Trying Polyp Lab's "System Reef-resh" this weekend.

[Chrismo]

This stuff looks very interestng to me. Bacteria are such a great way to control nutrients... A lot of people seem to be giving it a try recently too. So we should have more feedback in the next few months.

A guy I know just started using it yesterday, I cant wait to see what he thinks of it. He's a very clinical & skepticle guy, so I'm hoping he wnt be suseptable to his own head games.

Chris

[Mike Olson]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

I would be suspect of anything that makes you think you see a difference after only 1 week, I think like stated befor, it is seeing a little of what you want to see.

best way to go about it would be to take a pic at day 1 and remember the settings, then after 1 month of feeding take a aditional pic with the same settings and don't adjust anything in photoshop with either pic (except maybe the size) then stop feeding for another month and take a pic and see if they revert back.. by paying more attention on a daily basis you might be doing something else that is contrubiting to the difference if there is one.

Steve

Like I said, I was skeptical to begin with...I know how my corals have progressed since day one of reefkeeping. Everyday Im looking at progress, whats new etc. just like most people who have become so addicted to the obsession! To think I would put rose colored glasses on for one product over the many that I have crossed paths with is ludicrous. If I notice differences that werent present before I started using the product, I note them. These are not corals that I bought yesterday and know nothing about, I take note of the ones that I have had for awhile.
To try it for a month and then stop to see if they revert is not the way to see how well a product works because it has no scientific basis since you are not restarting with the same parameters of the subject. I think the weeks worth of results is significant since we all know how good or bad they can go in alot less time!
Who knows how far this product will go or when the results will plateau, all I know is that the majority of my corals are showing more than they did last week...I hope it continues.

[seashells]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

I would be suspect of anything that makes you think you see a difference after only 1 week, I think like stated befor, it is seeing a little of what you want to see.
Steve

The appearence of new polyps at the base of the coral would not show up with rose colored glasses. The extension of the polyps would indicate something has changed. As for a change in color that could be subjective.

doug

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Thanks Mike. Very comprehensive. Looking forward to future reports.

Anthony

[Tangman]

Any before and after pics?

[Ruth]

Well they say the lord hates a coward so I might as well weigh in on this one. If I am not mistaken the general idea of this system is to create an environment that is nutrient poor, ie: nitrate and phosphate at zero, through the use of various strains of bacteria. I would also guess that other factors are required in order to see a real benefit from this such as heavy and efficient skimming, appropriate lighting, frequent water changes, and adequate water flow.
I don't think that it is unrealistic to see marked improvement within the first week of using this system just for the fact that presumably you have been successful in reducing the amount of nitrate and phosphate in your water - thus the corals are smiling. I would be a bit nervous of too rapid a change in your system that has the potential of shocking your inhabitants and as has been said it is usually bad things that happen quickly. I would keep a close eye on your corals to make sure that they don't go too quickly even if the direction you think they are heading in is a good one. I know that when I used Pohl's coral vitalizer there was a marked improvement of polyp extension within the first couple of days and I kept dosing at the same levels and pretty soon I started to see tissue sloughing off around the base that allowed a bacteria or some other algea to attach the base of the coral and eventually kill them. Like most things in a reef aquarium good things happen slowly.
I am not using this system but will follow this thread closely as I am curious to see how it progresses. I have tried the zeovit system but have had to stop using it as I was just unable to maintain it properly without a proper zeo reactor that for some reason (supplier!!!!) I was unable to aquire. Without all the pieces of the puzzle in place systems like zeovit and presumably Reef-fresh simply do not work, IMO.
Pictures would be a wonderful tool to track the progress of your system and also for the rest of us that are interested to observe.
Just my opinion and 2 pennies worth.

[Tangman]

Good point Ruth, like Steve also said , It would be nice to see some before and after progress pictures
Also I am very interested on how much it is going to cost on a month to month basis. I talked to Jeff at J&L and they are trying to determine this as well

[Mike Olson]

Originally Posted by Tangman

Any before and after pics?

I have a few before and after pics. Not very good though....my camera will not go into manual focus. I will try to post though...I am hoping to borrow my friends new 8mg digital SLR this comng week.
I am constantly checking my sps for growth since they have never grown that fast in my tank. Thats probably why I have noticed the most changes/occurrences on them.....my Softies have always grown like mad.

[Reefer Rob]

If the Reefresh system is about nutrient export shouldn’t you be posting before and after nitrate readings (or is that too personal) :-) So far only Mike has post his readings. Polyp Lab's website doesn’t specifically say that the product will reduce nitrates or to what level.

[Psyire]

So I started the Reef-Resh system today, how are you guys making out?