Time for Nopox?

[Adequate]

With the live phyto dosing, is that all there is to it? Just add a cup of green water to the tank every now and then?

If phyto is so slow, what if I used NoPox to lower my nutrients (assuming that there's any nutrients left unconsumed by nuisance algae) and then started dosing phyto to maintain the zero-algae state?

 

[homer1475]

From my understanding the 8 species blend is of all different sizes as different organisms devour different size phyto.

I can honestly say, I have never seen the polyp extension I have on a daily basis since I started dosing phyto.

 

[homer1475]

With the live phyto dosing, is that all there is to it? Just add a cup of green water to the tank every now and then?

If phyto is so slow, what if I used NoPox to lower my nutrients (assuming that there's any nutrients left unconsumed by nuisance algae) and then started dosing phyto to maintain the zero-algae state?

Not "every now and then", but every day.

I dose 10ml per 10g of water(found a recommendation from reef nutrition on the dosing amount). I feed it during my normal feeding time so I don't forget, and my skimmer is off for an hour(skimmers can skim out the phyto).

NOPOX dosing is pointless if you don't know what your starting parameters are. For example, if your already low, you dose NoPox, and now your at 0 which is an invitation to dino's.

I would not dose NoPox without testing. There is also the very good likely hood that you could be nitrate or phosphate limited which will make NoPox dosing useless. But you won't know this unless you test for those parameters.

 

[WVNed]

So who is selling it. Drop the name.
I have looked at growing it many times.

I have an aversion to air pumps after keeping freshwater fish for many decades. The ones now are probably worse too.

 

[homer1475]

@Eldredge has great customer service, and harvests a ton every week. I'll doig up his thread and post the link.

Best phyto I have ever used, and it's live and thick with phyto unlike the watered down stuff you buy from algae barn, or the dead stuff from reef nutrition(they do make a live version).

 

[homer1475]

Fresh LIVE Phyto 8-Species Blend – FREE SHIPPING

Fresh LIVE Phyto 8-Species Blend – FREE SHIPPING Satisfaction Guaranteed - If there are any problems (including shipping) just let me know and I will make it right. Harvested fresh on Monday evening and shipped out priority mail on Tuesday. Edit: 10% DISCOUNT FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS (You choose the...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Adequate]

Not "every now and then", but every day.

I dose 10ml per 10g of water(found a recommendation from reef nutrition on the dosing amount). I feed it during my normal feeding time so I don't forget, and my skimmer is off for an hour(skimmers can skim out the phyto).

NOPOX dosing is pointless if you don't know what your starting parameters are. For example, if your already low, you dose NoPox, and now your at 0 which is an invitation to dino's.

I would not dose NoPox without testing. There is also the very good likely hood that you could be nitrate or phosphate limited which will make NoPox dosing useless. But you won't know this unless you test for those parameters.

Awesome, I'll get started dosing the green stuff. As for the NoPox, I won't be dosing the stuff until I get my water tested

So who is selling it. Drop the name.
I have looked at growing it many times.

I have an aversion to air pumps after keeping freshwater fish for many decades. The ones now are probably worse too.

Air pumps? My bucket of green water is tech-free, no aeration or anything. Just a bucket of water with plant fertiliser, I started it completely accidentally, when I tried to grow water plants and added ferts, causing the water to go green.

 

[WVNed]

I will grow my own probably. I will need to get some to start.
I wanted to try Melevs method using Rapid Grow.

https://www.melevsreef.com/articles/culture-your-own-phytoplankton

 

[homer1475]

Have a chat with eldrege, he has given up his method many times. It's actually quite easy and not very labor intensive either. I've looked at growing my own and it seems very simple, I just don't have the room, nor the time right now to do it. Just easier to order it at this time in my life.

Maybe when I'm older and retired(hopefully in the next few years if things work out right), I might try my hand at doing it myself.

 

[Wen]

@Eldredge has great customer service, and harvests a ton every week. I'll doig up his thread and post the link.

Best phyto I have ever used, and it's live and thick with phyto unlike the watered down stuff you buy from algae barn, or the dead stuff from reef nutrition(they do make a live version).

I use a tbsp of the dead stuff (Reef nutrition Phyto Feast) daily. It’s very thick, smells awful and makes my water noticeably clear after dosing. Buy the 32oz, it’s easy peasy!

 

[homer1475]

I use a tbsp of the dead stuff (Reef nutrition Phyto Feast) daily. It’s very thick, smells awful and makes my water noticeably clear after dosing. Buy the 32oz, it’s easy peasy!

