Considering alternating carbon sources

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I'm wondering if there would be any benefit to alternating carbon sources? Right now I dose vodka with my dosing pump, and what I'm thinking is that it might make sense to switch to vinegar once I get through with this dosing container of vodka and then once the vinegar runs out go back to vodka or vitamin C... My logic for this (which may very well be flawed) is that it would provide a diversity of carbon sources in the tank rather than having one set in completely. Is this a good idea? Bad idea?

Feel free to offer advice...or even just throw tomatoes if I've gone totally crazy. :der:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, one reason to switch is if cyano starts to thrive in the tank, consuming the organic compound you are adding.

Switching from, say, vodka to vinegar will possibly knock back cyano that is thriving on the ethanol in the vodka.

Other than that, I've not ever heard any convincing argument of why using multiple carbon sources at the same time, which MAY (or may not) drive multiple bacterial species, is better than a single carbon source which may (or may not) drive a single primary bacterial species.

Switching from one source to another will change the dominant species, but aside from that I'm not sure what benefit there is from constant switching (aside from the cyano issue with an occasional switch).

I'd make such switches over a week or two, rather than cold turkey, to give bacteria the time to adjust populations.