Well also in an effort to lower phosphate, I switched to this salt. My water is cloudy today after the water change. But from what I read this is good. It means the probiotic is working. I am keeping my skimmer up and will add some carbon today.
It contains a special bacteria that is activated once it comes in contact with water. Manufacturer claims to help produce plankton and lower nitrates and phosphates. It is supposed to be designed for sps tanks. There are some amazing sps tanks on this salt. Also it was recommended by brs.
Huh. What would be the difference here between the salt and carbon dosing? Wonder if this salt has a carbon source in it.
Aquaforest Probiotic Reef Salt contains Probiotic bacteria, culture medium for them amino and vitamins
Sounds like it's taking advantage of the same bacterial process with carbon dosing. Some folks wind up being limited by nitrate in removing phosphorus due to red field ratio (right?). The thought of dosing stump remover to bring up N to remove P blows my mind. However, I've seen better sps results resuming carbon dosing even though my test kits don't show any N nor P. Personally I think there's more to the bacterial processes in the sea than perhaps we typical reefers appreciate. So I'd think of this stuff has all that in it and makes life a little easier (instead of dosing etc) then that would be good. I'm interested in your results. I'm looking for an excuse to quit using reed crystals anyway.
After looking at it this seems pretty cool. I like how they lay out the different kind of systems without going full bore probiotic. Seems like it works essentially the same way that zeovit does in running an ulns system. I'm curious as to how that works out. I'd really like to be able to follow a menu. Interesting how this and zeovit rely on a skimmer, and other folks are able to go skimmerless with other methodology.
Well I have made a few changes all at once. I of course used the salt, added a sump and a better skimmer, and a carbon gfo reactor. My phosphates are gone after two days. My duncan has doubled in size today. I'm getting good sps pe but they've been browned out. I'm just glad that I've turned the corner. I'm sure they will color back up with time.
How are you checking phosphate? We don't really want it at zero. Unfortunately most of the hobby kits can't measure at the range we want to keep it (0.02-0.05 ppm). I take my reactor off line if mine stays 0.00 (Hanna ULR checker) twice in a row. When it get's back up to 0.04 or so I start it back up. Usually it never get's that low and I change the GFO when the readings start back up. I bet you're right. With stability your coral colors will improve.
Sounds like you are going where you want. Since you've done all this at once it would be rather hard to figure out at the moment the effect the salt has had. I'd be interested in how this goes on longer term for you.
