Carbon dosing question

[Fishingandreefing]

I had luck with vinegar dosing to lower my nitrate last year so I want to tackle my phosphate now.

My problem is that the phosphate is high at .29 By Hanna but nitrate is almost undetectable by salifer.

how do I approach this if I choose to vinegar dosing? Skimmer off? Feed more or less? Carbon and a bit of gfo?

Let me know your advice or is there a better route I can go, thanks!

 

[brmreefer]

I would look into dosing nitrate. I personally use potassium nitrate to keep my NO3 around 5 ppm, but I am sure others have used different NO3 sources that may chime in. I would keep the skimmer on. GFO or Phosguard are options for phosphate reduction. Keep the feeding routine if it is working for your livestock, or increase as needed. I have always used carbon in small amounts.

The most important thing to keep in mind is to do small/slow changes and not shock the system. In addition, try not to make several changes at once, to help identify a source of an adverse affect. Hope that helps. ;Happy

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I would look into dosing nitrate. I personally use potassium nitrate to keep my NO3 around 5 ppm, but I am sure others have used different NO3 sources that may chime in. I would keep the skimmer on. GFO or Phosguard are options for phosphate reduction. Keep the feeding routine if it is working for your livestock, or increase as needed. I have always used carbon in small amounts.

The most important thing to keep in mind is to do small/slow changes and not shock the system. In addition, try not to make several changes at once, to help identify a source of an adverse affect. Hope that helps. ;Happy

Which potassium nitrate? Any side effects after dosing?

 

[brmreefer]

I have used spectracide stump remover for a longtime with no side affects. I started of slow and low with dosing it. There are some other online pharmaceutical grade sources as well if that is desired.

I also use this calculator for figuring out my recipe for my system.

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

 

[nukemdanno]

I dose food grade potassium nitrate. I know lots of folks use stump remover, I just feel kinda weird about it lol. But a lot of folks use that. Same calculator as above

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I dose food grade potassium nitrate. I know lots of folks use stump remover, I just feel kinda weird about it lol. But a lot of folks use that. Same calculator as above

I might use neo nitro

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I have used spectracide stump remover for a longtime with no side affects. I started of slow and low with dosing it. There are some other online pharmaceutical grade sources as well if that is desired.

I also use this calculator for figuring out my recipe for my system.

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

For the sake of easy to use I will just try neonitro and see. Now, neonitro will boost my nitrate but will vinegar dosing lower nitrate at the same time while I am trying to lower phosphate?

or should I just dose neonitro to bring up my nitrate first then tackle phosphate with vinegar?

 

[brmreefer]

I mainly use vinegar to reduce NO3 and keep bacteria population up. I feed heavy and and dose nitrate, so I need vinegar to keep only NO3 controlled. I used to use GFO and switched between that and Aluminum Oxide (aka Phosguard) to reduce PO4, but not anymore. I am sure vinegar will reduce PO4, but to what degree?...that I don't know.

Start off "slow" when dosing something new, and track those specific parameters being changed.

I would go with small amounts of either GFO or Phosguard for PO4.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I mainly use vinegar to reduce NO3 and keep bacteria population up. I feed heavy and and dose nitrate, so I need vinegar to keep only NO3 controlled. I used to use GFO and switched between that and Aluminum Oxide (aka Phosguard) to reduce PO4, but not anymore. I am sure vinegar will reduce PO4, but to what degree?...that I don't know.

Start off "slow" when dosing something new, and track those specific parameters being changed.

I would go with small amounts of either GFO or Phosguard for PO4.

I am using about 15% recommended dose GFO already. So

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Now Neonitro is on the way and let say after I raised the nitrate to 5ppm.

if I start phosphate rx weekly at 50% recommended dosage, about when it will be down to a steady let say .10? Again, I dumped a bunch of dry rocks in maybe about 7 months ago. Not plan on remove those rocks as of now.

every time it goes down to about .17 after dosing but then back at it agin after a few days at around .29.

 

[brmreefer]

Sorry, never used the product "Phosphate RX." Maybe someone will respond with their experiences with it. Otherwise, continue with dosage and monitor, and I am sure you'll get the parameter to the desired levels eventually.

 

[swiss1939]

Iron citrate. The dsr full system doses this to remove phosphate.
http://dsrreefing.com/supplements/ on this page the product is fe+.

The ez system combines vinegar sugar dosing with the iron citrate dosing to control both nitrate and phosphate at the same time.

Be aware the warning about fe dosing in that link.