Red Sea Colours Experiment

[Oxylebius]

Hello -- I've been away for a month taking care of family on emergency leave (and oh boy is my tank a mess of cyano right now from friends over feeding while I was away). Didn't mean to post here and not followup.

@Uncle99 I don't discourage using this product. I like it and still use it. Just be aware of any potential issues so that you can mediate if needed. Red Sea makes a tester kit for many of the major elements that are dosed in the colors kit, so you can test as you dose. And you can always make sure you are doing water changes (be it every 2 weeks, 3 weeks or monthly) so you can feel more confident that nothing that isn't being tested is building up in the tank.

 

[Uncle99]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, just a month ago, Back to the experiment, based on my small calcium uptake, 1/2 ml of each into my ATO which is replenished weekly. Been a month, don't see any change, but I haven't killed anything this time at least. Weekly water changes of 10% maintained so we don't get any build ups like you suggest.

I do see some blue and reds in a Scolymia which seemed a bit drab before but can't prove it.

So now we will go to Christmas and see what happens.

 

[Oxylebius]

If you are doing weekly water changes, then there might not be a need to dose the colors (of course depending on your coral load and how much uptake a day they are using). Usually weekly water changes replenish what the corals need. The idea behind dosing these colors is to automate more and do water changes less often. As long as your nitrates aren't building up then you can get away with monthly water changes. Just be aware that other issues as I previously described may build up after multiples months if no water changes are happening at all.

Any pics to share (w/o photo color enhancement) so we can see before and after shots?

 

[Uncle99]

Hi, glad you are back, I don't see a difference in colour at all, but not sure of what to expect. My water changes are done weekly at 10-15% with RED SEA PRO, so like you point out, maybe this is just wasted effort for something I already have. I am happy with the colour I have now. I have been making these water changes weekly going on 20 months for this latest rebuild, but I don't think much has changed.

Thanks for the input as always, I think it's time to close the experiment and conclude that RS colours likely works when water changes are not regular as it simply replaces those things lost through uptake.

Again, either way, I have not noticed any real changes...

I will post the April and June pics tomorrow, (tanks dark now) and maybe you can see something.....

 

[Uncle99]

First PIC -April 2018
Second PIC -June 2018
Rate: 1 ml each of ABCD, daily, via ATO

Not seen a difference yet, but certainly no hurting anything as well.

 

[Uncle99]

So after at least 6 months using RS colours program, I see little if any difference in colours. Maybe my expectations are too high or not using correctly.....but at least I did not kill anything more.....so yup, thus stuff can be dangerous in an overdose, and maybe ineffective in an under dose.

I find it quite hard to manage actually, even with there 10% rule.

Going another 3 months to Christmas and if no noticible change, ( just something to show for the cost) discontinuing this experiment.