Extreme Water Clarity and Cyano Eradication, Made Easy!

[SunnyX]

So it can be used everytime you clean your glass, like every few days? I'll most likely try it without shutting returns as my apex atk/ato just settled back (messing with levels takes DAYS to get the ato working again). Once I have my feed buttons programmed I'll try with returns turned down.

Yes, you can do it daily if you'd like. I would recommend daily if you are battling cyano. After defeating it, dose the snow once a week.

I clean my glass and conduct a waterchange every Saturday. After conducting the water change I will then dose the coral snow. Two hours later my aquarium looks incredibly clean and I can then enjoy it in peace for the remainder of the weekend.

 

[Miami Reef]

Hi! I do not use UV. I have never really had a need for it. All of my fish are sourced locally and go through QT before being added to my setup(s).

The biggest key my success is the use of carbon dosing and bacteria. Many years back, 15 or so, I was one of the first to push vodka dosing. I am currently writing up an article concerning carbon dosing and many of my best practices. I try and keep things simple in my setups, omitting technology and needless tests when I can.

The newest generation had moved away from some of the basic and core tenants of the hobby concerning real live rock, skimming, water changes and flow. Dino's and many other afflictions are now much more prevalent and I believe that this is largely due to the loss of the basics.

There is no wrong way to maintain an aquarium but there is a better way. Hopefully the information that has made me successful can aid some here. I learn something everyday from reefers of all levels of experience.

WOW! Those results with no UV?? I’m sold! I already have all the things you mentioned in this thread because I know they work, but I haven’t used them consistently.

You got the results of a UV without even having a UV! Crazy!

 

[volkswag63]

Great article. I'm running two cannisters on my 55 gallon. Do you see any issues trying out the cyano solution if I don't have a protein skimmer?

 

[SunnyX]

WOW! Those results with no UV?? I’m sold! I already have all the things you mentioned in this thread because I know they work, but I haven’t used them consistently.

You got the results of a UV without even having a UV! Crazy!

Well, a lot goes into my setups so its not all coral snow. The snow helps with the water clarity but the maintenance done on the tank with sand siphoning and water changes, along with the bacteria/carbon dosing play a large role in my success.

I am pretty methodical with my maintenance and there really is no silver bullet. But with some work, and leveraging biology you can have an amazing setup. No one does it better than nature, and once you have found the balance things get much easy and more enjoyable.

-Sonny

 

[SunnyX]

Great article. I'm running two cannisters on my 55 gallon. Do you see any issues trying out the cyano solution if I don't have a protein skimmer?

Hello,

The primary export of the nutrient will be through a skimmer so I wouldn't recommend this method without one.

If you wanted to try something, dose only the corals snow portion and run a much finer filter floss/sock. 50 microns or smaller should do the trick. I have never dosed without a skimmer so there's no telling how long it would take for your water to clear and if all of the sediment will be collected.

-Sonny

 

[FL_Reef]

I'm assuming any pure calcium carbonate is okay. Your brand is out at amazon. Guess people rushed to buy lol's
Amazon product

Thanks for the info Sunnyx. Would you recommend this, since the other stuff is unavailable?

 

[Miami Reef]

My tank is currently in calcium-carbonate-land!

Never used it in this tank yet. I’m looking forward to the results.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Curios , what’s the difference between dosing this and dosing kalk daily?

 

[Miami Reef]

Curios , what’s the difference between dosing this and dosing kalk daily?

Kalkwasser is calcium hydroxide. This is calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate does not dissolve, but it is used as a flocculant in the science community. It binds stuff but doesn’t add any calcium nor alkalinity.

 

[Susan Edwards]

My tank is currently in calcium-carbonate-land!

Never used it in this tank yet. I’m looking forward to the results.

post results! Mine arrives tonight

 

[dvgyfresh]

Kalkwasser is calcium hydroxide. This is calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate does not dissolve, but it is used as a flocculant in the science community. It binds stuff but doesn’t add any calcium nor alkalinity.

Oh that’s cool’s , looks like another thing I’ll have to buy lol

 

[Miami Reef]

post results! Mine arrives tonight

I will! I’ll do it right before 11pm because I want to give the tank as much time possible to clear up. I’ll tell you if I noticed a difference.

My tank is generally on the clearer side (I use UV, skimmer, and 100 micron filter socks) but it did have a slight cloudiness today. I think it’s time to change the UV bulbs.

 

[Susan Edwards]

I will! I’ll do it right before 11pm because I want to give the tank as much time possible to clear up. I’ll tell you if I noticed a difference.

My tank is generally on the clearer side (I use UV, skimmer, and 100 micron filter socks) but it did have a slight cloudiness today. I think it’s time to change the UV bulbs.

Great. I also have UV, skimmer and 2 socks, I think 225 felt? And use floss in cups. Very curious to try this

 

[Miami Reef]

Still got more clearing up to do. I think it looks a little better. I do use activated carbon though, so I don’t think I’ll be a good example of someone who has drastic results.

 

[Susan Edwards]

but maybe not bad? I use carbon as well, but I can always see stuff in the water column. Waiting on my 2 hrs. The stuff sure separates!

 

[Miami Reef]

but maybe not bad? I use carbon as well, but I can always see stuff in the water column. Waiting on my 2 hrs. The stuff sure separates!

You’d better keep me posted on your results!

 

[Sean Clark]

OK @SunnyX you have me supper excited on several levels. Fellow Michigander. PM me please. I want to visit!

 

[Susan Edwards]

Still got more clearing up to do. I think it looks a little better. I do use activated carbon though, so I don’t think I’ll be a good example of someone who has drastic results.

by the way, nice tank!

 

[Wolf89]

Heres an older thread on this with more instructions and 15 pages of questions to peruse.

DIY KZ Coral Snow (with >97% purity)

So Korallen Zucht's Zeovit product line has been around for a while. It contains many products, but one that finds usefulness outside of the ultra low nutrient setups is Coral Snow. In addition, the claims that KZ makes about it are not completely absurd and actually lie in the science of it...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Wolf89]

be sure to run a large enough skimmer.

In my experience, a skimmer is not necessary at all! I've used it in my old 180 as well and as my current 20G AIO and just filter socks and filter floss is enough to be effective.

I have also done up to a 10x dose just for fun and nothing bad happened at all.