Crazy Idea!

[clowns101]

Hey Guys-
A local reefer had told me about this way of dosing that he has been using for around 20 years that I want to try,but I want to get some ideas on this first!

The guy who told me about this method of dosing is a experianced reefer for sure,20 years os experiance.I know he isnt a liar about this either.Ive seen his tank.

Basiclly,what he does is,doses amino acids,and trace elements from Zeovit.That is all he doses,and he will do a water change about once a year.

His coral grow relitivly fast aswell,all chalices,Red Watermelon,Pink,and some of the better old school watermelons.So I know there must be something in this combonation that makes it work!

So,what causes the coral to go so fast,if there is no Calcium,Alkalinity,of Magnesium for the corals to use to grow?With only 1 water change a year,there isnt enough ca,alk,and mg in the one change to keep the tank happy for a full year!

I really want to try it,but I want to know if anyone else is doing this.Is anyone?Has anyone heard of this method before?

If this post dosent make since,let me know!haha!

Thanks,
Austin

 

[_Alex_]

sounds crazy to me... if these corals require (so we think) all of these elements how do they survive let alone grow??

 

[clowns101]

Im not sure,I found it interesting,his corals look awesome for sure!Im just not sure how this method works!Keep in mind though,this is only with LPS corals such as chalice,but they still use all these elements aswell!

 

[Troylee]

Thats all I do... Nothing crazy about it... Lol have you read any of my posts??? Just kidding on that part but yeah I dose the big three and Strotium, potassium and coral amino also never change my water...;)

 

[clowns101]

lol,sorry,but he dosent dose the big 3,lol...just trace elements,aminos,and once a year waterchange!lol...no big 3 at all...haha...thats why Im calling it crazy idea,haha

 

[Paul_N]

He has to be using up Calcium. Something doesn't add up. I basically do the same thing but like TL dose Ca/alk/mag also.

 

[clowns101]

Im not sure,he dosent dose it,I know that,and he only doses the things I listed with a once a year water change,Im not sure how it works to be honest!

 

[drainbamage]

he's not running a calc reactor or getting some sort of breakdown? It's tough to say without knowing his complete system, ya know?

I wouldn't recommend it without making your system identical, and even then, trusting him that that is absolutely all he's doing.

 

[Troylee]

Any sps in there or just softies and lps?
Edit... Confused haha

 

[drainbamage]

Any sps in there or just softies and sticks?

:squigglemouth:

 

[clowns101]

No SPS,but a ton of LPS...all chalices pretty much...

Ya,Im not sure,I was just asking about it.It seems to be a great way for him,but what works for one,might not for the other!

 

[Troylee]

:squigglemouth:

Yeah that's what happens when your sneaking on r2r and typing under the table to prevent the wifey from screaming at ya lol....:tongue:

 

[AquaWorldPSC]

Pretty crazy, get a water sample off him and test his params

 

[clowns101]

Never thought of that!haha!Ill be sure to do that next time I see him!

 

[capt85]

Did he have much coraline growth?

 

[johnanddawn]

i ran tanks like that for a long time (over 10 years) before i started dosing anything (although i have always done water changes)
I think systems like this and the ones i use to run, work because the ca/alk demand is low and the sand and rock would disolve enough into the water to suport them. softies of course have little to no ca uptake and lps grow much slower then sps and therefore also have a lower need.
because i now dose ca/alk there is no way for me to test me theory - i would bet that the pH in that system is a bit lower then in tanks that dose and and his tank gets what it needs just by disolving rock and sand. burrowing worms etc probably help eat the rock away and he may even be topping off with well water like i use to, which also adds a bit of minerals
i would not recommend it if you have any clams or sps and also as in most things like this is probably a system thing - his system works because of all the parts not just the magic mix he adds

 

[Captain Nemo]

Even though he only has LPS, chalices if Im not mistaken, eat up the calcium..... If he had multiple chalices, what sizes were they and how many? Wouldnt they deplet the calcium at some point? Does he dose calcium when he does his water change? To have it above normal for a while? Something is not adding up for me.... :sure: