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How much vinegar (in mL) per how many gallon system?I did start vinegar dosing several weeks, maybe a month before I started the sand, but I have not made any changes to the amount since starting.
Careful mixing methods / processes.Wow! That’s awesome results! Did you add any organic carbon (vodka, vinegar, sugar etc) to spur denitrification?
Incorrect. Denitrification REQUIRES an organics to complete the process of reducing nitrate into nitrogen gas:Careful mixing methods / processes.
Denitrification is bacteria breaking nitrate down. OC additions drive bacterial growth, which then fixes nitrate and phosphate into biomass. OC dosing reduces nitrate, but in a different way.
Yes, that sounds like a good guess, and what I am also thinking. I want to keep nitrates between 5-10, so if they consistently stay under 10, I will reduce more. I don't mind dosing vinegar, but I don't like it at such a high dose that I coat everything in bacteria (I am not seeing that with the current level).Over 50% reduction in 10 weeks is impressive. The steady decline is solid. My guess is that the remote DSBs are taking over as you scaled back and then stopped the OC for a bit. Time will tell.
You have a target for where you stop with the vinegar all together, or are you going to keep it up?
Interesting... I will try not to make any big changes, and see if it keeps going down.IME it takes 6-7 months for a DSB to really take off. I have only done them in tanks and no idea if buckets are different, but I would not be shocked if they were not done yet.
From what I have read, the depth is more important than surface area. It is the lower levels that use up the nitrates, not the top. I would not do it in anything less than 8" and not more than 12". I think a 60 breeder or 125 would work great.I think you have proven out the concept. Those three five-gallon buckets on a 300-gallon tank are not going to offer nearly as much surface area for water diffusion down into the sand as a large tank with a 3" bed. I think the surface area is more important than the total volume of the sand. I was impressed with the results that you have achieved thus far with those buckets. I would look at upgrading those with a shallow tank like a 60 breeder or something similar in a plastic container or even a 125 gallon if you want to get really now numbers.
I don’t think that I agree with this. Depth and volume appear to be the driving factor. Where do diminished returns start? That I do not know.I think you have proven out the concept. Those three five-gallon buckets on a 300-gallon tank are not going to offer nearly as much surface area for water diffusion down into the sand as a large tank with a 3" bed. I think the surface area is more important than the total volume of the sand. I was impressed with the results that you have achieved thus far with those buckets. I would look at upgrading those with a shallow tank like a 60 breeder or something similar in a plastic container or even a 125 gallon if you want to get really now numbers.