Dose Carbon or Grow Algae for Nutrient Export?

[WVReefJunkie]

Hello Reefers, I have a 315 gallon display with a 100 gallon sump that has been running for about six months. I have a large refugium with live rock currently no light. I have twelve fish currently: Unicorn Tang, Vlamingi Tang, Chocolate Tang, Purple Tang, Yellow Tang, Atalntic Blue, Sohol Tang, 2 Cleaner Wrasse and 2 Gold Nuggets. I have six SPS frags that I introduced about three weeks ago. I sent off my first ICP test and got back a result of 20 ppm N03. I also use gfo in a media reactor for P04 removal. I have a Reef Octopus 250 int for nutrient removal. So feeding my fish with my current nutrient export doesnt seem to be enough to keep N03 and P04 in check. So I was thinking of setting up my Neptune DOS with Nopox or purchasing a CW 300 Turf algae scrubber. What do you think would be my best approach?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I prefer something like a algae scrubber over chemical band aids any day!

 

[Spare time]

Algae removes significant amounts of both nitrate and phosphate, where as carbon dosing seems to be heavier on the nitrate side. Algae is also easier and less work and can't run into overdosing issues. Plus algae helps with pH and oxygen.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Algae removes significant amounts of both nitrate and phosphate, where as carbon dosing seems to be heavier on the nitrate side. Algae is also easier and less work and can't run into overdosing issues.

Not to mention carbon has shown possible links to lateral line disease and the op has alot of tangs....

 

[Garf]

Algae scrubber vote here

 

[Spare time]

Not to mention carbon has shown possible links to lateral line disease and the op has alot of tangs....

That related more to granular activated carbon rather than organic carbon

 

[xxkenny90xx]

That related more to granular activated carbon rather than organic carbon

Ah gotcha. I may have just skimmed that article

 

[lelandmarine]

Agree, algae scrubber and you can control nutrient export by how long you leave the light on

 

[Spare time]

Ah gotcha. I may have just skimmed that article

No problem

 

[WVReefJunkie]

I think the Turf Algae Scrubber would be easy to implement. I can tap into my manifold, I would have to drill my sump and add a bulkhead.

 

[Pistondog]

Hello Reefers, I have a 315 gallon display with a 100 gallon sump that has been running for about six months. I have a large refugium with live rock currently no light. I have twelve fish currently: Unicorn Tang, Vlamingi Tang, Chocolate Tang, Purple Tang, Yellow Tang, Atalntic Blue, Sohol Tang, 2 Cleaner Wrasse and 2 Gold Nuggets. I have six SPS frags that I introduced about three weeks ago. I sent off my first ICP test and got back a result of 20 ppm N03. I also use gfo in a media reactor for P04 removal. I have a Reef Octopus 250 int for nutrient removal. So feeding my fish with my current nutrient export doesnt seem to be enough to keep N03 and P04 in check. So I was thinking of setting up my Neptune DOS with Nopox or purchasing a CW 300 Turf algae scrubber. What do you think would be my best approach?

Any livestock in the fuge?
Add some chaeto on top of the live rock and get a horticulture led light.
Or get the scrubber.

 

[WVReefJunkie]

Any livestock in the fuge?
Add some chaeto on top of the live rock and get a horticulture led light.
Or get the scrubber.

I seeded the rock with pods, thats all. I didnt really want to light the sump, not a big fan of unwanted algae growing there. The turf scrubber might be a better option with it being isolated from the sump.

 

[Jon_W79]

Algae removes significant amounts of both nitrate and phosphate, where as carbon dosing seems to be heavier on the nitrate side. Algae is also easier and less work and can't run into overdosing issues. Plus algae helps with pH and oxygen.

The advantages that the bacteria have are that it is easier to maintain, you don't have to remove it with your hands, and it will keep the water very clear. Over the long term, unless the phosphate generally stays were you want it using algae, I think carbon dosing would require less maintenance. Carbon dosing would require more work at the beginning, and I think that it would most likely require a little more water testing over the long term,but you won't have to remove and maintain algae.

