Vinegar dosing going slow took me around 4 months to go from 40ppm nitrate to 2 ppm. Then I weaned off and haven't dosed in over 6 months. The nitrates were left over from my original cycle dosing ammonia more than once.
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https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/good-ways-to-reduce-no3.328826/#post-4082364Oh Skimmer is a must for carbon dosing. And you need a pretty good one. Carbon dosing is essentially bonding nitrate, carbon and dead bacteria all together so the mix can be skimed out.
The skimmate usually gets darker and the volume increases after carbon dosing. So I think something extra is getting skimmed out.
For sure. But that doesn't make a skimmer a "must"The skimmate usually gets darker and the volume increases after carbon dosing. So I think something extra is getting skimmed out.
If you are only adding stuff into the tank and not taking anything out how would nutrient level drop then? Based on the law of conservation of mass it is hard to understand.For sure. But that doesn't make a skimmer a "must"
1. Many organisms can use the dosed carbon directly, and may grow faster because of it. Most of these organisms are benthic and not skimmable. Corals, sponges, even some types of algae.If you are only adding stuff into the tank and not taking anything out how would nutrient level drop then? Based on the law of conservation of mass it is hard to understand.
Its pleasant to hear that there is no need for skimmer when carbon/vinegar dosing is administered. I have also heard of raw sugar being used to reduce No3, how true is this? Between vinegar and sugar, which would be the "safer' option? Am looking at trying one, just want to be sure it does not harm the "citizens" in my tank.
1. Many organisms can use the dosed carbon directly, and may grow faster because of it. Most of these organisms are benthic and not skimmable. Corals, sponges, even some types of algae.
2. There's a whole food chain above bacteria that can consume the bacteria and thereby take up some of the N and P from the bacteria. Many of these are too small to skim.
RHF
For sure. But that doesn't make a skimmer a "must"
If you are only adding stuff into the tank and not taking anything out how would nutrient level drop then? Based on the law of conservation of mass it is hard to understand.
So these elements are taken by living organism and still in the system but in different forms? Sounds like a lot of to be observed but maybe that's why carbon dosing promotes coral growth if used properly.