Carbon dosing vs GFO/Media

[Biologic]

I've got a Reef Octo Skimmer I paid a pretty penny for.

Unfortunately my upgrade plans were all squished .

This isn't my forever tank. So trying to just live with it for 1-2 years until I really get what I want, without investing hundreds more. I've already thrown about 5-6K at this dang tank. I'm not spending anymore on equipment lol.

Was thinking about a HOB Fuge, but also the way my tank is positioned any HOB i buy will really be Hang On Side.....

Chaetoreactor would be best then tbh. Depending on what your goals are.

I have a 28gallon AIO with a skimmer. Mostly SPS. Skimmer really made things much more stable.

I made a DIY chaetoreactor, but my nutrients are too low to support any growth. I am carbon dosing. The chaeto was there to see if I can change my pH, but I just kill chaeto.

I found that carbon dosing worked too well in fact. I zero'ed out on phosphates and got a dinobloom. Brought them back up to 0.15 and NO3 to 5.3 PPM and they went away.

 

[terraincognita]

Chaetoreactor would be best then tbh. Depending on what your goals are.

I have a 28gallon AIO with a skimmer. Mostly SPS. Skimmer really made things much more stable.

I made a DIY chaetoreactor, but my nutrients are too low to support any growth. I am carbon dosing. The chaeto was there to see if I can change my pH, but I just kill chaeto.

I found that carbon dosing worked too well in fact. I zero'ed out on phosphates and got a dinobloom. Brought them back up to 0.15 and NO3 to 5.3 PPM and they went away.

What carbon are you using?

Could be very well without a skimmer I won't ever achieve pho reduction with dosing since I can't remove the bacteria that's eating the PO4.

But it seems I'm getting other benefits from it.

Maybe if you turned off the skimmer and just ran the fuge it would work?

I think they're just duplicating the function with the skimmer being mechanical filtration winning out the battle.

 

[Biologic]

What carbon are you using?

Could be very well without a skimmer I won't ever achieve pho reduction with dosing since I can't remove the bacteria that's eating the PO4.

But it seems I'm getting other benefits from it.

Maybe if you turned off the skimmer and just ran the fuge it would work?

I think they're just duplicating the function with the skimmer being mechanical filtration winning out the battle.

I’m running Zeovit system using ZeoStart3 and their bacteria ZeoBak

What carbon are you using?

Could be very well without a skimmer I won't ever achieve pho reduction with dosing since I can't remove the bacteria that's eating the PO4.

But it seems I'm getting other benefits from it.

Maybe if you turned off the skimmer and just ran the fuge it would work?

I think they're just duplicating the function with the skimmer being mechanical filtration winning out the battle.

I’m using ZeoVit system for PO4 and NO3 reduction. Not trying to hit zero, just using this as a method of control.

ZeoStart3 - probably some type of vinegar and other carbon source mix
ZeoBak - bacteria source
Bio-mate - bacterial source specifically reducing PO4.

just trying it out for a year to see what I think. It does work for NO3/PO4 reduction.

 

[terraincognita]

Well this was the original reason of my post lol to see what others were doing so thank you

I’ll study up on zeovit

I’m running Zeovit system using ZeoStart3 and their bacteria ZeoBak


I’m using ZeoVit system for PO4 and NO3 reduction. Not trying to hit zero, just using this as a method of control.

ZeoStart3 - probably some type of vinegar and other carbon source mix
ZeoBak - bacteria source
Bio-mate - bacterial source specifically reducing PO4.

just trying it out for a year to see what I think. It does work for NO3/PO4 reduction.

 

[terraincognita]

There are ways to carbon dose without a skimmer but from my assumption is that it requires the coral to feed on the bacterioplankton rather than it being skimmed out (based off of what Tropic Marin's Lou discussed in an interview on their carbon dosing line up as to why he likes carbon dosing). However, having crashed a tank and had several customers kill all of their fish from carbon dosing (in my case my skimmer stopped skimming properly and it was early on in my reefing career; there cases were overdosing and their skimmer not being able to remove all of the bacteria effectively because there was so much), I can't recommend doing so without a skimmer unless you have a field of bacterioplankton eating corals. Red sea even says not to use nopox without skimmers.

Besides that, carbon dosing is not very effective at drastically lowering phosphates, especially when nitrate is already much lower).

P.s. I'd never watched any of lou's videos.

But these 2 together I think is all any reefer needs to get the basics and then some of carbon dosing so thanks for mentioning it.

 

[Rmckoy]

My Phosphate have been on the rise for the last couple week, so looking to update/increase my export.

