Biopellets vs sulfur vs vodka vs white vinegar

[nanomania]

All types of organic carbon dosing have a smaller effect on phosphate than nitrate. All types of organics can boost cyano if you have species present that consume the organic you are using.

Is the amt of vinegar to be dosed depends on the no3 content or water volume or no. Of fishes or feed.? also im plannin in all dry rick /sand, so plannin to cycle the tank via ammonium chloride, so shud i dose vinegar during cycling?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is the amt of vinegar to be dosed depends on the no3 content or water volume or no. Of fishes or feed.? also im plannin in all dry rick /sand, so plannin to cycle the tank via ammonium chloride, so shud i dose vinegar during cycling?

Wait till cycling is done. Dosing is part by volume,a nd then perhaps adjsuted based on how bad the nitrate issue is.

This has more, although the change is dosing with tank volume seems inappropriately small to me.


http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index...ar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium

 

[nanomania]

Wait till cycling is done. Dosing is part by volume,a nd then perhaps adjsuted based on how bad the nitrate issue is.

This has more, although the change is dosing with tank volume seems inappropriately small to me.


http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index...ar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium

Thanks for the link. As said that vinegar dosed bacteria are consumed by organisms, can it work without a skimmer? Also its written in the article, that vinegar doesnt cause cyano.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the link. As said that vinegar dosed bacteria are consumed by organisms, can it work without a skimmer? Also its written in the article, that vinegar doesnt cause cyano.

It may work without a skimmer, if the tank has enough growing filter feeders to consume the bacteria.

 

[nanomania]

It may work without a skimmer, if the tank has enough growing filter feeders to consume the bacteria.

Plannin on all dry sand and rocks, so there wont be any.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In that case, the bacteria will build up, and may (or may not) do so in an unsightly fashion. That even happens in some skimmed systems.

 

[nanomania]

In that case, the bacteria will build up, and may (or may not) do so in an unsightly fashion. That even happens in some skimmed systems.

I guess i shud then try in my current system, loads of filter feeders, and recently added a goniopora.

 

[nanomania]

Finally got vinegar, as mine is a 45g ttwv, skimmerless, should i start with 5ml of white vinegar? The bottle shows 3.75gms of acetic acid per 100ml.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Finally got vinegar, as mine is a 45g ttwv, skimmerless, should i start with 5ml of white vinegar? The bottle shows 3.75gms of acetic acid per 100ml.

That seems like a reasonable dose. Your vinegar is a bit weaker than most folks use.

 

[nanomania]

That seems like a reasonable dose. Your vinegar is a bit weaker than most folks use.

How gradually shud i increase? Shud i check weekly or daily?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How gradually shud i increase? Shud i check weekly or daily?

Opinions vary, but I've never actually seen any issue from not increasing slowly, and I did not. I simply picked a dose and went with it. I'd monitor nitrate every few days, unless it is moving down significantly.

 

[bklynreef]

This question of the three or four methods of reducing N and P while gaining beneficial bacteria to the tanks health I would think would depend a lot on the size tank your dealing with. Small and medium tanks could do anything but large tanks can't unless your going to supply gallons of vinegar vodka or sugar dosing. I did all of these and ended up with Biopellets since it was easier than dosing carbon in large amounts and I am very happy with the results. I can adjust flow and speed of the tumble which is the key to a great reactor. Just my 2 cents fwiw.

 

[jason2459]

What do you define as large tank?

How big is the reactor you're using? The amount of pellets needed needs to scale up as well.

Pellets are good for localized bacteria growth but doesn't do anything for feeding other organisms in the tank like vinegar would.

 

[bklynreef]

I would say large as in over 500 gallons. I have well over 1000 Gallon of water volume between all my tanks and I'm using NP Reducing Biopellets by Reef Interests.
My bp reactor is a Reef Dynamics BPR 1000
Oh and I do put vinegar but in my kalk reactor once every 2 weeks almost a cupful.

 

[jason2459]

Ok and would make some sense. Just want to get that defined. Some will consider a 120g large. I consider my 180 as not large.

 

[nanomania]

My current tank is 45g ttwv. Its a skimmerless system. The new system will be 130g approx.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This question of the three or four methods of reducing N and P while gaining beneficial bacteria to the tanks health I would think would depend a lot on the size tank your dealing with. Small and medium tanks could do anything but large tanks can't unless your going to supply gallons of vinegar vodka or sugar dosing. I did all of these and ended up with Biopellets since it was easier than dosing carbon in large amounts and I am very happy with the results. I can adjust flow and speed of the tumble which is the key to a great reactor. Just my 2 cents fwiw.

I'm not sure why vinegar or vodka cannot scale to any size tank. It just costs more, as do all additive and treatments.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The Long Island Aquarium uses vodka on a 20,000 gallon tank:

https://reefbuilders.com/2015/03/27/joe-yaiullos-frankenstein-filtration-20000-gallon-reef-tank/

 

[jason2459]

Vodka would make more sense to use at that scale as much less is necessary vs vinegar.

 

[bklynreef]

The cost becomes the issue in large scale systems which is why I opted for BP'S.