Natural or do you dose carbon.

[Screwgunner]

Do you run your tank naturally or do you dose carbons.
I consider protein skimmer natural. All it uses is air.

 

[Timfish]

I wouldn't use a skimmer or dose carbon.

Protein Skimmer Performance, Pt 1

The Development of a Method for the Quantitative Evaluation of Protein Skimmer Performance

Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Protein skimmers have become indispensable for many aquarists who strive to maintain the high water quality necessary to keep stony corals.

reefs.com

Protein Skimmer Performance, Pt 2

Further Studies on Protein Skimmer Performance

Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Many factors contribute to the 'value' of a skimmer to an aquarist, including quality of construction, size, footprint, noise level, ease of cleaning, energy efficiency of the pump, and of course, the ability...

reefs.com

Elemental Analysis of Skimmate

Elemental Analysis of Skimmate: What Does a Protein Skimmer Actually Remove from Aquarium Water?

Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. The chemical/elemental composition of skimmate generated by an H&S 200-1260 skimmer on a 175-gallon reef tank over the course of several days or a week had some surprises.

reefs.com

Bacterial Counts in Reef Aquarium Water

Bacterial Counts in Reef Aquarium Water: Baseline Values and Modulation by Carbon Dosing, Protein Skimming, and Granular Activated Carbon Filtration

What are the bacteria populations in the water column of reef tanks, and how does that value compare with bacterial counts in authentic reef water? Does carbon dosing indeed increase water column bacteria populations (i.e., is growth carbon limited)? Does mechanical filtration (protein skimming...

reefs.com

 

[Nano sapiens]

Do you run your tank naturally or do you dose carbons.
I consider protein skimmer natural. All it uses is air.

I get the feeling that you mean 'GAC' (Granular Activated Carbon), as opposed to 'carbon dosing'?

Haven't used either GAC or a Skimmer in over 30 years or so.

Used carbon dosing (vinegar) once to reduce 50+ppm NO3, but the side effects in my system were less than pleasant (won't be trying that again)...

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Ive done bio pellets, liquid carbon dosing, and natural. Current tank is natural and what I prefer. Getting into ULNS territory and maintaining adequate nutrients for corals not to bleach or die is a tight rope walk. I run Phosguard to limit phos and silicate and easier and simpler to manage With a protein skimmer. I’m experimenting with Dr. Tims Waste-Away but it’s not a carbon product but is good bacteria strains.

 

[rusgum]

At this time my system is only on a skimmer, but I do not mind dosing carbon supplements as after reducing the mass of corals I had to use them.

 

[elysics]

None of what we do is natural lol.

"Natural" would be a 100% waterchange every couple seconds forever

I do vinegar+vodka

 

[WVNed]

I didn’t have a dead whale so I sank a 5 pound pot roast to the bottom of my tank.
The natural way to carbon dose

 

[DrZoidburg]

I didn’t have a dead whale so I sank a 5 pound pot roast to the bottom of my tank.
The natural way to carbon dose

A big nitrogen dose too so kind of counter productive. I run sulfur reactor in one kind of similar to how it works. You have to ask yourself do you even need to dose anything first.

 

[Screwgunner]

Well , I do run a skimmer probly don't need it but bubbles bubbles bubbles. Algae turf scubber . And charcoal in a reactor . YES I HAVE ULN. I run below .01 ppm phosphate my test kit for nitrate api yellow every time. No bleaching of corals . My exenia has split 3 times in two months. Montiporas doing well.
As far as additives i run seachem products calcium and reef builder for alkalinity. And amino acids with trace. No water changes.

 

[Dan_P]

Do you run your tank naturally or do you dose carbons.
I consider protein skimmer natural. All it uses is air.

An aquarium by definition is an artificial environment. It does not and cannot resemble a natural environment. What does it matter that a water purification method is ”natural”. Besides, ”natural” is personal preference not a rigorous definition.

