Now I'm a believer. What a difference.
- Thread starter surfnsalt
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drewkleine
New Member
I believe that with running a bare bottom, syphoning out as much detritus/etc., and taking 3g of water out that I'm taking bacteria out of my system. Now I do know that the majority of bacteria in our systems lives on live rock, but I also think it doesn't hurt to add beneficial bacteria to our systems. It aids in detritus break down in areas we can't reach, which can mean it's helping in the control/balance of nitrates and Po4. My system has been much more balanced I believe and has shown significant signs of maturing since I've been adding bacteria. I add 4 ml because adding too much can cause a collapse in oxygen levels as well as a small spike in Ammonia, 4ml is a very safe measurement of this type I think.
Nitrate dosing is a fascinating and worthy topic.
But it is challenging to believe that a brown maricultured coral transformed from brown to dramatically colored up in only 4 days of dosing.
The coral very well may be improving by the nitrate dosing but these two pictures taken a week apart, the first apparently being lit by a flashlight and the second under tank lighting, are not an appropriate comparison of success or not. The light spectrum is just too different and the coral coloration from one picture to another is just not comparable.
Nitrate dosing is worthy of ongoing conversation but not the comparison or success based on these two photographs. It is always difficult to compare the color from one photo to another but it certainly is not realistic to evaluate a flashlight photography to tank light photography. Don't think @twilliard or @Russ265 would want to use these photographs as verification of success.
Look forward to a long term update on this tank. Nitrate dosing is indeed changing the way we think about reefing. Kudos to all for sharing their experiences and observations. We are learning and challenging each other as we discover more and more about reefing
NDDELALLO
Community Member
I have read about that dr tims what are your thoughts on it your using the reef one I assume correct? Is this the same one you are using?
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surfnsalt
Well-Known Member
Agreed to the lighting factor of the two shots. I'll take another at same time with same lighting. Just didn't have one from a week ago. They never got Brown under tank lighting but did very much pale and lose color. This is my first real go at an sps tank only and it's already challenging being a nano. I've noticed a difference in the color and just hope I can get them bright and growing. More worried about color than fast growth. I will update more and I'm open to suggestions. Where do you keep your parameters? Do you run a smaller tank with sps?
Nitrate dosing is a fascinating and worthy topic.
But it is challenging to believe that a brown maricultured coral transformed from brown to dramatically colored up in only 4 days of dosing.
The coral very well may be improving by the nitrate dosing but these two pictures taken a week apart, the first apparently being lit by a flashlight and the second under tank lighting, are not an appropriate comparison of success or not. The light spectrum is just too different and the coral coloration from one picture to another is just not comparable.
Nitrate dosing is worthy of ongoing conversation but not the comparison or success based on these two photographs. It is always difficult to compare the color from one photo to another but it certainly is not realistic to evaluate a flashlight photography to tank light photography. Don't think @twilliard or @Russ265 would want to use these photographs as verification of success.
Look forward to a long term update on this tank. Nitrate dosing is indeed changing the way we think about reefing. Kudos to all for sharing their experiences and observations. We are learning and challenging each other as we discover more and more about reefing
drewkleine
New Member
Yep...I am using that one you posted. While I have no scientific testing or theory to solidify my theory, I do have a couple things that have happened since I started using it. 1. I was having clockwork bacteria blooms, not the good type of bacteria either. My nutrients we really low, almost non existent, then any time I increased feedings, I would bloom from the excess nutrients. This is gone from the day I started using.I have read about that dr tims what are your thoughts on it your using the reef one I assume correct? Is this the same one you are using?
2. I could and have gone weeks without a water change, in an 18g with several SPS, but still dosing alk/calc. I can feed heavy and my trates/po4 stay extremely low, even with turning my skimmer off for hours at a time. I believe my heavy population of beneficial bacteria is consuming at a natural rate possibly helping in the balance/maintaining of trates/po4.
3. Once again, no scientific theory, but because of those 2 points I mentioned, I think my tank has taken off as far as maturing goes. I have a ridiculous sustaining population of cope/amph pods....sponges, macro and micro algeas, all sorts of things cultivating. Obviously they were introduced from frags among other things, not the bacteria, but my crazy brain has a notion that helping to apply one of the major building blocks of a reef seems to be doing good things.
-Logzor
2500 Club Member
I have a batch of NO3 mixed up using the stump remover, but I'm terrified of using it on my reef! This gives me more confidence, when I have time this afternoon I'll read through the entire thread. Glad you're having luck with this, in some reefs it's really difficult to provide enough food for corals without spiking PO4. Dosing pure NO3 is potentially a good solution.
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surfnsalt
Well-Known Member
Just have your test kits handy. 1ml rises my 10 gallon water volume up to 2ppm. My mixture is 2 cups ro water with 2 tbsp of stump remover.
-Logzor
2500 Club Member
Thanks! I wrote my recipe on the 1 gallon jug that I mixed it in, I'll verify tonight which recipe I used.
Nitrate dosing is a fascinating and worthy topic.
But it is challenging to believe that a brown maricultured coral transformed from brown to dramatically colored up in only 4 days of dosing.
The coral very well may be improving by the nitrate dosing but these two pictures taken a week apart, the first apparently being lit by a flashlight and the second under tank lighting, are not an appropriate comparison of success or not. The light spectrum is just too different and the coral coloration from one picture to another is just not comparable.
Nitrate dosing is worthy of ongoing conversation but not the comparison or success based on these two photographs. It is always difficult to compare the color from one photo to another but it certainly is not realistic to evaluate a flashlight photography to tank light photography. Don't think @twilliard or @Russ265 would want to use these photographs as verification of success.
Look forward to a long term update on this tank. Nitrate dosing is indeed changing the way we think about reefing. Kudos to all for sharing their experiences and observations. We are learning and challenging each other as we discover more and more about reefing
good point about the flash.
may have to remove.
i think ill start with one of my browned corals due to light failure.
...i see results in 48 hours. moreso in a week
surf. take another shot in a week. it still has some coloring to do
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surfnsalt
Well-Known Member
Agreed. Will do.
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surfnsalt
Well-Known Member
Update pic with same lighting as first. Haven't had great polyp extension lately, and don't know why? 1st pic is last week's under m.h. 14k 150watt. 2nd this week same lighting. Let me know what you guys think. I've been adding 1ml about ever 3 days to keep at 2ppm. Should I be shooting for 5ppm.
MontiFanatic402
Active Member
Ive also started nitrate dosing, and so far I havent seen better color, but I have seen much better pe at night......I've only been dosing for 4 days now. This website helps calculate how much KNO3 you need. You can look up conversions via google. http://www.theaquatools.com/fertilization-calculator