Currently on a 45G AIO. I've got no sump and no plans to add one to the AIO, no Fuge, running Skimmerless.

My PHO's been betweeen .2 and .18. Trying to get it under .1 (edit for wrong decimal position)

Been using Chemipure Elite, Carbon, and occasionally Pho Guard.

Been studying up on Nopox, since no sump no plans to try to change that or add in any reactors.

Wondering about other peoples experience with Liquid Carbon dosing (I know I can use Vodka and Vinegar also) and why they may go with Liquid vs a media like PhoGuard, or PhosFX from Blue Life.

Any stories/cons/pros and the decisions on what you do for carbon dosing/ Phosphate removal would be great.

Thanks!

Essentially .... nopox is carbon dosing .
not recommended without a good skimmer .
as bacteria are consuming and meant to be exported with a skimmer .

 

[terraincognita]

Essentially .... nopox is carbon dosing .
not recommended without a good skimmer .
as bacteria are consuming and meant to be exported with a skimmer .

Yes I'm well aware NoPox is carbon dosing

I've done a LOT of study and research on carbon dosing in the last week. The concern about a skimmer is actually due to oxygen consumption not the removal of the bacteria.

While a skimmer does play a part in removing bacteria, (especially keeping it under control is one is OVERDOSING.) the reason they say a "skimmer is vital" is to replenish Oxygen into the water column. Not mainly to remove bacteria after dosing.

I agree one can overload their tanks with Nitrate and Phosphate eating bacteria by over carbon dosing, but I've been doing 2ML and now 3ML for 6 days and my water is becoming clearer and my fish and coral are happier.

a lot of mis-information about carbon dosing. Once you understand the basic chemistry behind it you can control it.

It's the same as not dumping 22 cubes of frozen food in a day, it's all about moderation and control.

I do agree if one was trying to rapidly drop nitrates and possibly some phosphates by dosing large amounts of carbon and then removing the bacteria with a skimmer this would be possible.

but there's so many other benefits to carbon dosing which is why I'm now continuing.

Original goal was to drop phosphate, but carbon dosing is so much deeper than that. I only learned that along the way of my journey.

 

[terraincognita]

I wish a single photo could do justice.

You really have to be here seeing and believing lol.

 

[terraincognita]

Here's the best example I can give in just a week of carbon dosing.

The coloration is so much darker and deeper. Vs before.

I know my strong blues play a part and help too, but never had such drastic difference in 1 week with any SPS Frag prior to carbon dosing.

SPS seen in the middle of the Frag Rack.

SPS closest on the frag rack

Sheesh yall are making me wanna go buy a Nikon now.

 

[Biologic]

Yes I'm well aware NoPox is carbon dosing

I've done a LOT of study and research on carbon dosing in the last week. The concern about a skimmer is actually due to oxygen consumption not the removal of the bacteria.

While a skimmer does play a part in removing bacteria, (especially keeping it under control is one is OVERDOSING.) the reason they say a "skimmer is vital" is to replenish Oxygen into the water column. Not mainly to remove bacteria after dosing.

I agree one can overload their tanks with Nitrate and Phosphate eating bacteria by over carbon dosing, but I've been doing 2ML and now 3ML for 6 days and my water is becoming clearer and my fish and coral are happier.

a lot of mis-information about carbon dosing. Once you understand the basic chemistry behind it you can control it.

It's the same as not dumping 22 cubes of frozen food in a day, it's all about moderation and control.

I do agree if one was trying to rapidly drop nitrates and possibly some phosphates by dosing large amounts of carbon and then removing the bacteria with a skimmer this would be possible.

but there's so many other benefits to carbon dosing which is why I'm now continuing.

Original goal was to drop phosphate, but carbon dosing is so much deeper than that. I only learned that along the way of my journey.

try it out. Maybe if you are water changing regularly you can keep up with moving out planktonic bacteria, which is what mostly i would imagine you are *actually* skimming out. Many types of bacteria have a free floating planktonic life cycle as well as a sessile life cycle.

post back if you see a drop in phosphate.

 

[terraincognita]

switched out Chemipure Elite yesterday and down to 0.08 today. so we're all good .

Still dosing, not sure if it helped with PO4 for not really since doing other things. But hey. I just want the range. So I got what I wanted.

And now I'm all about Carbon dosing for the beneficial effects on coral and other filter feeders anyway

But 100% it's working in an AIO with NO Skimmer.

It's really just about doing it right I think. For all the Nay sayers out there Here's a tongue <3