 

[DrZoidburg]

In that case I wouldn't change anything. Your probably right at some point you might not need one of the two.

 

[Screwgunner]

I do strive to keep my water as close to natural seawater as possible.

 

[Garf]

I do strive to keep my water as close to natural seawater as possible.

You’ve got a scrubber, so that is adding sugars and aminos to the water. Also a bit of H2O2 if it becomes nutrient stressed or under extreme light intensities.

 

[Spieg]

I find carbon dosing to be useful in relatively new systems (less than 1 year) when it can be a struggle to gain stability. Beyond that I go "au naturale".

 

[Screwgunner]

Well the uln got me finally. Yep Dinos stopped the skimmer and started feeding more . Phosphates .05 it is clearing up . It did take out my birdsnest. Everything else is recovering well. Started dr. Tims eco balance . Will dose half then following week full dose then onece a month. Probly don't need to after taking skimmer off line. But what can it hurt.

 

[bruno3047]

Do you run your tank naturally or do you dose carbons.
I consider protein skimmer natural. All it uses is air.

I changed out my carbon for Purigen and I’ll never go back.

 

[Mppp]

I get the feeling that you mean 'GAC' (Granular Activated Carbon), as opposed to 'carbon dosing'?

Haven't used either GAC or a Skimmer in over 30 years or so.

Used carbon dosing (vinegar) once to reduce 50+ppm NO3, but the side effects in my system were less than pleasant (won't be trying that again)...

Interesting that you do not use either (carbon or skimmer). Do you have a mixed reef, softies or stony corals? How do you maintain water quality with minimal water changes or frequent small water changes if I may ask all these questions as I seem to always be in a balancing act with my skimmer, carbon and occasional carbon dosing to keep nitrates from getting too crazy. Thanks in advance for input.

 

[bruno3047]

Interesting that you do not use either (carbon or skimmer). Do you have a mixed reef, softies or stony corals? How do you maintain water quality with minimal water changes or frequent small water changes if I may ask all these questions as I seem to always be in a balancing act with my skimmer, carbon and occasional carbon dosing to keep nitrates from getting too crazy. Thanks in advance for input.

No, I use a skimmer. I never said I didn’t use a skimmer. I just switched my carbon to purigen. Purigen is far superior for nutrient removal and best of all, it doesn’t affect trace elements at all. Carbon ravages trace elements. Especially new carbon. I keep a mixed reef, no softies. I found out the key to reducing the number of water changes I do is to remove the dirtiest water, which is the water in my sand bed. I clean my sand bed thoroughly every six months or so removing 30% to 35% of that stinking water and replacing it with new water. My water stays pristine. I dose trace elements along with my two-part and magnesium.

 

[Mppp]

I thought I was asking Nana Sapiens about their natural no skimmer no carbon use, apologies for confusion?

Nano sapiens said:
I get the feeling that you mean 'GAC' (Granular Activated Carbon), as opposed to 'carbon dosing'?

Haven't used either GAC or a Skimmer in over 30 years or so.

Used carbon dosing (vinegar) once to reduce 50+ppm NO3, but the side effects in my system were less than pleasant (won't be trying that again)...

 

[bruno3047]

No, I use a skimmer. I never said I didn’t use a skimmer. I just switched my carbon to purigen. Purigen is far superior for nutrient removal and best of all, it doesn’t affect trace elements at all. Carbon ravages trace elements. Especially new carbon.

Thanks

I thought I was asking Nana Sapiens about their natural no skimmer no carbon use, apologies for confusion?

Nano sapiens said:
I get the feeling that you mean 'GAC' (Granular Activated Carbon), as opposed to 'carbon dosing'?

Haven't used either GAC or a Skimmer in over 30 years or so.

Used carbon dosing (vinegar) once to reduce 50+ppm NO3, but the side effects in my system were less than pleasant (won't be trying that again)...

No problem. I do that all the time.