Did carbon dosing clear my tank water

[ksed]

I started experimenting with my 30G Xenia filled tank. The aquarium was always low in inorganic nutrients , so I started to dose nitrates and phosphates . What I always noticed was when I poured water in a 5 gallon bucket for a water change it always had a yellowish tint. So I started to add vinegar to the tank to see if it would do much. Two weeks after carbon dosing I noticed the water is much clearer. What gives? Could the bacteria help clear these organics? but how if they need the right carbon source to survive? are they assimilating the yellowing compounds?

Thanks

 

[slicko]

yes it did.

 

[Cory]

People notice it more with vodka dosing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm not actually sure what the cause and effect is there.

Maybe just more bacteria in general means more of the enzymes that might be able to degrade those yellowing organics, even if it is the simple dosed organics that drive the overall bacterial growth.

 

[ksed]

Randy,
Are the enzymes a by product of bacteria?

Thanks

I'm not actually sure what the cause and effect is there.

Maybe just more bacteria in general means more of the enzymes that might be able to degrade those yellowing organics, even if it is the simple dosed organics that drive the overall bacterial growth.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy,
Are the enzymes a by product of bacteria?

Thanks

They make them to help metabolize organics they want to eat. Some may be attached to the outer surfaces of their bodies, and some may be released to break up bits too large to eat into smaller, bite sized pieces that they can ingest. Obviously an oversimplification, but enzymes are intentionally made to do chemistry for them.

 

[ksed]

Awesome!

Thanks again

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

FWIW, here's an example that pertains to reefs.

Biopellets consist of large polymers of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). In the normal ocean, these polymers are used as energy storage molecules by some species of bacteria. When they die, these polymer chunks are released to the open water and become fair game for other bacteria to eat.

Bacteria that eat them release an enzyme (a large protein that is designed to break apart these polymers) that attaches to these solid bits of polymer, breaking them down and releasing small monomers, 3-hydroxybutyrate. The bacteria waiting nearby then take up the released monomers and "eat" them.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ma970491g