Thread: Pat's 120
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Old 03-22-2009, 12:50 AM
pterfloth pterfloth is offline
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Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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I am up to 1 liter of Lith already, having increased the Lith by 250 ml once per week for the past 4 weeks since beginning the UltraLith program.

For the past week, except for the past 2 days I have been dosing (nothing else):

3 drops Bio
2 ml UltraBak
2 ml UltraMin S

The past 2 days I dosed:

8 drops Bio
3 ml UltraBak
3 ml UltraMin S

as you instructed the other day.

Even though this may have been too much, it has dropped nitrates to barely detectable levels (almost no color at all in the test) and my phosphate is now back down to to 0.02 ppm. I am doing total phosphate, not ortho, using a HACH DR890 photometer. I have been testing daily, so the results are indicative of trends, not one offs.

The hair algae is much heavier than it was 4 weeks ago but cyano is much reduced.

Prior to beginning the UltraLith program, I was vodka dosing 2 ml/day, 4 ml Ultra Amin SPS/day and 5 ml of Coral Vite once/week. I was also feeding UltraClam twice per week. A Phosban reactor with RowaPhos was also being used. My nitrates at the beginning of the UltraLith treatment were 5 ppm and phosphates were 0.06 ppm.

Obviously every system is unique and I have made a lot of changes over the past 4 weeks. The RowaPhos was been replaced with carbon and I ceased feeding UltraClam on Day 1. I reduced and then eliminated the Ultra Amin SPS and the Coral Vite last week.

Given the readings today, do you still suggest reducing the additive and Bio levels? I am keenly interested in making this program a success and having a tank which you can use as a reference (because it will be so good!). The Ultra Amin SPS is a great product that gave me terrific colors and it was based on my success with it that I decided to embrace your full program. Your recommendations are appreciated.