GMGQ's Reef-resh Experience

[GMGQ]

I do most of my updates on my blog, but for the masses, I'll post some pics here to show the progress:

3 Weeks ago / Now:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/060511184310_432_2_5.jpg http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/060601011522_432_1_2.jpg

[GMGQ]

Before:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060608213127_432_1.jpg

Now:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060608062419_432_1_2.jpg

Different angle, but you can see it's spreading out, and it's definitely gotten lighter. It's more of a baby blue colour now.

[GMGQ]

http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060402180345_432_1_24.jpg2006-MAR-29 (a little over a month before RR)

http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060511184310_432_2_20.jpg2006-MAY-10 (RR start date)

http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060613220140_432_2_8.jpg2006-JUN-12 (1 month after RR)

[cprowler]

What do you think of the RR overall?

[GMGQ]

Overall I definitely see better grown in general. Stuff has shown more growth in one month after RR, compared to the months before RR. No question. Colour improvement has occured in a few corals so far (see above), but no drastic overall changes. I think it's because my nitrates are getting high.

My only complaint right now is that I'm battling cyano and some algae. I had a bit before I started RR, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to use RR. But it seems like the cyano/algae is out competing the RR bacteria for the nitrates. So I might bite the bullet and treat with Chemi-clean and start from ground zero, so that RR can get a better grip.

I also just got a large rubbermaid container so that I can do larger water changes. I've only been using a IO salt bucket for water changes, and that's only about 5gallons (for my est. 100gal water volume). So hopefully this will help too.

Have you found a lot of that biofilm in your sump? I only have a few spots of it here and there...

What do you think of the RR overall?

[GMGQ]

http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060615045710_432_1.gif

Wow, I never really noticed the pink monti cap's growth until I see the difference in the animation sequence... Cool.

[cprowler]

I think overall it’s been good also, I haven’t seen any negative effects anyway.

SPS growth overall has increased in most of my slower growing corals and I think in my faster growing corals. I’ll have to go through all my pics and compare but it looks like the faster growing corals haven’t benefited as much. I do have 1 acro that has not grown at all since I’ve had it, before and after RR.

I have 4 types of zoo’s and one had been a fast grower in the past and the other three have been slow. Since RR two of the three slower growing one’s have grown quite a bit and the fast harder to tell, but I think it has increased also. The last slow grower has not grown at all since I’ve had it before and after RR.

Colour has changed on only two that I can tell, a Pink Birds nest and a Red Monti Cap. The Red has gone from a dull red to a bright deep red on the cap and birds nest not as dramatic but is brighter.

Polyp extension has not really changed as far as I can tell, possibly on my Green Slimmer but overall it would be minimal if any.

As far as Nitrates and phosphates I can’t say, they were undetectable before RR and still are. I am however getting some cyano in a few areas but not a whole lot so there must be some. I have seen quite an outbreak of Dictyota algae and was hoping the RR would help curb that and it has not.

I have noticed my skimmer pulling out more gunk and I scrape the glass about half as often. I have not noticed any biofilm in my sump or anywhere else.

I’m about half way through the RR supply and will have to determine if it’s worth getting more and continuing, cost vs. benefit. If I were to decide now I would have to say no. I just have too many things I will have to buy in the next few months, like replacing bulbs and I want a controller just to name a few.

We’ll see what happens in the next two months.