Moonshiners method feedback

[Stang67]

Have one box of reef crystals left. I am at the point where I need to decide if I want to try the moonshine method, something else, or keep doing water changes.
180g w 40g sump
Mixed reef atm but would like to get into sticks a bit more.
Medium bioload.
For those of you that Shine do you like it? How long, what other methods have you used.
Pro cons

 

[fishguy242]

@danieyella

 

[danieyella]

Not running it right now on account of the inbetween houses thing.... honestly didnt bother when transferring everyone down to the cube - it was a stressful time and I just can't bare to beautify the tank again and risk losing it all again in the next move. Once we're settled back in I'll be back on board.

Even without sticks it made a tremendous difference imo, and I'm excited to start the peninsula from the beginning with it

 

[Johnic]

I'm just about to start it this weekend. I have all the elements being delivered on Friday. The ICP -MS test will be done 2 weeks into the application of elements to see where I am.

 

[IKD]

Well, I am four weeks in on an 3yr old SPS heavy tank and while I was skeptical, I have to say I am seeing accelerated growth in several (not all) acropora. My tank was stable starting the program so I had a good feel for how the corals were growing. I haven’t seen any huge color improvement as of now. It’s way too early for any conclusions but at the moment I am on the Moonshiner bandwagon.

 

[shakacuz]

i run the shine in a 40B. haven't looked back since. i started it with the sole purpose of not doing water changes due to limited space/lack of desire to do WC's. do not think of the shine as a way to grow corals, but more so to maintain a balanced reef, including the trace elements we do not frequently dose or focus on. corals growing quickly is just the added bonus of being on the shine.

upfront costs will deter many, but i like to think long term, especially with this hobby. but the start up cost depends from tank to tank, depending what it is you're lacking or need to adjust.

 

[Stang67]

i run the shine in a 40B. haven't looked back since. i started it with the sole purpose of not doing water changes due to limited space/lack of desire to do WC's. do not think of the shine as a way to grow corals, but more so to maintain a balanced reef, including the trace elements we do not frequently dose or focus on. corals growing quickly is just the added bonus of being on the shine.

upfront costs will deter many, but i like to think long term, especially with this hobby. but the start up cost depends from tank to tank, depending what it is you're lacking or need to adjust.

This was my thought as well. Water changes aren't hard for me personally but with the cost of salt and all the "extras" I add I thought this may be a better solution. How do you handle being away like on vacation?

 

[danieyella]

water changes are the bane of my existence. moonshine made the fluffies fluffier, and everything else grow much better

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FYI, my suggestion is at least experiment with not dosing elements that have no known biological role in any organism, despite being recommended by the proponents of this method.

 

[Stang67]

FYI, my suggestion is at least experiment with not dosing elements that have no known biological role in any organism, despite being recommended by the proponents of this method.

There is the one I have seen you mention. I have to do a cost analysis and make a choice one way or the other. I have been on the fence and can't seem to decide.

 

[rtparty]

Ran it for more than 2 years. I liked it but got tired of the costs, ICP testing (this is pretty unreliable and one needs to seriously study how to interpret them to make sure nothing was misread or a typo), daily dosing of 8-10 things, and not one person could answer what certain elements did what. Ask Randy and he is open and honest that they have no role in biological functions yet proponents of RM (and other methods) swear you need to add them.

I left the RM method last October. Went back to semi routine water changes, switched to the BRS balling hybrid method, and my tank looks much better than it ever did on RM. I have run 2 ICP tests since October and they came back almost spot on. This way is 100x easier IMO and much cheaper than RM.

A note about my "unreliable" ICP results. I ICP test a lot. See my Ultimate Salt Test thread. I spent years trying to learn and understand ICP testing and how to best use it. There are little nuances that you will discover and some readings will be completely out of left field that are likely incorrect readings. I hate to see people make drastic changes because they don't understand it is a poor test result and not actual numbers.

