Red Sea’s Reef Care Program Recipes User Guide

REEF CARE PROGRAM
Algae Management
Supplementing
User Manual

Red Sea’s Reef Care Program – Recipes

The complete Reef Care program is the result of years of research into the physiological demands of SPS, LPS & Soft Corals in the reef aquarium. Reef Care Recipes ®  translates the many years of practical experience with Red Sea’s Reef Care Program on tens of thousands of diverse reef tanks worldwide into a simple to implement a regimen of water management activities specifically for the most common types of hobby reef aquariums. Water management refers to all of the water-related activities such as water changes, testing, and supplements that need to be done on a regular basis to ensure the success of your reef aquarium. This is not just limited to maintaining the ideal balance of the seawater but also deals with controlling nuisance algae and coral nutrition for their long-term health and vitality.
In addition to the Algae Management program, which is fully described below, the complete Reef Care program also includes the following:
Foundation™ – Provides biologically balanced levels of the foundation elements (calcium, carbonates, and magnesium) that ensure the optimal water conditions for a sustainable, vibrant coral reef.
Trace-Colors™ – Provide the essential minor and trace elements that are part of the coral skeleton and soft tissue and are specifically important for SPS corals to display their
natural pigments.
Reef Energy® – Provides the carbohydrates, vitamins, amino and fatty acids that fuel all metabolic processes of corals. For optimal results, you should implement the complete program.

Nitrate NO3/Phosphate PO4 control
Micro-biological reduction of algae nutrients (nitrates & phosphates) occurs naturally in all anoxic areas of the aquarium (inside live rocks, porous filter media and substrates). This bacterial activity is limited by the availability of suitable carbon sources and mineral co-factors and under normal conditions is unable to reduce all of the algae nutrients generated on a regular basis. Supporting the natural processes by regular dosing of a suitable carbon source and mineral co-factors provides an easy and reliable method of incremental control of the algae nutrient levels to safely control both the presence of nuisance algae and the population of the symbiotic Zooxanthellae.
Coral’s Symbiotic Zooxanthellae Algae
Understanding the role played by the symbiotic Zooxanthellae algae and their relationship with the coral is essential for successful implementation of the algae Management program. In nature corals host Zooxanthellae inside their soft tissue. The corals derive approx 85% of their energy from the Zooxanthellae and produce the remaining 15% in their soft tissue by metabolizing coral nutrients (Carbohydrates, Amino and Fatty acids) that are available in the surrounding water. This energy fuels all of the corals’ metabolic processes such as protein production and coral skeleton growth.
The Zooxanthellae use the strong sunlight on the tropical reef as their primary energy source and pass on up to 95% of their photosynthesis products (Carbohydrates, Amino and Fatty acids) to their coral host and utilize the balance for their own metabolic processes. The coral host provides the Zooxanthellae with nutrients, nitrogenous compounds, phosphates, and CO2. It is this symbiotic relationship, involving the recycling of nutrients, that is the key to ecological success.
Another aspect of this symbiosis relates to photo-protection from strong radiation. In nature, the Zooxanthellae protect the corals from intense UV radiation by absorbing the light energy and shading the delicate inner layers of the coral soft tissues. In nature the Zooxanthellae population is controlled by the algae nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) excreted by the coral, however, in an artificial reef aquarium the amount of algae nutrients accumulate rapidly and if left uncontrolled will induce an over-density of the
Zooxanthellae populations.
The high nutrient-induced over-density of the Zooxanthellae population disturbs the natural balance causing competition between the Zooxanthellae and the coral for the available resources such that without additional nutrition the coral may become undernourished. Furthermore, the increase in the Zooxanthellae population causes the corals to become darker with a deep brown tint that obscures the natural vivid pigments of the coral. Higher Zooxanthellae population densities within the acceptable range will however provide the coral with the energy required for accelerated coral growth.
Reducing the algae nutrients in the water will reduce the Zooxanthellae population to the level that can only be supported by the algae nutrients supplied directly by the coral. Under these conditions, the coral will receive less energy from the Zooxanthellae and will have less protection from UV radiation. In this situation, if suitable coral nutrients (Carbohydrates, Amino acids, and Vitamins) are readily available in the water, the soft tissue of the coral can increase its internal production of energy, and assuming the necessary trace elements are available in the water, the coral will increase its natural UV protection by enhancing pigmentation of the soft tissue which is seen as enhanced coloration.
Optimal levels of Nitrate and Phosphate according to the type of aquarium

Aquarium Type

Mixed Reef

| NO3 (mg/I)| PO4 (mg/I)| Recommended Test Kit
---|---|---|---
2| 0.1| Marine Test kits
SPS Dominant| 0.25 – 0.5| 0.01 – 0.02| Reef Pro / Algae kits
SPS Frag tank| 1-2| 0.08 – 0.12| Reef Pro / Algae kits
LENS| 0| 0| Reef Pro / Algae kits
Marine Fish| < 10| < 1| Marine Test Kits

