Cyano and carbon dosing

[SandersReef]

Hello everyone,
The last few weeks ive been trying to lower my nitrates from 50 they are now around 25, but due to the increasing of carbon dosing my phosphates dropped to 0 wich caused a bit of an cyano outbreak. Im now dosing phosphates but still want to lower the nitrates to bring back balance. I dont what to fuel the cyano with the carbon dosing, do i lower, increase or keep the carbon dosing at the same level?
Sander

 

[Miami Reef]

What type of carbon are you dosing?

 

[SandersReef]

Ez carbon, i run the DSR method.

 

[SandersReef]

What type of carbon are you dosing?

Its a mix of vinegar sugar and fe+.

 

[Spare time]

Phosphate bottoming shouldn't have anything to do with cyano. It makes sense for nitrate bottoming out though, since they can get nitrogen from the atmosphere. As for carbon dosing, this is why I prefer biopellets, as its not directly "feeding" cyano like liquid carbon dosing can.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d personally stop dosing sugar and see if that helps with cyano. The iron may be what dropping the phosphate, depending on how much you dosed. That effect is specifically called out in the dsr method.

 

[SandersReef]

I’d personally stop dosing sugar and see if that helps with cyano. The iron may be what dropping the phosphate, depending on how much you dosed. That effect is specifically called out in the dsr method.

I will try that, thanks

 

[SandersReef]

I’d personally stop dosing sugar and see if that helps with cyano. The iron may be what dropping the phosphate, depending on how much you dosed. That effect is specifically called out in the dsr method.

If i stop dosing do i need to worry about my nitrate to rise again?

 

[Miami Reef]

If i stop dosing do i need to worry about my nitrate to rise again?

I think Randy implied you could dose vinegar. It works for carbon dosing:

Reefkeeping Magazine - Vinegar Dosing Methodology for the Marine Aquarium

Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for the marine aquarist.

reefkeeping.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Right, I’d continue to dose vinegar.

 

[Chucky]

Sorry to just barge in but i myself are experiencing higher no3 numbers than what I would prefer my po4 as of yesterday was 0.12 I’ve been dosing 1/8 tsp of sugar every other day or every 2 days and I haven’t seen any effective results I been doing about 12 days now

 

[Chucky]

Sorry to just barge in but i myself are experiencing higher no3 numbers than what I would prefer my po4 as of yesterday was 0.12 I’ve been dosing 1/8 tsp of sugar every other day or every 2 days and I haven’t seen any effective results I been doing about 12 days now

I forgot to add my no3 is 45-50 unsure exactly as I’m testing no3 with API ‍ all my other test kits are Hanna accept my mag test is salifert

 

[92Miata]

Phosphate bottoming shouldn't have anything to do with cyano. It makes sense for nitrate bottoming out though, since they can get nitrogen from the atmosphere. As for carbon dosing, this is why I prefer biopellets, as its not directly "feeding" cyano like liquid carbon dosing can.

Every time my phosphates drop and nitrates rise, I get cyano. I just increase my phosphate dosing any time I see it.

My hypothesis is that under those mats, the pH is lower, and that makes it easier for them to pull phosphate off the rock/waste/etc.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Sorry to just barge in but i myself are experiencing higher no3 numbers than what I would prefer my po4 as of yesterday was 0.12 I’ve been dosing 1/8 tsp of sugar every other day or every 2 days and I haven’t seen any effective results I been doing about 12 days now

I've never been a fan of sugar dosing, but there are some folks who use it. In my tank it browned up corals the one time I experimented with it. I cannot judge the dose size suitability without knowing the tank size.

Vinegar and vodka are more often the DIY organic sources used.

 

[Chucky]

I've never been a fan of sugar dosing, but there are some folks who use it. In my tank it browned up corals the one time I experimented with it. I cannot judge the dose size suitability without knowing the tank size.

Vinegar and vodka are more often the DIY organic sources used.

Biocube 32 is my tank size, I struggle with ph as is I have an airline tan to skimmer drawing fresh air in from outside and it hovers around 8.1. I’ve heard vinegar would lower my ph and defeat my airline purpose

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Biocube 32 is my tank size, I struggle with ph as is I have an airline tan to skimmer drawing fresh air in from outside and it hovers around 8.1. I’ve heard vinegar would lower my ph and defeat my airline purpose

Sugar lowers pH a similar amount per carbon atom dosed, you just do not notice it because it has the same effect, but more slowly. That is because after it is metabolized, all organic carbon sources we use end up as CO2 and water.

Vinegar just packes its pH lowering up front. If you want to avoid that lowerting, one easy way is to saturate the viengr with calcium hydroxide. It will then have no pH lowering, either initially or later. I did that when manually dosing viengar, but stiopped when I put it on a dosing pump since that spreads out any pH effects.

 

[Chucky]

Sugar lowers pH a similar amount per carbon atom dosed, you just do not notice it because it has the same effect, but more slowly. That is because after it is metabolized, all organic carbon sources we use end up as CO2 and water.

Vinegar just packes its pH lowering up front. If you want to avoid that lowerting, one easy way is to saturate the viengr with calcium hydroxide. It will then have no pH lowering, either initially or later. I did that when manually dosing viengar, but stiopped when I put it on a dosing pump since that spreads out any pH effects.

I didn’t know sugar would lower my ph ‍ thanks for that info which I haven’t dosed any sugar or anything in days now bc I noticed a little red in my sand bed and I do not wanna go back down that road