Not hating on RM in any way. They are a great group with loads of knowledge. There are just easier and simpler ways to run a tank IMO and get similar or even better results.

 

[Stang67]

I had a bad experience with BRS and since they are no longer independent I won't do business with them any more. It's a personal thing. I am sure their method works well I just prefer to take my business elsewhere.

 

[DanyL]

I had a bad experience with BRS and since they are no longer independent I won't do business with them any more. It's a personal thing. I am sure their method works well I just prefer to take my business elsewhere.

Bare in mind that BRS has no “method” of their own.

Pretty much all supplements use the same ingredients, which can be purchased for a much lower price point in a regular chemical shop, or even in your local supermarket.

Companies often “feed” their customers with fear of using non reef branded products, or that “pharma” grade is required, but reality is that many do use non branded DIY supplements, as well as food grade ingredients for decades without a single issue. Me included.

As far as the Moonshiners goes, I never tried it, nor am I able to do so where I live.
But I doubt many of the elements they require have any real impact on coral growth or color.

 

[IKD]

This was my thought as well. Water changes aren't hard for me personally but with the cost of salt and all the "extras" I add I thought this may be a better solution. How do you handle being away like on vacation?

The booklet says you can dose up to 5 days worth in advance (but not as effective). If gone longer, just start back up when you return.

 

[IKD]

FYI, my suggestion is at least experiment with not dosing elements that have no known biological role in any organism, despite being recommended by the proponents of this method.

I’ve seen your occasional posts about elements of no known biological role, but is there a summary of those out there by chance? I’m happy to eliminate although the entire process of dosing is 5 mins max per day.

Also, if you have a distinction between ‘definitely no biological role’ and ‘role is unknown’, that would be helpful to see.

 

[Stang67]

OK I don't want to start chest thumping I just want peoples experiences.

 

[taricha]

Went back to semi routine water changes, switched to the BRS balling hybrid method, and my tank looks much better than it ever did on RM. I have run 2 ICP tests since October and they came back almost spot on. This way is 100x easier IMO and much cheaper than RM.

Thanks for that observation
Just from reading accounts of people using it, overall many seem to have pretty decent success with RM method but it's very difficult to say if this success is actually from the method or from just having a "method" at all.
Meaning - if someone has a consistent and not terrible game plan and stay with it, they will probably have good results regardless of the exact details. Better than having no particular method, and better than the hobbyist default of testing whenever and changing stuff in your tank whenever the mood strikes you.

 

[R-balljunkie]

i was super skeptical.....been on/off for 6 months...dealing with other issues in-between. My observations. had some high end SPS stalled out for a year, no growth, just stagnant. started RMS and they started to spread. Matter of fact, all of the SPS started to spread and base. No RTN, no STN...just growth. I gotta do some other corrections based on high metals (basically did a WC with straight tap water since i thought my TDS meter wasn't working). Once my user based error corrections are made, plan on retesting and adjusting to RMS. My 2 cents...RMS is at the very least a good for re-alignment....whether you choose to hit the targets from the calculator afterwards, up to you. I'm still going to do a gallon a day WC since its automated....the whole no water-change thing is a suggestion, not a rule.


Here's a pic of the SPS that was stalled, now basing out.

 

[shakacuz]

How do you handle being away like on vacation?

andre (@PSXerholic) notes what to do for vacations on his handbook. you only ever need to worry about your "dailies", after every icp test you do your corrections. so always plan to send out the icp, and do the corrections prior to your vacation.

 

[rtparty]

I had a bad experience with BRS and since they are no longer independent I won't do business with them any more. It's a personal thing. I am sure their method works well I just prefer to take my business elsewhere.

You can grab Tropic Marin balling components from whoever, add the TM A and K elements, and bam you’ve just recreated the BRS hybrid method. I prefer soda ash for my alkalinity over TM’s bicarbonate though. I want the pH bump.

You can even use Randy’s DIY 2 part with Tropic Marin Part C for a balling method.