Carbon Dosing

[dpfriedman]

When carbon dosing is it necessary to turn your skimmer off 2-4 hours to give carbon a chance to attack the nitrate or does it not matter and just leave it running non stop?

 

[Pistondog]

Leave it running.
Carbon dosing encourages bacteria growth as carbon is mostly the limiting element in our tanks, also consuming nitrate and phosphate.
Skimming removes the bacteria, which exports the consumed nutrients.

 

[Mikedawg]

When carbon dosing is it necessary to turn your skimmer off 2-4 hours to give carbon a chance to attack the nitrate or does it not matter and just leave it running non stop?

I wouldn't turn off.
https://g1.redseafish.com/nitrate-and-phosphate-reduction-via-carbon-dosing/

 

[dpfriedman]

I wouldn't turn off.

NO3: PO4-X

Red Sea NO3: PO4-X is a unique complex of carbons that are used by nutrient reducing bacteria. Each carbon in the complex is utilized by different strains of microorganisms while ensuring the specific Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorus ratio required for each stage.

g1.redseafish.com

Should you dose the display tank or the sump?

im currently using my dosing pump but it drops before the skimmer. My concern was that the carbon is getting skimmed before it makes it to my DT.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Keep the skimmer on! It needs it to oxygenate the water. Carbon dosing without the skimmer can crash the entire tank/create a bacterial bloom.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Should you dose the display tank or the sump? im currently using my dosing pump but it drops before the skimmer. My concern was that the carbon is getting skimmed before it makes it to my DT.

Display!

 

[August]

I have been using a dosing pump to my sump, so I need to take a look at if that needs to change. I have thought that sufficient water turnover in the sump (or in my case, the return pump chamber) is all that is needed. If you want to pm me aydenlicoln, I would appreciate it

 

[Pistondog]

Dosing anyplace is fine.

 

[Mikedawg]

Should you dose the display tank or the sump?

im currently using my dosing pump but it drops before the skimmer. My concern was that the carbon is getting skimmed before it makes it to my DT.

I don't think it matters; what seems to be most important is that you clean your skimmer regularly and most reefers recommend starting at a lower dose and assess impact before you "follow directions."

Carbon doesn't get skimmed out - it feeds the nitrate reducing bacteria which is what you want to be skimmed out along with organic waste material. Nitrate is the end result of the breakdown of organic material.

 

[dpfriedman]

I have been using a dosing pump to my sump, so I need to take a look at if that needs to change. I have thought that sufficient water turnover in the sump (or in my case, the return pump chamber) is all that is needed. If you want to pm me aydenlicoln, I would appreciate it

I have rerouted my dosing line to drop onto my return chamber that will get immediately sucked up and pushed to my DT. I’ll monitor my numbers on a 3 day testing regiment. I’ll bet this solves my issue.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I dosed vinegar upstream of a big rock filled refugium to encourage the bacteria to grow there rather than somewhere else that might be unsightly.

The organics that most use for organic carbon dosing (vinegar, vodka, sugar, etc.) are not skimmable.