudy water and/or water that just lacks clarity is passively adding floss and carbon in a mesh bag can do wonders even just overnight.