Using Polyp Lab System Reef-resh?
 

Just wondering if anyone is using the Polyp Lab System Reef-resh? If so how do you like it? I am having problems keeping my nitrates low (despite all the usual means) and phone J&L asking about using a nitrate filter. They recommended using Reef-resh. Any recommendations?

I started a thread about it a while back with very little response. Personally I like it and think it works.
http://216.187.96.54/vbulletin/showt...esh+polyp-labs

And here's one from another board.
http://aquariumpros.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=27899

http://aquariumpros.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=27799

I used it for 6 weeks last year and personally didn't like it so i quit. I still have half the stuff left sitting in my fridge :mrgreen:

Marie what didn't you like about it? Too much hassle or poor results? Other comments? I personally didn't see a lot of noticable results ( coral colour) for about 3 months.
I mentioned it to Anthony Calfo on a U.S. site and he hadn't heard of it but was going to look into it as he was writing a book on related matters so I sent him the link for their website. I should follow up with him to see what he thinks.

When I first moved all my stock into the 175g I had marine velvet kill off half my fish and the other half were removed to a hospital tank. After the main tank was fishless for a few weeks I started getting a major macroalgae outbreak and figuring I had elevated nutrients from the tank move i started using reef resh.
Within 2 weeks I was getting very ugly, slimy bacteria matts (biofilm?) coating everything. The sand bed was choked, the overflows were coated and I was cleaning the skimmer cup daily, not because it was full but because i had thick, slimy bubbles pushing the cap off the cup and coating the outside http://mazeguy.net/sad/vomit.gif. I was told it was because I didn't have fish picking at it but there was an awful lot there for fish to pick at.
Oh and all the corals were pale and not growing well either (but that could of been because of the tank move)

Here is a very long thread started last year that i posted my experiences in
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...ight=Reef+resh

That is interesting (in a bad way) that you had the experience you did. Personally I have noticed mostly changes for the better.

sounds like the zeovit system and reef-fresh system are closely related only the zeovit system adds the "reactor" of zeolite rocks that attract the bacteria instead of it growing all over in your tank.

I've got birthday money coming and I'm thinking of going zeovit... too bad nobody's figured out exactly what kind of zeolite zeovit is using ;)

I've used it on and off for a year now. I'll use it for 5 or 10 weeks and then get tired of dosing every day and stop, then a few months later start again. Every time I start up again I'm amazed at the new branches that start to grow, I'm not sure if the overall growth rate is faster but the growth of new branches is staggering, to me at least. I have noticed some improved color mostly on my Pink Birdsnest and Red Encrusting Monty. Other than that I have not noticed any other positive effects and have not noticed any negative at all.

I have just started using it again for the last week or so. I have been battling some cyano and dictoya algae lately amongst some others.

I just picked up a new supply so I’m going to try and stick with it till it runs out in 4 or 5 months. I hope this gives it more time to see more positive results.

I am using it, for about 2 months now.

I would say mostly good things, able to get some faintly blue tips on an otherwise brown coral I have had for 4 years now.

I am getting some biofilm on some things though.

Overall for me the verdict is still out.

If you are having nitrate problems I would imagine there are other things that would solve it first.

I have a devils hand that I had for more than 2 years. It grew ok but never had it's polyps extended until I started using Reef-resh, now they are out all the time and it looks great. For me the verdict was still out until about a month ago as there were a few changes I thought might be coincidence but I now feel that this stuff has made a significant overall contribution. To use it solely to remove nitrates I don't think you need to use all four parts of the program. I would think just the fuel and genesis might be enough. I would contact Polyp-Labs and see what they think.

Thanks for the comments. I also have a few SPS corals which hardly extend. Therefore, I am going to try the complete system, dosing daily. Like everyone else, I will try and take before and after pictures and post my water parameters as I go along. Time to take out the VISA.

Results
 

After starting this thread back in May I have been using Reef-resh. I have completed over 6 weeks and have dosed every day as recommended. I don't think I have seen any differences. I was told to try it to decrease my nitrates. They are still unchanged (NO3 - 5 ppm). I have not changed any other parameters and only added two small Xenia frags and a mushroom. My SPS are growing slowly but still do not extend their polyps during the day. I am going to stop using it fpr now. Anyone else changed their minds?

Are you running your UV while using Reef-resh?

I never noticed any difference in the corals when i used it . I still have half full containers that have been sitting in my fridge for the last year

I hate to say it, but same goes for me. I went through almost 2 complete cycles of Reef-Resh with my 180g tank and I never noticed much difference before/during/after. Ohwell...

looks like you are running UV with it ..
Ozone and or UV will kill most of the bacterial culture you know..

If you check the web site. ozone is ok, UV is not.

I ran with no UV & with/without Ozone. No noticable difference on my tank...

I did run my UV sterilizer while running the Reef-resh. I did as much research as possible before using the product and could not find any info suggesting to d/c the uv sterilizer. I will try without the UV and see if there is any difference.

I'm still seeing positive results and just bought a new supply.

Here is a link with the UV info.
http://www.polyplab.com/faq-f.html

Thanks Bill
I must have been tired when I read the FAQ on the Polyp Lab website. As just mentioned, I will see if turning off my UV helps.

No worries, I hope you see some positive results.

Thank you for the link

Why not run Zeovit?

Albert
Is there much of a price difference between the two? I went with Reef-resh first because I didn't have to buy the ZEOvit reactor. However, if the Reef-resh works with the UV now off, I will look more closely to see if one is better. Has anyone actually compared the two (preferably in a randomized, blinded, cross-over, placebo controlled trial - yah right)?

Zeovit has been on the market for a long time over in Europe, they've ironed out all the kinks that made probiotic so caustic. It costs about the same to run and there's a larger selection of support products.