Brightwell Aquatics NeoZeo Method Experiment

[Myka]

Ok, I have about 90 gallons of water including sump and rock displacement so I have 180 grams of zeolite media in the TLF PhosBan reactor running first inline with GFO running second inline in a second reactor. I measured and adjusted the output to be darn close to 25 gph. I measured approximately 1.5 liters per minute, so that's about 23.5 gph.

When I have to turn the zeolite media up to 100 gph I won't be able to run the GFO that fast or it will blow away, so I will have to figure something out. Maybe if I put a foam pad on top of the GFO and add carbon to the top of the reactor I could run it 100 gph. Time will tell.

Here we go... *holding breath*

[Myka]

I forgot to mention that I had my halides turned up to 8 hrs per day for about 3 months, and dialed them back to 7 hrs per day a week ago. I don't know if it was the change in lighting or the addition of the MB7+BF, but there are some slight color increases that I noticed this morning.

I should also report that right now there are several SPS colonies that are quite pastel or mildly bleached. The two RBTAs are also somewhat bleached. These corals and anemones have been this way for at least 2 months, maybe 3. Kinda makes me think the increase in halide photoperiod was to blame because of the timing, not I'm not sure. The new coloring I am noticing is a couple of these colonies darkening up slightly (richer colors).

[Myka]

A week later no changes in cyano or hair algae. The colonies that were darkening up a bit seem to still be darkening a bit more. I cut the halides to 6 1/2 hrs yesterday which is what I have found to work best in the past.

Today I will add more zeolite rocks, increase the flow through them, and increase the amount of MB7 added as described in the above posted instructions.


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As an aside, I have a 10 gallon tank that has been storing my Zoas and Palys for a few months. I stole their tank area for the Christmas tree and planned to drill their tank and put a skimmer on the system so they have just been in a bare-bottom 10 gallon tank with a small powerhead, and a couple pieces of live rock that barely fit in the tank. I also kept a pair of clowns in there and didn't do any waterchanges. Needless to say the nutrients built up and I had quite a bit of strange slimy, stringy light brown algae(?) growth in that tank. I started dosing 1mL MB7 daily to that tank on the 19th and holy mackerel has it made a big difference. The Zoas and Palys are expanding much larger and color has improved quite a bit.

[Bblinks]

Tagging along. Thanks for the review.

[Myka]

Nothing to report...

[Myka]

March 4th, removed GFO so I could turn up the flow on the zeolite rocks. I have the PhosBan reactor filled all the way which is 700 grams, and 85 gph flowing.

March 27th, nothing to report. Zero improvement in cyano or hair algae. Total time: 5 weeks and 2 days.


March 28th I ditch the BioFuel and replace with vodka, continue MB7 0.3 mL per day, zeolite rocks still going. Day 1-2 0.3 mL 2x per day vodka, day 3-7 0.6 mL 2x per day, Day 8-current 1.1 mL once per day. Skimmer is producing twice as much skimmate of the same tint. I replaced 250 mL Brightwell Aquatics carbon yesterday. Day 3 shows noticeable browning of SPS corals. Day 5 shows noticeable lightening of SPS corals. Today I notice slight, but definite improvement in cyano.

Haven't done a waterchange in 3 weeks...ack! Will try to get one done tonight. Too much on the go lately.

[Myka]

I eventually worked up to 2.1 mL per day vodka and 1 mL MB7. I stayed at that level for about 4 weeks. In this time, the improvements first noted with the vodka faded away, and I was back at square one. However, the vodka dosing completely and thoroughly browned out all my SPS corals. I also lost 3 large frags (mini colonies) to RTN in this time. The only cases of RTN I've seen in this tank.

I ditched out on the vodka and MB7 at the beginning of May, and switched to weekly siphon removal of cyano. I got 100x better results doing this than anything else I've tried. It actually takes quite some time for it to grow back.

Second week of May I dosed Prodibio BioDigest and Bioptim which I have had great success in the past for color improvement (doesn't seem to do anything for cyano or algae). I have since dosed Prodibio a second time, and am almost due for a third dosing. This has greatly improved coloring of SPS and polyp extension. I love Prodibio and have found it to be quite beneficial on three occasions now. My LPS tank likes Prodibio too, but the improvement is more noted in the SPS corals. Good product.