TM carbon dosing products

sneekapeek

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Was wondering if anyone out their using tropic Marin’s liquid carbon dosing in conjunction with their pellets/ tricks or reef actif? It’s advertised that both types work well in conjunction with each other.How are your tanks performing with use of both their liquid carbon dosing based off of phosphate level and their other forms that can be used at all phosphate levels.

The reason I ask is because dosing liquid on a pump is much more feasible than running a reactor of such. I’d like to omit the use of pellets, trickle filter, reef actif and just stick with the bacto balance. And call it a day.

Whats anyone’s thoughts who run diversified carbon dosing and thoughts on how adding the diversity may have increased their tanks health or hindered it.
 

Clarkjw2002

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I use them and like them. Started using NP bacto balance because I got some free is their bioactif salt back when it first came out. I don't use that salt anymore because I do continuous automatic water changes. Also used the powder alone for a time.

Never noticed much difference w/ the powder after the initial polyp extension when I added. Once I started with NP bacto-balance I continued and added the A and K elements. NP already has a 50% dose of K so I add another 50% K and a full dose (for my tank) of A. In the process of increasing NP to a double dose and eliminating the K (it seems to get a black cottony growth in it--like a mildew).

My tank has never been more stable and Ive had the most consistent coral growth I ever had. My current tank is 3 yrs old now so that could have something to do with it, Colors improved over 6 weeks as well and I do attribute this to the NP and A/K.

I've also started using the all for reef in my 40 gal biodiversity/DSB tank that I started putting frags in and it is doing well. Used to be my QT tank but I'm now using to prep for the move to the big retirement system. It does get a 25% water change using old tank water each week too.

On the retirement tank, when I have everything set up, I plan to continue the use of NP and A--and maybe K if I reach the NP dosing limit and I feel the system needs more.
 

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I use NP on my 125. It has been 2 months now and I have to say a little goes a long way. Be very careful. I started with 1ml/day and it lowered the NO3 to 5ppm from 10ppm and now is steady there. The PO4 is now between .07 and .09 . So far I am impressed and curious as to what carbon is being used. It does not smell like vinegar or alcohol, in fact no smell at all.
 

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I used TM reef actif for a while and can't say if there were any positive impacts to my tank. With a recent uptick in my nutrients, I was considering going back to TM products, but decided to give DIY NoPox a chance.
 
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sneekapeek

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thanks for the replies guys, right now I’m switching in between the liquids on my two tanks and running npbacto tricks on a trickle filter and I do like the results so far. But I’m finding it such a pain to clean media or refill media.
And I am to point that I could have a successful tank without the trickle filter media/ pellets/ reef actif. I may take the media offline and that’s why I was hoping to get some info on how people’s tanks either just using liquid. Or running both.
 
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Bump…
Im guessing people who carbon dose only use a single method of dosing. Which I will probably be switching/ omitting the trickle media from TM. And just sticking with the liquid line.

if you were to dose liquid solution, where do people put the outlet of the 1/4” line for carbon dosing. I have mine setup in the filter sock chamber of sump. Thoughts?
 

arking_mark

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Bump…
Im guessing people who carbon dose only use a single method of dosing. Which I will probably be switching/ omitting the trickle media from TM. And just sticking with the liquid line.

if you were to dose liquid solution, where do people put the outlet of the 1/4” line for carbon dosing. I have mine setup in the filter sock chamber of sump. Thoughts?

A couple thoughts:
  1. AFR is a single dosing solution the includes carbon dosing through calcium formate. So if your looking for something simple this might be the way to go.
  2. Over the last week, I've started dosing DIY NoPox which seems to be working well.
  3. I do all my dosing to the return chamber of my sump. It has high flow and quickly gets it out into the tank. Carbon dosing is about boosting bacteria in the tank which takes up nutrients which in turn get absorbed by the coral and skimmer.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Bumpin, just want to hear if anyone has used liquid carbon dosing and pellets together. Such results and findings!

I can't really see a reason to do so, but it is fine.

personally, I also cannot see why one would want to use pellets. You gat far more control on dose and timing from liquids.
 

Betex

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I use them and like them. Started using NP bacto balance because I got some free is their bioactif salt back when it first came out. I don't use that salt anymore because I do continuous automatic water changes. Also used the powder alone for a time.

Never noticed much difference w/ the powder after the initial polyp extension when I added. Once I started with NP bacto-balance I continued and added the A and K elements. NP already has a 50% dose of K so I add another 50% K and a full dose (for my tank) of A. In the process of increasing NP to a double dose and eliminating the K (it seems to get a black cottony growth in it--like a mildew).

