Reef Builders -The Reef Aquarium Blog » Additives

Polyp Lab One tackles Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium in single product

Brian Blank — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:17:23 +0000

Polyp Lab recently brought One, an all-in-one dosing product, to the market taking two-part dosing a step further with the addition of magnesium to traditional calcium and alkalinity solutions. The Canadian manufacturer has combined calcium acetate, magnesium acetate and hydroxide salts to deliver levels of 400 ppm Ca, 1,300 ppm Mg and alkalinity of 7 dKH. The company planned One to deliver these parameters on the low end to help prevent overdosing. According to the website:

One is engineered from two forms of acetate and hydroxide salts. It contains calcium ions, magnesium ions and acetate ions. When dosed, the calcium and magnesium ions are freely available for uptake by corals, clams and other reef organisms. The acetate ions are promptly metabolized by bacteria to create biologically available bicarbonate. This process provides alkalinity to your reef aquarium. The hydroxide salts in our product are present to help maintain a higher pH as well as to provide more alkalinity.

Polyp Lab also recommends on its FAQ page using One as a maintenance product and suggests hobbyists raise their tank’s levels of calcium, magnesium and alkalinity to the desired levels with other products such as calcium chloride or baking soda before beginning the One dosing regimen. The recommended dose ranges from one capful (5 ml) a day per 50 gallons for new and softie tanks all the way up to four capfuls (20 ml) per 50 gallons for heavy SPS tanks. Not a daily doser? Polyp Lab also documents a twice weekly dosing schedule. Through years of collective experiences, we have learned a lot in this hobby and are rightfully skeptical of “all-in-one” solutions. We have to wonder the long-term benefits of this product to see if it matches it’s claims and wonder why we haven’t seen similar products on the market before. Many reefers will most likely opt for the control of each individual parameter via two-part with magnesium supplementation as needed or through advanced dosing techniques like the Balling Method. Interested in trying it out? One is available from online at Marine Depot for $21.95 USD for a 500 ml bottle.

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Polyp Lab One tackles Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium in single product

Polyp Lab One tackles Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium in single product

Caribsea’s Purple Up issued Patent, purple isn’t safe any longer

Ryan Gripp — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:07:01 +0000

You’ve most likely heard of Purple Up, the product that some aquarists use when they can’t seem to get any coraline algae growing in their saltwater aquariums. Besides being a very popular product, Caribsea, the manufactuer has been touting that they recently were issued a patent for Purple Up. It seems that getting those pink, purple and other colors of coraline algae are worth a patent. Because of this Caribsea is having a big promotion wherein you can get your hands on a bottle of the purple stuff. CaribSea is telling us that they are giving away over $16,000 worth of free product, so go join their twitter feed and hopefully you’ll get your own very bottle too.

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Caribsea’s Purple Up issued Patent, purple isn’t safe any longer

Caribsea’s Purple Up issued Patent, purple isn’t safe any longer

CaribSea’s new try one for free promotion

Ryan Gripp — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:50:40 +0000

CaribSea is pushing a new promotion to get you to try some of their products. This is being billed as the “Try one for Free” promotion and first appeared in CORAL magazine. You can pick either ReefCal, or Buffer Plus. Send an email to “coraloffer@caribsea.com” with your name, address and the product which you want to try. Who doesn’t like something for free, right?

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CaribSea’s new try one for free promotion

CaribSea’s new try one for free promotion

Exact Micro 7 Aquarium photometer kit

Ryan Gripp — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:48:25 +0000

The Exact Micro 7 Aquarium photometer kit will help you with one of the biggest chores in the saltwater aquarium hobby. Testing your water. Besides the actual process of testing you have to compare the color of the water to the color that is printed on the test sheet. It is a real pain. However, if you were to have this new photometer your life would be that much easier. This photometer can measure: Calcium Hardness, Total Alkalinity, Copper, Nitrite, Nitrate, Ammonia and PH. The kit retails for $369 and can be purchased directly.

Update: Uh oh. It doesn’t test for saltwater aquariums.

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Exact Micro 7 Aquarium photometer kit

Exact Micro 7 Aquarium photometer kit

First Defense Stress Relief for Reefs by Dr Tim’s Aquatics

Ryan Gripp — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:51:03 +0000

First Defense was developed to help fish adapt to new environments by assisting the fishes’ natural immune system. Changing the environment of a fish causes stress that robs fish of essential nutrients and can weaken their immune system. First Defense is scientifically designed to provide stress relief and support the immune system, helping fish cope with stress due to bagging and shipping from the store to your tank, water changes, new fish additions, disease treatments, and other environmental changes. First Defense also contains buffers to help maintain the water pH. Further, First Defense detoxifies heavy metals and removes chlorine and chloramines.

