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

StirCrazy · #1 04-06-2006, 11:06 PM

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

Chrismo · #2 04-06-2006, 11:24 PM

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 · #3 04-07-2006, 05:38 AM

Quote:

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.

StirCrazy · #4 04-07-2006, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Olson

. I think the weeks worth of results is significant since we all know how good or bad they can go in alot less time!

Corals only go bad in less time, the good take a lot more, anyways not trying to say you are using the rose colored glasses, but from experence with new food fads/products, and being the most skeptical one out there, that a couple times it looked to me that stuff was making a difference but when I photographed, ect, ect, the growth rates were te same in the month couple months I fed as they were in the couple months after that I didn't feed, color and polyp extension was bigger, or so I though, but two months after I stopped feeding it was still the same.
I did notice a difference in the worms, bugs, mushrooms ect but as far as the SPS went ... no difference with 3 different products.

Steve

seashells · #5 04-07-2006, 06:39 PM

Quote:

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

StirCrazy · #6 04-08-2006, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seashells

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

New polyps at the base is simply growth,

Polyp extension, well seeing as we don't know what causes polyp extension that doesn't mean anything.. I get better extension during the day some people at night, some who feed, some who don't, see my point?

Color well who knows but I have found Alk levels make a huge difference in color where some haven't.. also lighting is a factor.

the problem is as in growth, a frag can sit there and do nothing for months then boom it starts growing when nothing has changed.. I personally believe that this is kinda of a recovery period from being fraged and a base laying period. so I'm my belief most frags don't start good growth until they have a solid foundation, how much of a base they need who knows but at some point I have found the base stops growing and the tips take off.

and like I said I have seen only guesses at to who the polyps extend. I have never had a problem with extension so I have never worried about it. It may be a good thing but then it may be bad, with my open brain I find it swells up when its hungry and shrinks when it is satisfied which seams to be opposite of what other think. all I know is when my LPS are swollen I feed them then they shrink down for a week then start swelling up again and so on.

Like I said this is my opinions and because there hasn't really been any research with SPS on these issues or if there is it isn't finished the questions cannot be answered and everyone will have there own opinion..
and as I stated before when I started feeding I thought there were drastic changes in growth and color, found out the color was because of an increase in my Alk and the growth was a combination of me just not noticing it before as I wasn't looking for an effect of feeding up to that point and corals just deciding to grow. heck I had one that worked on the base for almost 1 year with almost no top growth then boom it was growing 1cm a week from the tips.. nothing changed in 6 months prior to the explosion.

so we can argue this back and forth all year and no one will win as there is no proof or even studies that will affirm one way or another.

Steve

PS: I am not trying to discourage anyone from using it I started last week as I got a free sample in the mail, so who knows maybe this will turn out to be different that other foods and maybe not. Also one thing I just thought of is that if your lighting is a little on the low side for your corals maybe feeding will help a lot, but who knows.

Polyp Lab · #7 04-08-2006, 03:18 AM

Stircrazy,

I think you have your products mixed up....

This thread is about Reef-resh. A bacterial export system. We never gave out samples of Reef-resh.

I think you are talking about Reef-roids which is our coral food for filter feeders.

=)

Mike Olson · #8 04-08-2006, 07:05 AM

Week 1

The first week has passed and I have been impressed with some of the differences I have seen in my tank. I know that the information and data herein is subjective. I have paid more attention to corals that have been in my care for an extended period of time since I have more knowedge on their growth rate and polyp extension prior to Reef-Resh. My feeding schedule has been the same all along. My lighting consists of 2-250W 14K venture bulbs that are 2 1/2 months old and 1-400W venture 10K bulb that is 1 1/2 months old. Flow rates have not changed. The specs for the rest of the equipment are on my signature. There have been no corals/livestock added since starting Reef-Resh.

Feeding:
9:30 AM 1 cube mysis and a pinch of Formula flake
3:00 PM 1- 3 inch strip of nori
8:30 PM 1 cube of mysis (1cube of brine every second day instead
of mysis) and a pinch of Formula flake
1 teaspoon of reef roids in the evening on Mon. and Fri.
DT's phytoplankton every 3 nights.