NO3:PO4-X

NO3:PO4-X is a unique complex of a number of different carbon molecules and other organic-bonded elements that enable a controlled biological reduction of algae nutrients
(nitrate and phosphate) by naturally occurring nutrient-reducing bacteria that exist in all aquariums. Nitrate will be reduced to nitrogen gas that will be released to the atmosphere while the phosphate will be used and absorbed by the bacteria and eventually removed from the system by the protein skimmer.
The fine control of the nitrate and phosphate levels provided by monitored dosing of NO3:PO4-X guarantees the gradual changes and accurate maintenance of the nutrient
levels preventing destruction of the zooxanthellae population that can cause UV shock and starvation of the corals.
Unlike some other low-nutrient regimes, the correct use of NO3:PO4-X will maintain all of the microfaunae that is beneficial for the reef.
NO3:PO4-X is recommended as a complete carbon source for use with carbon-based de-nitrators.
Do not use NO3:PO4-X in conjunction with sulfur-based de-nitrators or phosphate and nitrate removers as the different methods for nitrate and phosphate reduction will cause interference.
The Algae Management Test Kits
Nitrate Pro test kit is an advanced colorimetric comparator test, measuring the level of nitrate to exceptionally high accuracy of 0.125 ppm.
Phosphate Pro test kit is an advanced colorimetric comparator test, measuring the level of phosphate to exceptionally high accuracy of 0.005 ppm.

General instructions for dosing NO3:PO4-X

1. Only use NO3:PO4-X according to the enclosed instructions.
2. Test only with high-resolution test kits (recommended accuracy: PO4–0.02ppm/NO3– 0.25ppm) such as Red Sea’s Nitrate & Phosphate colorimetric comparator Pro Kits.
3. The NO3:PO4-X dosing chart (on back of the product) is based on treating 100 liters / 25 gallons of water. Estimate your total volume of water (aquarium & sump less volume of live rocks etc) to calculate the correct dosage for your system.
4. NO3:PO4-X should be added to the sump. If you do not have a sump, add NO3:PO4-X slowly to an area with high water flow to prevent direct contact with the corals.
5. Efficient protein skimming is essential to provide the necessary oxygenation of the aquarium water and to remove bacterial flocks from the water.
6. NO3:PO4-X must be added consistently on a daily basis to prevent starvation and destruction of the nitrate and phosphate-reducing bacteria. If you miss one or more days
of using NO3:PO4-X do not add the amount that you have missed and resume the dosing at the current daily dose.
7. It is recommended to use NO3:PO4-X with a dosing pump. Make sure that the container and tubing are suitable (e.g. acrylic containers are not suitable for NO3:PO4-X) and that the container is kept almost closed to limit evaporation.

NO3:PO4-X – Directions for use

Controlled nitrate and phosphate reduction
In biological nitrate and phosphate reduction, there is a direct relationship between the reduction of nitrate and phosphate, the reduction rate of nitrate being higher than that for phosphate. The dosing of NO3:PO4-X is therefore regulated by measured levels of nitrate however in lower nutrient systems is important also to monitor the levels of phosphate.
Mixed Reefs, Marine fish and Frag tanks
Before starting to use NO3:PO4-X measure and record the level of Nitrate in the aquarium Start with the recommended daily dosage, test the nitrate every week and adjust the
dosage until the nitrate level is stable between 1 and 2.5 ppm.

In the event that the nitrate level drops below 1ppm cut the daily dose by 50% test nitrate 2 times per week and adjust the dosage accordingly until it stabilizes between 1 and 2.5 ppm.
SPS Dominant and UNLS
Before starting to use NO3:PO4-X measure and record the level of Nitrate and Phosphate in the aquarium.
Start with the recommended daily dosage, test the nitrate every week and adjust the dosage until the nitrate level has been reduced to approximately 1ppm.
Continue daily dosing as recommended, test both nitrate and phosphate at least 2 times per week to make sure that that nitrate and phosphate levels do not drop below the desired levels of NO3 = 0.25; PO4 = 0.02
Once the desired levels have been reached continue dosing daily and monitoring both nitrate and phosphate weekly.

NO3 above 0.25 but less than 1 ;
PO4 above 0.04| 2
NO3 above 0.25 but less than 1 ;
PO4 above 0.02 but less than 0.04| 1

In the event that the nitrate level drops below 0.25ppm or the phosphate drops below 0.02 immediately cut the daily dose by 50%, test nitrate, and phosphate 2 times per week and adjust the dosage accordingly until they stabilize at the desired levels.

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