Pests and Algae: A New Journey

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Today we start a journey to understand the relationship between Nitrogen, Phosphorus, corals, zooxanthellae and algae control in saltwater aquariums & widen our perspective for what our corals need to thrive. Meaning; care more for the corals as pets themselves rather than an afterthought to the fish & tank husbandry.

Full Playlist: Master Nutrients: Nitrate, Phosphate and Reef Aquariums

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Segment 1: Starving Algae and Pests Until They Die? The Unintended Consequences of Ultra Low Nutrients.

Segment 2: Coral (Animal) vs. Zooxanthellae (Algae)? Care and Nutrient Needs? Likely Not What You Think.

Segment 3: Nutrients vs Nutrition? A Distinction That Changes the Trajectory Your Reef Tank and Coral's Health.

Segment 4: Ocean vs. Reef Aquarium Parameters: A Nitrate and Phosphate Conundrum.

Segment 5: A Magic Ratio? Trailblazing Pest Solutions. Nitrate & Phosphate Ratios vs Concentration.

Segment 6: 5:1 or 20:1? Fish Food Nutrient Input. The Solution to Nitrate and Phosphate Imbalances.

Segment 7: The New Reefer / Mentor Paradox. Reef Tank Stages. Where You Are vs. Where You Came From.

Segment 8: My Beliefs: Nutrients, 17 Years, and How I Approach Nitrate and Phosphate in My Own Tanks.

Segment 9: A Fish First Approach to Optimizing Fish Food While Optimizing Phosphate and Nitrate Independently.

Segment 10: A Challenge: Three Effective Filters for Organic, Dissolved & Inorganic Nutrients in Reef Aquariums.

Segment 11: Are Water Changes Worth It? A Hammer Solution to Aquarium Water Quality, but Dilution Works.

 

[rubertoe93]

Not all hero’s wear capes!

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Segment 1/11: Are you actually harming your corals by controlling Nitrate & Phosphate levels to kill problem algae and pests? Have we had this wrong the entire time? How are pest algae and coral zooxanthellae related? Do they react the same to changes in Nitrates and Phosphates?

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Segment 2/11: If we focus on coral zooxanthellae algae, will the zooxanthellae then take care of the coral? If every plant on the planet utilizes nitrogen and phosphorus for metabolic function, will healthier zooxanthellae provide better coral coloration and growth?

Ryan discusses how Nitrate and Phosphate levels in your reef tank factor into the symbiotic relationship between our corals and zooxanthellae algae. Their relationship and health isn't something you can test for, but your eyes will tell you when you're doing it right.

 

[Lemon]

i was wondering if the playlist is in order? I saw that number one was released after some of the later videos in the playlist

 

[burningmime]

Here's the full playlist it looks like:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBaMLrfToJyz1q24UlrFY6o5zppAVrjMV

Thanks for the info! Personal opinion (not an attack; we're all thankful for these videos!), I'm not a huge fan of the new style. I miss...

• The stock footage of whatever you're talking about. In some of the older videos, when "water change" is mentioned, there's a video of a guy hauling 2 buckets, and when "filter socks" is mentioned, there's a video of some water running through them. The visuals complement the audio.
• The slides, title cards, graphs, and animations. These are especially prevalent in like the reef chemistry series.
• The more casual/conversational tone

This is just Ryan reading from a teleprompter in ASMR voice, which leaves me distracted rather than engaged. The information is really good, though; they're definitely evolving the hobby with new knowledge.

 

[revhtree]

I personally really like this new series so far! Thanks for making and sharing them!

 

[Daveph68]

I enjoyed the new format, thanks Ryan

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Segment 3/11: Every living thing on the planet needs "Nutrients" to survive, but how is that different from "Nutrition"? For our corals and their zooxanthellae algae, the difference between nutrients and nutrition is the definition of their symbiotic relationship. One cannot live without the other.

Many reefers' problems with coral health, growth and coloration are driven by tanks that are starving from too low Nitrogen and Phosphorus levels or overwhelmed/stifled from polluted tanks too high in both. So what's the right answer?

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Segment 4/11: If matching natural seawater parameters for Salinity, Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH levels in our marine aquariums is a priority for some reefers, what about also matching NSW parameters for Nitrates and Phosphates?

