Reefing in 2019

[Blitzburggirl]

Hi folks!

Summer travel is slowing and my tank has done really well through it all! YAY! Thankful for my teen son growing up salty and being able to be responsible for most maintenance and able to handle any equipment emergencies made it worry free.

I’m looking forward to the Fragtastic show in Leominster

Tank has been stable for a while, and it's time to add more frags and also to start dosing as my beginner corals (LPS and SPS) are taking off! Looking to crowd source some thoughts as to what is available and best these days.

In my old reefing neighborhood, flatworms were the plague and I trusted Revive as a good dip. After a while, red bugs became a thing, and I was able to get some Interceptor and used that for quite some time. Looking to know better and do better. Currently using Revive. What do you use? How? Why? Please don’t recommend QT (for me) as I’m not setting up a QT tank for corals.

Dosing. I used to use B-Ionic 2 part in my 180 (reef crystals salt.) I also constantly chased my always low magnesium with Brightwell magnesium. I then went to Epsom salts and all was good. Now in my 29 with reef crystals, my mag is low, my calcium is a bit low, alk is in a good range every time I test. Corals are growing really well, but I wouldn’t mind a bit better color. Anyway.. What do you dose?

 

[Sparky88]

Bulk reef did a great video on monthly cost of dosing. They also have videos on almost anything. Shopping with the big guy can be alittle pricey, but when your gunna sell what ever lands on the shelf I feel they can be picky and only stalk products that are decent. There video series is pretty well done. They either are presenting honest findings or going a very lomg way to fake them.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Hi folks!

Summer travel is slowing and my tank has done really well through it all! YAY! Thankful for my teen son growing up salty and being able to be responsible for most maintenance and able to handle any equipment emergencies made it worry free.

I’m looking forward to the Fragtastic show in Leominster

Tank has been stable for a while, and it's time to add more frags and also to start dosing as my beginner corals (LPS and SPS) are taking off! Looking to crowd source some thoughts as to what is available and best these days.

In my old reefing neighborhood, flatworms were the plague and I trusted Revive as a good dip. After a while, red bugs became a thing, and I was able to get some Interceptor and used that for quite some time. Looking to know better and do better. Currently using Revive. What do you use? How? Why? Please don’t recommend QT (for me) as I’m not setting up a QT tank for corals.

Dosing. I used to use B-Ionic 2 part in my 180 (reef crystals salt.) I also constantly chased my always low magnesium with Brightwell magnesium. I then went to Epsom salts and all was good. Now in my 29 with reef crystals, my mag is low, my calcium is a bit low, alk is in a good range every time I test. Corals are growing really well, but I wouldn’t mind a bit better color. Anyway.. What do you dose?

Sometimes, I roll the dice if frags are coming from highly respectable sellers/ vendors/ shops. Usually, I'll use Bayer if I feel the need as it's a little less stressful than Revive and some of the others. I've dosed ESV years ago and after taking a break from here for a couple/ few years I now dose with BRS 2 part. To touch on what @Sparky88 commented, they are a really great company and sure they may be a little more expensive about certain products, they've received thousand of dollars from me. Hell I have a reactor coming Friday and just placed another $100 order about 1/2 an hour ago. They make a lot of informational videos about honest experience and results, without sugarcoating for all of us to watch for free. As far as AEFW, red bugs, monti nudis and zoa spiders, I haven't really heard of them in a while. Maybe everyone's just extra careful with dipping and Qt'ing, hope this helps.

 

[Blitzburggirl]

I’ll have to watch that video. Thank you @Sparky88. I’m a video hold out. The time spent watching a video drives me bonkers lol. BRS is pretty awesome, aren’t they?

Dosing can be expensive, for sure. Fortunately this go round I have a small tank, and I’m more interested in results than cost (within reason.) I’m about to pull the trigger on the ATI Essentials Pro. At this point I’m more interested in keeping my tank footprint small and contained. Quiet and cool.

@BiGGiePauls33, I’ve been known to roll the dice as well. Usually though, I’d buy from reefers I know, and I know who I could trust (of course things can still happen lol.) I’m still new to this area and have no idea whose who in that way. In fact, I’ve only bought coral for this tank from 2 people, and felt great about it. One of them, Dong, dips as he bags, and the other was zoas that did a revive bath. Good to know the pests aren’t as big of a plague as they used to be!!

I’m looking forward to adding some good stuff to the tank at Fragtastic event and just want to feel good about adding it.

 

[Aquanaut]

I'm dosing aquaforest balling 3 part, so far so good but it is too soon to tell any results (plus Im just at the end of Dino's so things have been pretty unstable with combat tinkerings). I would def say to mix your own if you are interested, it is much cheaper than the pre mix you can buy off BRS

Edit: video from AF on method

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I’ll have to watch that video. Thank you @Sparky88. I’m a video hold out. The time spent watching a video drives me bonkers lol. BRS is pretty awesome, aren’t they?

Dosing can be expensive, for sure. Fortunately this go round I have a small tank, and I’m more interested in results than cost (within reason.) I’m about to pull the trigger on the ATI Essentials Pro. At this point I’m more interested in keeping my tank footprint small and contained. Quiet and cool.

@BiGGiePauls33, I’ve been known to roll the dice as well. Usually though, I’d buy from reefers I know, and I know who I could trust (of course things can still happen lol.) I’m still new to this area and have no idea whose who in that way. In fact, I’ve only bought coral for this tank from 2 people, and felt great about it. One of them, Dong, dips as he bags, and the other was zoas that did a revive bath. Good to know the pests aren’t as big of a plague as they used to be!!

I’m looking forward to adding some good stuff to the tank at Fragtastic event and just want to feel good about adding it.

If you can hold out until the frag show I'll gladly bring you some alk, Cal and mag free of charge. I have 7 pound bags from brs because that's all they had when I ordered mine a few months ago. Not trying to put ATI down but I know a few reefers here that used it without stellar results.

 

[Blitzburggirl]

I'm dosing aquaforest balling 3 part, so far so good but it is too soon to tell any results (plus Im just at the end of Dino's so things have been pretty unstable with combat tinkerings). I would def say to mix your own if you are interested, it is much cheaper than the pre mix you can buy off BRS

Edit: video from AF on method

@Aquanaut My tank is only about 6-8 months old and I think I finally made it through all the random blooms and such. Hahahah dinos are awful, glad you're on this side of it!
I'll check out this video after work Thank you!! I don't mind mixing my own.. I just want to keep the number of bottles and containers under control.

@BiGGiePauls33 That is so kind of you! Thank you so much!!! This is a little project I want to start a bit sooner than that, but wow the kindness is very much appreciated! I did a bit of an ATI search on this board, and I was seeing that. Darn. Some times simple is truly better than all the craziness lol I plan on ordering sometime today or tomorrow.