sixty_reefer
5000 Club Member
View BadgesArticle Contributor
UK Reef Club Member
Hospitality Award
R2R Research
In this thread I will be using the abbreviation
C (carbon)
N (nitrogen)
P (phosphates)
The word “Parameters” will refer to no3 and Po4 only
At no given point I will be using the above abbreviations to describe parameters as it’s widely seen and confusing wend discussing ratios, Ratios are not parameters although parameters can be adjusted or balanced using Ratios. Ratios are used by oceanographers to discuss and deal with nutrient limitations. This limitations will have a great impact on a closed systems that are depending mostly on feeding as a sole source of import of C N and P to a closed system.
In this thread at no given point will N and P abbreviation used to describe a parameter
N doesn’t mean No3 (nitrate)
P doesn’t mean po4 (phosphates)
In salt water aquaria there’s only one ratio that I find useful for the hobby, the Microbe Ratio as a hole in a closed system which I suspect with my limited knowledge that it will be similar to the phytoplankton Ratio.
A way to use Ratios in our closed system would be having a knowledge on how the system behaves regarding parameters, we can have a suspicions on which of the three is limited in our tank or in abundance by keeping an eye on parameters.
A example that is commonly used in our hobby to use ratios would be carbon dosing.
Carbon dosing it used as a way do drop the parameters No3 and Po4, as more carbon is added to a closed system the no3 and po4 are reduced in a set ratio. (X) amount of carbon added will reduce (Y) amount of No3 and (Z) amount of po4, this is called a Ratio.
Carbon dosing can be expanded further, most reefers that choose to go by this method in most cases will be because high no3 is available in a system, once the desired parameters of no3 is reached the user normally reduce the amount of Carbon dosed or remove the carbon source altogether.
Are we using Ratios to a full potential in the hobby
no, I believe we aren’t using ratios to the full potential.
let’s imagine that after carbon dosing we were left with the fallowing parameters.
no3 of 5ppm
Po4 of 0.3ppm
this parameters would bother many due to the high po4.
In this situation we could carry on dosing carbon or increasing carbon source and additionally start dosing Nitrogen to reduce the po4 parameter using the Ratio.
How would it work:
lets imagine that the ratio is 8:2:1 C N P (to keep things simple) if the ratio of C and N added to a system is doubled the system would be now using/transforming twice as much phosphorus, limiting the phosphates available in a tank.
Dosing 8 parts of carbon and 4 pats of nitrogen will remove 2 parts of phosphorus.
other situations were a ratio could be implemented:
low po4 parameter, if a tank has a low po4 parameter is because the system is limited in phosphorus, meaning that that particular system has a abundance of C and N utilising the ratios a po4 source could be dosed to the system to bring the system back to balance/equilibrium.
Is there other methods to balance ratios?
yes, there are so many ways to bring parameters to a equilibrium. Will they be using the biological filter to a full potential that could be a discussion for another thread.
Can I have high or low parameters and still have a balanced ratio?
Yes, ratios are a good way to control parameters in a closed system, although ratios are not parameters. Ratios can be used to increase or decrease a parameter and if implemented correctly, stability will be constant.
we’re can I get C N and P solution?
Many sponsors on this forum will stock this solution.
I would just like to add that if you using sources of C N and P to do your research first, playing with microbes in a closed system will have great impact on thank inhabitants if they are overdosed. Play safe and read the instructions or research.
This is my vaguely understanding of Ratios am happy to discuss further below on the comments.
C (carbon)
N (nitrogen)
P (phosphates)
The word “Parameters” will refer to no3 and Po4 only
At no given point I will be using the above abbreviations to describe parameters as it’s widely seen and confusing wend discussing ratios, Ratios are not parameters although parameters can be adjusted or balanced using Ratios. Ratios are used by oceanographers to discuss and deal with nutrient limitations. This limitations will have a great impact on a closed systems that are depending mostly on feeding as a sole source of import of C N and P to a closed system.
In this thread at no given point will N and P abbreviation used to describe a parameter
N doesn’t mean No3 (nitrate)
P doesn’t mean po4 (phosphates)
In salt water aquaria there’s only one ratio that I find useful for the hobby, the Microbe Ratio as a hole in a closed system which I suspect with my limited knowledge that it will be similar to the phytoplankton Ratio.
A way to use Ratios in our closed system would be having a knowledge on how the system behaves regarding parameters, we can have a suspicions on which of the three is limited in our tank or in abundance by keeping an eye on parameters.
A example that is commonly used in our hobby to use ratios would be carbon dosing.
Carbon dosing it used as a way do drop the parameters No3 and Po4, as more carbon is added to a closed system the no3 and po4 are reduced in a set ratio. (X) amount of carbon added will reduce (Y) amount of No3 and (Z) amount of po4, this is called a Ratio.
Carbon dosing can be expanded further, most reefers that choose to go by this method in most cases will be because high no3 is available in a system, once the desired parameters of no3 is reached the user normally reduce the amount of Carbon dosed or remove the carbon source altogether.
Are we using Ratios to a full potential in the hobby
no, I believe we aren’t using ratios to the full potential.
let’s imagine that after carbon dosing we were left with the fallowing parameters.
no3 of 5ppm
Po4 of 0.3ppm
this parameters would bother many due to the high po4.
In this situation we could carry on dosing carbon or increasing carbon source and additionally start dosing Nitrogen to reduce the po4 parameter using the Ratio.
How would it work:
lets imagine that the ratio is 8:2:1 C N P (to keep things simple) if the ratio of C and N added to a system is doubled the system would be now using/transforming twice as much phosphorus, limiting the phosphates available in a tank.
Dosing 8 parts of carbon and 4 pats of nitrogen will remove 2 parts of phosphorus.
other situations were a ratio could be implemented:
low po4 parameter, if a tank has a low po4 parameter is because the system is limited in phosphorus, meaning that that particular system has a abundance of C and N utilising the ratios a po4 source could be dosed to the system to bring the system back to balance/equilibrium.
Is there other methods to balance ratios?
yes, there are so many ways to bring parameters to a equilibrium. Will they be using the biological filter to a full potential that could be a discussion for another thread.
Can I have high or low parameters and still have a balanced ratio?
Yes, ratios are a good way to control parameters in a closed system, although ratios are not parameters. Ratios can be used to increase or decrease a parameter and if implemented correctly, stability will be constant.
we’re can I get C N and P solution?
Many sponsors on this forum will stock this solution.
I would just like to add that if you using sources of C N and P to do your research first, playing with microbes in a closed system will have great impact on thank inhabitants if they are overdosed. Play safe and read the instructions or research.
This is my vaguely understanding of Ratios am happy to discuss further below on the comments.