I have higher nutrients in my 40b w/ a 29 gal sump (total of 50 gal water volume). My nitrates are 24.9 and my phosphates are 0.21. The nitrates were much higher recently, but I did a few water changes to bring them down to these levels. I started carbon dosing (vinegar) today following the dosing chart on reefkeeping.com.
Questions are:
1. How often should I test nitrate and phosphate? Do I need to test more often up front and less once I reach acceptable levels (5-10 nitrate, 0.05-0.1 phosphate)? I was reading that some people don't see improvements for several months. Not sure if I can stick with testing every day for that long.
2. Some places say that you cut back dosing amounts up to 50% once levels are achieved. This seems like a lot to cut back. Is that correct?
3. Is GAC required to use while carbon dosing?
4. I've seen people dose this with kalkwasser. As my alk consumption rises from all of the glorious growth I'll get as a result of carbon dosing, I'll want to start adding kalkwasser.
Per reefkeeping.com, "When dripping vinegar it is best to not dilute it too much or store the diluted vinegar too long since diluted vinegar can be broken down by bacteria in the dispensing vessel reducing the amount of carbon dosed. Dilution and delivery the same day is fine, but a 10% vinegar plus 90% water solution is not likely stable over the course of a week or two."
Would I be able to add vinegar to a 5 gallon bucket of kalk and use it over a month or more without worrying about it being broken down? If this isn't how it's done, what would you recommend?
Questions are:
1. How often should I test nitrate and phosphate? Do I need to test more often up front and less once I reach acceptable levels (5-10 nitrate, 0.05-0.1 phosphate)? I was reading that some people don't see improvements for several months. Not sure if I can stick with testing every day for that long.
2. Some places say that you cut back dosing amounts up to 50% once levels are achieved. This seems like a lot to cut back. Is that correct?
3. Is GAC required to use while carbon dosing?
4. I've seen people dose this with kalkwasser. As my alk consumption rises from all of the glorious growth I'll get as a result of carbon dosing, I'll want to start adding kalkwasser.
Per reefkeeping.com, "When dripping vinegar it is best to not dilute it too much or store the diluted vinegar too long since diluted vinegar can be broken down by bacteria in the dispensing vessel reducing the amount of carbon dosed. Dilution and delivery the same day is fine, but a 10% vinegar plus 90% water solution is not likely stable over the course of a week or two."
Would I be able to add vinegar to a 5 gallon bucket of kalk and use it over a month or more without worrying about it being broken down? If this isn't how it's done, what would you recommend?