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First Defense Stress Relief for Reefs by Dr Tim’s Aquatics

First Defense Stress Relief for Reefs by Dr Tim’s Aquatics

Tropic Marin’s Bio-Activ Calcium liquid

Ryan Gripp — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:00:38 +0000

Tropic Marin’s new Bio-Actif system just got a new product that has been added to the line. Liquid calcium is being touted as an additive that can balance your “PH in the long term by through the balance of individual substances by sodium chloride-free salt, the ionic balance in the basin is not disturbed. Unlike many other calcium additives, the pH value remaining constant.” To avoid precipitations, Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium Liquid Set has to be divided in three supplementary solutions: three bottles with three different liquids (A, B, C). The formula has been adapted in a way that the three different liquids can be dosed with the same quantity. These solutions should be added to the tank water separately either directly or by a dosing pump. Adding Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium Liquid as directed, creates highly efficient calcium supplementation to the aquarium while still maintaining the ionic balance and pH. Bio-Activ Calcium comes in two flavors, the liquid and then dry packets of the stuff which allows you to mix it with water for bailing applications. Over in Europe pricing isn’t to bad as the A, B, C solutions in 1000ml bottles will run you 24.50 euros ($32).

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Tropic Marin’s Bio-Activ Calcium liquid

Tropic Marin’s Bio-Activ Calcium liquid

Bio Alganex from Terra Nova will remove algae that isn’t wanted

Ryan Gripp — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:00:27 +0000

Taking a line from Ultra Algae X this Bio-Alganex product from Terra Nova promises to help you take care of your algae problem. The pitching point is that Bio-Alganex is made up of anti-algae biological resources based on selected algae to reduce unwanted algae. How it does this remains to be seen. Besides ridding your aquarium of unwanted algae it also is supposed to clear your water up, but isn’t that what a protein skimmer helps at doing? What about carbon? A container of the stuff will cost you $28, as that is the price you’ll have to pay if you want to test and see if it gets rid of your unwanted algae.

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Bio Alganex from Terra Nova will remove algae that isn’t wanted

Bio Alganex from Terra Nova will remove algae that isn’t wanted

Chemi Clean Red slime remover ‘liquid professional formula’ says hello to the world

Ryan Gripp — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:49:21 +0000

A new product that advertises to rid your tank of red slime has been introduced. Like the classic Chemiclean Red Slime Remover, the Liquid Professional Formula will remove disease causing Red Slime Algae (Cyanobacteria) from your fish or reef tank. It works quickly without harming fish, invertebrates, corals or important nitrifying bacteria, oxidizes organic sludge and sediment. Promotes Ideal Enzyme Balance. Safe for Reef Tanks, All Invertebrates, Desirable Macro Algaes, important nitrifiying bacteria and all fish. The interesting thing is the box says to do a 20% water change after using this product. A box of the stuff will run you about $12 and retailers have just begun to get their hands on it. Pictured above is the classic Chemiclean.

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Chemi Clean Red slime remover ‘liquid professional formula’ says hello to the world

Chemi Clean Red slime remover ‘liquid professional formula’ says hello to the world

Aqua DNA will clean your tank with clay, no really

Ryan Gripp — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:53:55 +0000

Clay you say? Oh this has got our attention for sure. Aqua DNA is an additive for your refe aquarium. How does it work? When you add Aqua DNA to your system the clay inside will bond with pollutants, eventually heading down to your skimmer where they will be removed. Thus, the skimmer’s production is significantly increased. Aqua DNA promises that “appetites will be renewed and fish will have a more wiliness to spawn.” Not to mention corals will have “larger polyp extensions and bright colors”. Sounds like the cure-all wonder drug, and we remember what our mom told us when we were young. If it sounds to good to be true it probably is. Ingredients include: silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, honey, vanilla, garlic, chamomile, aloe. Those later ingredients sound more like a skin-care product then one you would want to put in your tank. A bottle of the stuff is 12.99 euros ($16.94).

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Aqua DNA will clean your tank with clay, no really

Aqua DNA will clean your tank with clay, no really

Juwel Nitrate Removal Sponge

Ryan Gripp — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:02:09 +0000

A nifty sponge that is said to remove nitrates has our attention. The sponge which is supposed to be for the “Juwel” aquarium system can easily be used in a sump or other filter design. “The Juwel Nitrate Removal Sponge contains bacteria, which will after a while reduce the nitrate level in the aquarium significantly. Having removed the nitrates, which is the nutrient for the algae, they will starve or not even start to develop of this in turn will enhance the vitality of fish and plants.” Jewel then recommends to replace the sponge every 6 weeks. Whether or not this actually works or not has our avid attention. Anyone try it?

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Juwel Nitrate Removal Sponge

Juwel Nitrate Removal Sponge

Reef Builders -The Reef Aquarium Blog » Additives

Polyp Lab One tackles Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium in single product

Related Posts

Caribsea’s Purple Up issued Patent, purple isn’t safe any longer

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CaribSea’s new try one for free promotion

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Exact Micro 7 Aquarium photometer kit

Other items you might enjoy:

First Defense Stress Relief for Reefs by Dr Tim’s Aquatics

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Tropic Marin’s Bio-Activ Calcium liquid

Related Posts

Bio Alganex from Terra Nova will remove algae that isn’t wanted

Other items you might enjoy:

Chemi Clean Red slime remover ‘liquid professional formula’ says hello to the world

Other items you might enjoy:

Aqua DNA will clean your tank with clay, no really

Other items you might enjoy:

Juwel Nitrate Removal Sponge

Other items you might enjoy: