Bolus dosing

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I didn’t come here to argue with you about this. I more was curious from those bolus dosing if they see less detritus accumulation. From what I’ve noticed in my system, less detritus accumulation = a healthier ecosystem for the coral I’m trying to keep. This is why I’m interested. You act like I’m crazy for wanting less detritus, when people have been following this method for decades.

Um, ok. I won’t try to instill science and understanding into a discussion about bolus and detritus, and what effects it might have or not.

I’ll just caution to not believe all things folks claim about bolus dosing, completely aside from whether you like or do not like detritus or any of its constituent parts.

 

[djf91]

Um, ok. I won’t try to instill science and understanding into a discussion about bolus and detritus, and what effects it might have or not.

I’ll just caution to not believe all things folks claim about bolus dosing, completely aside from whether you like or do not like detritus or any of its constituent parts.

I simply wanted to know if those bolus dosing have noticed less detritus accumulation as Mike Paletta had claimed. That’s it. It seems like this is not the right thread for questions though.

I’m sure we could have a long discussion on whether detritus accumulation is good or bad in a reef system. I know you’ve said you let it accumulate in the sump of your old system and did not see any issue, but many others have seen issues with it. This debate is probly for another thread as well though.

 

[djf91]

Not arguing. What Randy is point out is what plagues most hobbyists when presented with an effect and coming to a conclusion based on bias assumptions.

It's unrealistic for most of us to set up conditions to prove our hypothesis. But at the same time we shouldn't jump to certain conclusions just because the dots seem to connect. It's the concept of understanding a process enough to know there can be other reasons for what's observed.

All I wanted to know was if those bolus dosing have seen less detritus accumulation.

 

[lombeard]

I disagree. Waste accumulation in the sand bed can be a real issue for more sensitive stony corals. I’ve noticed this, as have many others.

I think you misunderstood me. I didn't imply it needs accumulate, just that in my experience, corals seem to enjoy the detritus that is in the water column when you clean the sand.

 

[Oldreefer44]

All I wanted to know was if those bolus dosing have seen less detritus accumulation.

To answer your question: Anecdotally speaking, I believe that there is less detritus in my tank but in no way can I say that it is a result of bolus. If I was forced to give a reason it would be that the methodology I was using prior to using Bolus produced excess detritus. IMO, this is another claim that would be difficult to prove one way or the other.

 

[carbl]

I think my corals love detritus and precipitates. i stir the sand twice a week and the water becomes cloudy. Almost all corals open wide and stretch out their tentacles, whether LPS, softies or the azoo corals.
I usually filter through filter floss, but even if I don't, they don't look any worse.
I assume they like what floats through the water or they expect there to be something usable in there.
Sure, if you don't look after your tank and leave all that stuff in an area with little flow, it might lead to cyanos. I don't know.

Perhaps one should also consider that not everything said by FM is worthy of discussion.
Who reintroduced the bolus? FM. With which product does bolus work? with FM products. What leads to bad precipitation? Competitive products like lime water, carbonates, hydroxides.
Sorry, but just saying that means nothing. Even if you find out in a controlled experiment that carbonates, limewater and hydroxides lead to more fine precipitates, that doesn't mean it's bad. Maybe it's even good? I don't know. My guess: a lot of wind for nothing.

In a German supply system there is a kind of reef snow that is regularly dosed. The owner, a biologist, talks about the important regulation of the biofilm by the fine particles. Here, all these particles are desired and are added in far greater quantities than any possible precipitates from a supply system.

 

[AKReefing]

Nevermind.

 

[Garf]

"Pelagic Swimmer" (you tube) I posted about a few pages back, has ceased Bolaeing. General rundown; before Bolus pH 8.0 to 8.25 (Calcium reactor, sodium hydroxide and kalk). During Bolus pH 7.75 to 7.95. After Bolus (bicarb spread out) pH 7.75 to 7.95. ie, no bolus effect.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

 

[Oldreefer44]

"Pelagic Swimmer" (you tube) I posted about a few pages back, has ceased Bolaeing. General rundown; before Bolus pH 8.0 to 8.25 (Calcium reactor, sodium hydroxide and kalk). During Bolus pH 7.75 to 7.95. After Bolus (bicarb spread out) pH 7.75 to 7.95. ie, no bolus effect.

Interesting. Mine is peaking at 8.2 during the day and falling to 7.8 at night with the house sealed tight. When using kalk and AFR it would peak at 7.8 with the occasional 7.9 during the summer with windows open.

 

[bubbgee]

Interesting. Mine is peaking at 8.2 during the day and falling to 7.8 at night with the house sealed tight. When using kalk and AFR it would peak at 7.8 with the occasional 7.9 during the summer with windows open.

This makes sense. AFR has a carbon dosing part that will depress pH. That's why I stopped using AFR.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This makes sense. AFR has a carbon dosing part that will depress pH. That's why I stopped using AFR.

From a CO2/pH perspective, the overall effect of AFR and bicarbonate is the same, though the AFR effect is spread out while the bicarbonate impact may or may not be.

 

[Garf]

Upcoming article: DIY pH buffers

pH buffers are very simple to make, and are surprisingly expensive to buy. For that reason, I thought DIY pH buffers would be a good article in the future. Easy to make, last a good while in a cheap closed soda bottle, and one can easily make a lot at once. What I don't know is what pH values...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[rishma]

I pop in this thread occasionally to see where the discussion has gone…detritus was not on my bingo card

 

[SliceGolfer]

Edit: Humor attempted but room is too serious for it.

 

[Garf]

I don't know if that's directed towards me or the Bolus claims. It would be nice for those claiming a magical pH effect to update this thread after a probe calibration, however. Just to eliminate that rather large potential error.

 

[twentyleagues]

I don't know if that's directed towards me or the Bolus claims. It would be nice for those claiming a magical pH effect to update this thread after a probe calibration, however. Just to eliminate that rather large potential error.

You know it seems a few of the ph claims are from people that had been dosing something else and had "lower" ph, then they started bolus and got a new probe or calibrated their old one and magically the ph increased! Its obviously from bolus not the fact the old probe was faulty or no longer calibrated.

I have always been a "Yeet!" or "YOLO!" person but now that call out is "Bolus!"

 

[SliceGolfer]

I don't know if that's directed towards me or the Bolus claims. It would be nice for those claiming a magical pH effect to update this thread after a probe calibration, however. Just to eliminate that rather large potential error.

It was meant to be humorous, given all the claims made on behalf of FM Bolus. Bowing out, happy reefing.

 

[Koleswrath]

I stopped dosing kalk as my sole alk/ca regimen and started bolus dosing regular arm and hammer baking soda/bulk calcium chloride about a week ago. Definite PH drop thus far. We’ll see if it improves at all as I dial in the bicarb dosing amount (I expect it won’t). Claims are that it could take a few weeks to see a PH increase after the initial drop from stopping kalkwasswer.

I’m dosing 30min before lights on. 20% increase in my lighting for 2 hours in the morning and a gradual drop throughout the day.
PH probe recently calibrated. Current PH is 7.8-8 - typical for a sealed house in an Alberta winter.
Current tank pic (for whatever reason).

Greg

 

[twentyleagues]

I stopped dosing kalk as my sole alk/ca regimen and started bolus dosing regular arm and hammer baking soda/bulk calcium chloride about a week ago. Definite PH drop thus far. We’ll see if it improves at all as I dial in the bicarb dosing amount (I expect it won’t). Claims are that it could take a few weeks to see a PH increase after the initial drop from stopping kalkwasswer.

I’m dosing 30min before lights on. 20% increase in my lighting for 2 hours in the morning and a gradual drop throughout the day.
PH probe recently calibrated. Current PH is 7.8-8 - typical for a sealed house in an Alberta winter.
Current tank pic (for whatever reason).

Greg

Really like that hammer! Nice tank.