Did you know you have two sources of Nitrates & Phosphates in your reef tank? One type you can measure with your test kit, but that doesn't mean that the other form isn't there. So what is the difference between Organic vs. Inorganic Nitrate and Phosphate.

 

[Colin_S]

loving the new videos, really informative, clear and interesting,, the world is a better place when you guys are more active..
good job

 

[MikeTheNewbie]

I started watching BRStv less than 6 months ago and I believe I’ve watched every single video in the channel. I’m really grateful for them.
I’m a progressive person who loves change and being in the cutting edge but I also miss the previous format which was more geared to information delivery. Combining audio and visual messages to enhance retention of the idea.
Many of these topics are complex and fact intensive. I think that the previous format, especially the investigates, was more appropriate for them.
I think that the new format with the dark scene, calm voice, little to no visual references is more useful for artistic purposes where people use the right side of the brain for creative matters.

I will definitively continue watching the videos but I hope the feedback drives improvement.

Instead of benchmarking the master series, I think you could focus on better and more diverse graphics/stock video, more objective/factual information with references.

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Segment 5/11: Is it possible to kill algae, cure cyanobacteria, prevent dinoflagellates and have thriving corals by finding a perfect balance between Nitrate and Phosphate level? Are there "best" Nitrate and Phosphate levels for a reef tank? Can the Redfield Ratio from the ocean be the answer?

The discussion of reef chemistry related to phosphate levels and nitrate levels in our reef tanks is an ever evolving topic. If we just put our heads in the sand and avoid exploring Nitrate and Phosphate relationships further, we might be leaving bunch of opportunity on the table.

 

[Crashnt24]

Whoa, didn't realize I would be experiencing a new video style today. Will take a while to get used to, but It did feel like it was easier to take down the info.

As always, thanks for these educational videos.

 

[burningmime]

I started watching BRStv less than 6 months ago and I believe I’ve watched every single video in the channel. I’m really grateful for them.
I’m a progressive person who loves change and being in the cutting edge but I also miss the previous format which was more geared to information delivery. Combining audio and visual messages to enhance retention of the idea.
Many of these topics are complex and fact intensive. I think that the previous format, especially the investigates, was more appropriate for them.
I think that the new format with the dark scene, calm voice, little to no visual references is more useful for artistic purposes where people use the right side of the brain for creative matters.

I will definitively continue watching the videos but I hope the feedback drives improvement.

Instead of benchmarking the master series, I think you could focus on better and more diverse graphics/stock video, more objective/factual information with references.

Was thinking about this after watching another one. Likely has to do with different types of learners. New videos are very good for auditory learners while leaving visual learners behind.

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

The feedback from everyone, both positive and negative, is much appreciated!

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Segment 6/11: Ever wonder why you have no issue with Nitrates, but Phosphates seem unmanageable? How about the opposite? What you're feeding your saltwater fish might be the cause due to an imbalance of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in them.

So is DIY saltwater fish food the answer? What about certain dry or frozen saltwater fish foods? How do you know which ones to choose?

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Segment 7/11: Are you the same reefer you were last year? Are you feeding your fish the same foods? Are you maintaining your reef tank the same way? Who taught you the reefing techniques that define you today? Trial and error isn't the only way we move from a beginner saltwater tank to a mature reef tank, but sometimes we completely forget how we got where we are now.

When you started your first reef tank, did you struggle with "new tank syndrome"? Do you remember battling with Nitrates and Phosphates? It doesn't have to be difficult. If Nitrates and Phosphates are "trending" up...feed less and vice versa.

 

[Bulk Reef Supply]

Segment 8/11: Ryan's answer is in Nitrate and Phosphate trends where finding a balance between perpetually rising levels and falling levels is the key. But what about Nitrate and Phosphate levels that don't have a test kit to measure them and you can't see where they stand? Coral foods, amino acids, DIY fish foods with a variety of proteins, these are the Organic Nitrate and Phosphate you can't test for, but are still a vital component to the entire NO3/PO4 relationship.

It only takes a dozen Nitrate tests and Phosphate tests to monitor your tank parameter trends for inorganic Nitrogen and Phosphorus, but deciding on a path for addressing organic nitrate and phosphate can be a turning point for your reef tank.

 

[JussiSwede]

Fantastic series. I love the "5 minutes guide" which really helped me through the "dark" period of waiting on the cycle to finish... but this series really just is the next step.
Thank You Ryan and the whole BRS team