[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by TimT

I have been using Foz down in my system for at least 3 years. There is a 5yr old Purple Sailfin Tang in the tank with no HLLE. I have 3 Yellow Sailfin Tangs in the system as well and they have no HLLE. I use Foz Down on a tank with 2 Pacific Sailfin Tangs with no HLLE. There are many factors that contribute to HLLE. HLLE was around a long time before Foz Down ever came out. People have used Metronizadole to cure HLLE so it sounds like it's a parasite and not a water condition. I suspect poor water conditions will contribute to a fish getting HLLE.

I didn't mention HLLE at all so don't know where this is coming from. the issue that has been observed is rapid breathing, stress and erratic behaviour.

seams to start within a day or two of starting to dose and goes away with in a couple days after stopping. theory is the flock is affecting the gills but no one has done absolute testing so its just a theory. also reports of ill effects on certain types of SPS. now these seem to be in tanks that were dosed directly so that might have something to do with it also.

Originally Posted by TimT

I don't bother removing the flocs but I do clean the sump every 6 months. I suspect the worry about flocs is just a fear of the unknown.

the flock precipitate and attach to your rock, glass ect..

Originally Posted by TimT

Hard Calcium deposits on the heaters, magnetic impellers and occasionally the glass is caused by an unbalanced buffering system. Usually the Calcium is too high. If you keep your Magnesium at at least 1350 or 3 times the Calcium level the precipitation should stop. If it doesn't then raise the Magnesium slowly until it does. Then correct the issue that is causing the imbalance. The buildup is very hard to remove but the Mag Float Scrape works very well on glass only. You must use extreme caution as it will easily scratch glass if you get sand or grit caught in it. Deposits on impellers and heaters can be removed with vinegar or diluted Muriatic Acid. Muriatic Acid is very nasty so extreme caution is recommended.

Cheers,
Tim

Once again nothing to do with Calcium, I am talking about the phosphate that is precipitated out with the flock which has nothing to do with your alk/ca balance, just a fact of using this stuff to reduce phosphates. it is way way harder than ca precipitate and has been causing issues. I imagine Muriatic acid would still work though.

I think the best way I have seen it used to to have a separate filter tank set up where the stuff is dripped in and there is a cotton fiber filter that the water has to go through to get back to the main system. mind you people who do it this way are changing the cotton filter out every day or two for the first while.

Steve