And live phyto does non of that. It's smells like the fresh ocean, does not cloud the tank, and other then being green, is as watery as water. If it smells bad, it has died. Dead material is fine too, most organisms will devour dead, but some prefer and will only devour live. I have seen a sponge explosion in since I started dosing, and we all should know sponges make great filter feeders.

Reef Nutrition does make a live version(phyto feat live), but its rather expensive($50 for 32oz), and I have used it in the past, but i have never seen the results I'm currently seeing since I started dosing @Eldredge's version of phyto.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Awesome, I'll get started dosing the green stuff. As for the NoPox, I won't be dosing the stuff until I get my water tested


Air pumps? My bucket of green water is tech-free, no aeration or anything. Just a bucket of water with plant fertiliser, I started it completely accidentally, when I tried to grow water plants and added ferts, causing the water to go green.

If you don't know that your "green water" is in fact phytoplankton, I would not dose it. Also, if that water has plant fertilizer in it, you will also be feeding the algae in the tank that you are trying to get rid of.

 

[Wen]

And live phyto does non of that. It's smells like the fresh ocean, does not cloud the tank, and other then being green, is as watery as water. If it smells bad, it has died. Dead material is fine too, most organisms will devour dead, but some prefer and will only devour live. I have seen a sponge explosion in since I started dosing, and we all should know sponges make great filter feeders.

Reef Nutrition does make a live version(phyto feat live), but its rather expensive($50 for 32oz), and I have used it in the past, but i have never seen the results I'm currently seeing since I started dosing @Eldredge's version of phyto.

I’ve used live and I prefer the dead.
I didn’t attack your preference.

It’s not stinky like rotten food- more like spinach/kale/seaweed shake, it doesn’t cloud water-clears it. And my sponge population is amazing (yellow, various pinks, white).
Reef Nutrition is a reputable company, FYI.

 

[homer1475]

Didn't attack your preference.... No idea where that came from? I was just implying the live is a better choice for me, and that reef nutrition supplies a live blend.

I actually read your post wrong, I apologize. I thought you wrote it DID CLOUD your water, not that it CLEARS it. again I apologize.

I actually read your post as complaining about the downfalls of dosing the dead. Apparently I was wrong.

 

[Adequate]

If you don't know that your "green water" is in fact phytoplankton, I would not dose it. Also, if that water has plant fertilizer in it, you will also be feeding the algae in the tank that you are trying to get rid of.

That's a good point. I just assumed it was phyto because a) the fish fry seem to like it and b) my procedure for accidentally starting the culture is the same as how green water cultures are usually set up.

How would I go out avoiding putting plant ferts into the tank?

 

[Adequate]

Just got my water tested, nitrates are ~0.5 and phosphates are virtually 0. So NoPox definitely isn't needed at the moment. I'm guessing that the nuisance algae is consuming all of the nutrients, which is why nitrates and phosphates are low, so I'm gonna need to manually remove the algae and find something else to remove the nutrients. Unfortunately I don't have much room, so I'm contemplating either a skimmer, some macroalgae to put in my HOB (not sure if the HOB can fit enough macro to make a huge difference) or biological media such as Seachem Matrix.

 

[WVNed]

Fresh LIVE Phyto 8-Species Blend – FREE SHIPPING

Fresh LIVE Phyto 8-Species Blend – FREE SHIPPING Satisfaction Guaranteed - If there are any problems (including shipping) just let me know and I will make it right. Harvested fresh on Monday evening and shipped out priority mail on Tuesday. Edit: 10% DISCOUNT FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS (You choose the...

www.reef2reef.com

I just PMed him. I am trying to get 64 ounces. If not this week maybe next.

 

[BostonReefer300]

Just got my water tested, nitrates are ~0.5 and phosphates are virtually 0. So NoPox definitely isn't needed at the moment. I'm guessing that the nuisance algae is consuming all of the nutrients, which is why nitrates and phosphates are low, so I'm gonna need to manually remove the algae and find something else to remove the nutrients. Unfortunately I don't have much room, so I'm contemplating either a skimmer, some macroalgae to put in my HOB (not sure if the HOB can fit enough macro to make a huge difference) or biological media such as Seachem Matrix.

No skimmer? I'd definitely figure out how to get a good skimmer going with your system as your first step before you do anything else. Do you have a sump?

 

[homer1475]

I just PMed him. I am trying to get 64 ounces. If not this week maybe next.

He ships out on tuesdays every week, and checks his thread and PM's daily. I have never had an issue getting a hold of him.

 

[ScottB]

I don't grow it either... I buy it from a a guy on here thats actually relatively cheap(32oz for $27 shipped, and I get it in 2 days).

@Eldredge ?