Corals

Frogspawn, Hammer, Torch - very healthy and hard to tell if any changes have occurred.

Orange Plate- tentacle extension has increased noticeably. They were approx.1/2 inch and now are 3/4-1inch.

2 Open brains- tentacles come out more often in the daytime-not longer

Numerous zoos- definite tentacle extension difference-almost double! No color change

Galaxy- polyp extension is a little more, looks great but no noticeable changes

14"Dia. Toadstool, Colt, Devils Hand. Kenya tree- All doing great- same as before.

4 various Montipora- All show definite improvement...growth has gone from 1/8 inch per week to 1/4 inch this week. Polyps are more defined and the polyps underneath are actually coming out now. Color appears deeper

Pink Birdsnest- Growth has gone from 1/4 inch to 3/8-1/2 this week. Polyps stay out longer and are longer. Pink tips more defined

Pocillipora- growth is roughly the same but polyps are longer and out All week. Appears to have 'lightened' up from darker beige to lighter.

Christmas tree rock- polyps are definitely larger and are growing on to adjacent rocks- cant tell if there is more growth....I didnt realize it was spreading! Ha Ha! The feathers look more defined, that could be due to water quality.

Big Cup coral- Polyps are larger and are out more often. Growth 'seems' to be more, but not sure. Noted that polyps were coming out underneath as well....it has never done that in the year and some that have had it.

Orange Digitata- Growth this week has been equal to the previous two. polyps havent changed ( its in a high flow area) Orange coloration is more defined.

Blue acropora and blue green acro- growth is good 1/4 inch last week. Coloration is awesome...these corals are reatively new so I cannot compare too much.

I have more corals, but these are the ones I am using for comparison. The leathers are harder to note changes. My tank has typically taken along time for sps to grow- maybe since I do have a mixed tank and no reactor, I dont know. That is why I am excited to see the results for the sps's...hopefully the trend continues! The Lps are also hard for me to note skeletal growth differences, it will be easier over a more prolongued period.
I have noticed better water quality though...the only evidence I have is the drop in Nitrates from 5 to 0 though. My water looks clearer and fish, corals, inverts look more defined. I might be looking into it too much, but I have had others tell me that the clarity is better (without me telling them of Reef-Resh) I do notice I have to empty the skimmer cup a day earlier now...anyone out there notice the same?
Overall....Very happy of the first week! Next report will be Week 2
Thanks

vanreefer · #9 04-08-2006, 04:47 PM

I'm going to give this a try as well I will try to take some pictures every week to document changes... There are a few questions That I would have... Maybe polyp lab could answer them for me... Does this new strain of bacteria we are adding replace or compete for nutrients with the de-nitrifying bacteria that is normally present in our reefs... ie if I run out or decide to stop using this product wiil my tank re-cycle as the normal flora returns?... are there any negative effects to missing a day or two? will the bacteria die off too rapidly (without the food) and release the nitrates and phosphates ,back into the water collumn, that they had comsumed? I don't think this would be to big an issue with the size of skimmer I am running (G4X on ~100gals) but good to know.

Mike: are you seeing the development of bacterial mats like they advertise?

Polyp lab: Is the food (reef fuel) simply a source of organic carbon... and would this fuel the growth of the pre-existing bacterial strains present in our reefs?
without the addition of your bacterial strain?
Thanks for your answers,
I am looking forward to giving this product a try

Regards,
Dan

dirtyreefer · #10 04-08-2006, 05:35 PM

Well it's been a week of using this stuff and I can't really significantly report any major difference up till now. I did notice that the water clarity was good, and I can also report a bit more skimmate than before.

As for SPS changes, I can't really say. I am not going up to the tank every night and checking to see whether there are any difference because I honestly wouldn't know whether a branch is growing more than before or not.

The best way is definitely to take some before and after pics which I may do this weekend. These will be the before shots and I'll post them here.

I think the normal waiting period is about 4-6 weeks before you can really notice any dramatic improvements so I'm not gonna get too excited at this point.