Pat's 120

[pterfloth]

I am now close th the end of week 4 and my nitrates and phosphates, which had been dropping are on the rise.

Current Treatment Regime:
1 litre of UltraLith
3 drops/day of UltraBio
2 ml/day of UltraMin
2 ml/day of UltraMin
Cost/day: $1.25

Nitrates: 5 ppm
Phosphate: 0.06 ppm (heated)
Salinity: 1.026
Calcium: 420 ppm
Magnesium: 1510 ppm
Alkalinity: 130 ppm

While the cyano on the sand bed has decreased, the hair algae is increasing. Not too happy to see that, nor the rise in nitrates and phosphates.

I stopped the daily addition of 4 ml/day of the Ultra Amin SPS at the beginning of week 4 due to the increasing hair algae. Colors are still good and polyp extension remains very good.

Not sure where to go from here, but I would like to get the low nutrient levels I have been hoping for.

[Aqua-Digital]

Hi

This is the tale we see a lot, week 4 is only one third the way through getting the system mature, what is happening which so many fall into, is the trap of rushing things. Too much too soon

What you have is a trace element overload before the system is ready, a week ago you were dosing coral Vite and Ultra Amin, too many trace elements will give the exact results you have.

OK where to go from here.

You should by now be on 50% total volume of Lith rock and dosing the Bio again. Do not dose anything other than Ultra Bio, Ultra Min-S and Ultra Bak

Keep to the dosing regime you have been doing of these 3 elements for 1 week and then email me, we will then change your dosing accordingly.

Also make sure you are doing the scheduled 10% water changes a week.

[Aqua-Digital]

One other note is when i say just dose Bio, Bak and Min-S That is ALL to dose no other products at all

[pterfloth]

Well, now I am confused. According to the UltraLith Calculator I am supposed to be at 1 liter of UltraLith of an eventual 1100 ml, same as the directions provided by your UltraLith Manual.

How much UltraMin, UltraBak and UltraBio are you recommending?

I also fail to see how trace elements or amino acids will cause algae, which are growth limited by Carbon>Nitrogen>Phosphorus, to grow excessively. Algae are not limited by trace elements.

I am trying to make your program successful. I didn't intend to spend $175 on your additives for nothing.

[pterfloth]

With respect to feeding corals, am I to just rely on the Ultra additives or feed anything else at this time?

[Aqua-Digital]

Hi

The trace elements come in on week 6 as a starter of 25% a week building up week by week to 100%, yes an overload will create algae blooms this is quite common and something Fauna try to educate many users on.

Please follow the Ultra Lith manual, not any external calculator, and also follow our advise this is the only way we can guarrantee you results.

You have not wasted money on anything as all you have will be used in time, just have patience in the gradual process UNLF must go through to have the desired results.

I will happily review your whole dosing for you and guide you step by step, but please follow exactly what I suggest to the letter.

In regards to coral foods all your system needs right now is the correct dose of Bak and Min-S and Bio, once we have got the established, after the 6 week period, then and only then we move onto the AMIN and Trace elements but slowly.

[Aqua-Digital]

Dosing -

If i read your system correctly taking the sump and everything else into account you have after 20% displacment 758L.

if this is correct your dosing should be as follows

week 4

900ML of Lith Rock (call it 1L for argument)
8 drops a DAY of Ultra Bio
3ml a day of ultra Bak
3ml a day of Ultra Min-S

The above will be reviewed one week from now

[Aqua-Digital]

Also please ONLY follow what is written in this manual, it is good bed time reading, well worth reading a few times.

http://shop.faunamarin.de/media/cont...08_eng_red.pdf

If you have any questions at anytime within the next week, please please email me or call me and I will offer you all the support you require,, we are here to help

[pterfloth]

Please tell me exactly what you want me to do. I have posted my current additive addition rate.

[Aqua-Digital]

I just have 3 posts up from your reply, but here is exactly what I wrote again

Dosing -

If i read your system correctly taking the sump and everything else into account you have after 20% displacment 758L.

if this is correct your dosing should be as follows

week 4

900ML of Lith Rock (call it 1L for argument)
8 drops a DAY of Ultra Bio
3ml a day of ultra Bak
3ml a day of Ultra Min-S

The above will be reviewed one week from now

You mention Ultra MIN a few times, I am assuming you mean min-S, but if you are referrring to the product Ultra MIN (without the S) stop this dosing also.

So to clarify

Ultra BIO
Ultra BAK
Ultra MIN S

Nothing else

PLEASE do not add anything else other than what I have listed