 

[Spare time]

The advantages that the bacteria have are that it is easier to maintain, you don't have to remove it with your hands, and it will keep the water very clear. Over the long term, unless the phosphate generally stays were you want it using algae, I think carbon dosing would require less maintenance. Carbon dosing would require more work at the beginning, and I think that it would most likely require a little more water testing over the long term,but you won't have to remove and maintain algae.

You do have to remove the bacteria via draining a skimmer so really both ways you have to clean something out. Carbon dosing also requires you to monitor how much to dose, refilling the bottles of nopox or whatever is used (ongoing cost), and can wipe a tank if it is overdosed or the skimmer stops properly working. I do think that carbon dosing is interesting as it supposedly can allow corals to capture more bacterioplankton that grow from carbon dosing, which is a much more efficient way for them to obtain nitrogen rather than from nitrate in the water column (this is according to Lou at tropic marin and I have not heard the nitrogen/coral argument before). However, an algae reactor can also help corals grow faster as it increases the pH of the tank which can dramatically impact coral health for the better when at the right level

 

[WVReefJunkie]

The advantages that the bacteria have are that it is easier to maintain, you don't have to remove it with your hands, and it will keep the water very clear. Over the long term, unless the phosphate generally stays were you want it using algae, I think carbon dosing would require less maintenance. Carbon dosing would require more work at the beginning, and I think that it would most likely require a little more water testing over the long term,but you won't have to remove and maintain algae.

I was thinking that too, I have a bottle of Nopox and a Neptune Dos. I should get better color colorarion with my Sps with Carbon dosing? The uptake of bacteria with Nutrients.

 

[Big C]

I actually do both. I purchased a Tunze Macro Reactor and used Cheato. The reactor was to small for my system (180 display and 40 gal sump) and a heavier bioload. I have an oversized skimmer so decided to carbon dose as well. I dosed the Aquaforest -NP along with the Pro Bio S. Originally had nitrates around 20 and phosphate at 0.12. Down two 2-5 nitrate and 0.05 phosphate.

System seems to be doing well and my starter/tests acros are starting to grow. System is 10 months old and just within the last 2 months things have become stable. Softies and LPS doing fine as well.

 

[WVReefJunkie]

I actually do both. I purchased a Tunze Macro Reactor and used Cheato. The reactor was to small for my system (180 display and 40 gal sump) and a heavier bioload. I have an oversized skimmer so decided to carbon dose as well. I dosed the Aquaforest -NP along with the Pro Bio S. Originally had nitrates around 20 and phosphate at 0.12. Down two 2-5 nitrate and 0.05 phosphate.

System seems to be doing well and my starter/tests acros are starting to grow. System is 10 months old and just within the last 2 months things have become stable. Softies and LPS doing fine as well.

Nice, my wife is complaining about the cost of the turf scrubber, so I think I am going to start Nopox on my doser. What do you think would be a good starting amount for the Nopox?

 

[paul01609]

DIY your own nopox save your self some cash

 

[Big C]

Nice, my wife is complaining about the cost of the turf scrubber, so I think I am going to start Nopox on my doser. What do you think would be a good starting amount for the Nopox?

I actually started with NoPox and had a large bacterial bloom and could never get my system stable. Problem is it was new and could have been several things (me included....)

I stopped for about a month and then started the Aquaforest system with both the -NP (NoPox equivalent) AND Bio S (probiotics) and seemed to have better results. Again might be my system was just a tad older.

I would start at 1/3 the dose and SLOWLY work up.

 

[Pistondog]

Nice, my wife is complaining about the cost of the turf scrubber, so I think I am going to start Nopox on my doser. What do you think would be a good starting amount for the Nopox?

There a recipe on this forum for nopox, 2 parts vinegar, 1 part vodka, 1 part rodi.