Red Sea’s Reef Care Program Recipes User Guide
- June 6, 2024
- Red Sea
Table of Contents
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.
Measured Level (ppm) | Daily Dosage ml/ 100 L (25 gals) |
---|---|
NO3 above 10 3 | 3 |
NO3 above 2.5 but less than 10 2 | 2 |
NO3 above 1 but less than 2.5 | 1 |
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.
Measured Level (ppm) | Daily Dosage ml/ 100 L (25 gals) |
---|---|
NO3 above 10 | 3 |
NO3 above 1 but less than 10 | 2 |
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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