Dose Carbon or Grow Algae for Nutrient Export?

[schuby]

For my tank, 150 gal DT & 30 gal sump, my chaeto can keep my nutrients level but not lower it much. To lower phosphate from 0.4 to 0.2ppm, I carbon-dose using vodka. My nitrate is also being lowered.

Here's link about vodka carbon-dosing that I'm following: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/

 

[WVReefJunkie]

There a recipe on this forum for nopox, 2 parts vinegar, 1 part vodka, 1 part rodi.

Ill look for it, thanks!

 

[Jon_W79]

I was thinking that too, I have a bottle of Nopox and a Neptune Dos. I should get better color colorarion with my Sps with Carbon dosing? The uptake of bacteria with Nutrients.

You can if you get the right nitrate and phosphate levels, and you feed enough and have enough fish.

 

[WVReefJunkie]

Iam going to dose Nopox at 8ml per day through my Neptune Dos and see where that gets me. They recommend 2ml per 25 gallon of water for Sps frags, I have 300 gallon water volume, I cut that in thirds. Everyone, does that sound correct?

 

[Hokie125]

If you have time look into the Zeovit system. Its a carbon dosing program that works extremely well and is a proven method. I switched over about 6 months ago and could not be happier with the results. There is a learning curve to it but that's the best part!

 

[X-37B]

On my 120 I dose DSR carbon.
It is a blend of vinegar, sugar, and iron.
I only dose 10ml a day by hand.
I started at 2ml a day.
At 10ml a day my no3 is 5-10 and po4 is .02-.04.
I can tell its working by the color of algae on my glass. At 10ml its white. If I back off to 5 it will be green.
I really only dose to feed the bacteria and corals.
I have 14 fish in my 120.
With any carbon dosing start at half the recommended dose and go up slowly.

 

[Jon_W79]

You do have to remove the bacteria via draining a skimmer so really both ways you have to clean something out. Carbon dosing also requires you to monitor how much to dose, refilling the bottles of nopox or whatever is used (ongoing cost), and can wipe a tank if it is overdosed or the skimmer stops properly working. I do think that carbon dosing is interesting as it supposedly can allow corals to capture more bacterioplankton that grow from carbon dosing, which is a much more efficient way for them to obtain nitrogen rather than from nitrate in the water column (this is according to Lou at tropic marin and I have not heard the nitrogen/coral argument before). However, an algae reactor can also help corals grow faster as it increases the pH of the tank which can dramatically impact coral health for the better when at the right level

A lot of people recommend a very oversized skimmer if you carbon dose(it's probably not required). If you have a bigger skimmer you don't have to empty it as often. There would be more skimmer to clean though. You can do a diy nopox for a much lower cost. If the skimmer stops working properly, and you regularly empty the skimmer cup, I think you would find that out, and could fix it before anything bad could happen(I haven't heard this before). There is more of a chance of bottoming out nutrients with carbon dosing, you need to be more careful with it, especially at the beginning.