My tank has never been more stable and Ive had the most consistent coral growth I ever had. My current tank is 3 yrs old now so that could have something to do with it, Colors improved over 6 weeks as well and I do attribute this to the NP and A/K.

I've also started using the all for reef in my 40 gal biodiversity/DSB tank that I started putting frags in and it is doing well. Used to be my QT tank but I'm now using to prep for the move to the big retirement system. It does get a 25% water change using old tank water each week too.

On the retirement tank, when I have everything set up, I plan to continue the use of NP and A--and maybe K if I reach the NP dosing limit and I feel the system needs more.
What were your NO3/PO4 when you started NP-Balance? I am at 20ish NO3 and .09 PO4 and thinking of Elimi-NP first to get it down to 5-10NO3 and .04-.06 PO4 once I get it there than balance?
 
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sneekapeek

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So TM produces carbon dosing products that target phosphate level ie eliminp bactobalance plusnp. Additionally, they produce carbon dosing products that don’t target phosphate (can be used at any level) ie reefactif, pellets, trickle. TM advertises the synergy of the phosphate ones and non phosphate ones ie bactobalance used in conjunction with their pellets.
I’m seeing most people run either liquid or pellets. Not both at the same time. It seems there are select few people who utilize the synergy.
I wanted to know if anyone has found that synergy to be beneficial? And those who don’t do you still find it troublesome, and if you were to utilize the pellets in conjunction with liquid dosing, vice versa, would it bring them the results they are looking for…increased pe, color, water clarity etc.
When you target bacteria with only one type of carbon source. It may be limiting. Not all carbon sources are the same. Thus ,diversify the type of carbon source by using multiple methods ie pellets and eliminp, vodka, vinegar, etc.
If using this logic, I assumed the benefits. But so far, I’m not seeing the benefits. So I was going to omit the use of pellet/tricks to see if it’ll make any difference at all. But before I did so, I wanted to see if anyone has experienced or had done exactly what I want to do.
 
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What were your NO3/PO4 when you started NP-Balance? I am at 20ish NO3 and .09 PO4 and thinking of Elimi-NP first to get it down to 5-10NO3 and .04-.06 PO4 once I get it there than balance?
That’s exactly what’s recommended. Once your po4 is below.1 then switch and dose the exact same amount of bactobalance as you were eliminp. I’d rather see my po4 decline slowly than rapid. What I’ve notice is if I overdose bactobalance I’ll strip to much phos. Through my experience less is more when carbon dosing liquids.
 
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I can't really see a reason to do so, but it is fine.

personally, I also cannot see why one would want to use pellets. You gat far more control on dose and timing from liquids.
This is exactly what I’m thinking. But I’d still want to hear other people’s experience before I make a decision. An informed decision feels better to make.
 

Betex

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That’s exactly what’s recommended. Once your po4 is below.1 then switch and dose the exact same amount of bactobalance as you were eliminp. I’d rather see my po4 decline slowly than rapid. What I’ve notice is if I overdose bactobalance I’ll strip to much phos. Through my experience less is more when carbon dosing liquids.
Great thank you much just wanted to make sure I was on right path. How quickly did you see you no3 and po4 drop after you started?
 
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Great thank you much just wanted to make sure I was on right path. How quickly did you see you no3 and po4 drop after you started?
I overshot the mark on my 40g because of bio load. Honestly, I wish I would have started with 1/4ml doses and slowly lowered n and p by minimal increments. That way when I switch to bactobalance, it still doesn’t keep dropping my n and p. If you do some research you’ll hear people stripping tanks with bacto balance which is supposed to balance.
we always want that quick fix!

For example let’s say I start with 1ml dose and it drops p04 from .15ppm down to .1ppm in a couple days, and then switch to bactobalance because you tested 3 days later that your p04 is within range of changing. If you switch p04 will most likely drop some more and continue dropping because you are dosing too much carbon source. I’d rather see my p04 drop from .15 to .1 in 2 to 4 weeks. That way I can drop it farther say from .1 to.06, from there I’ll know if all else is equal, how much liquid to dose and taking it slow really reduces risks.
 

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I overshot the mark on my 40g because of bio load. Honestly, I wish I would have started with 1/4ml doses and slowly lowered n and p by minimal increments. That way when I switch to bactobalance, it still doesn’t keep dropping my n and p. If you do some research you’ll hear people stripping tanks with bacto balance which is supposed to balance.
we always want that quick fix!

For example let’s say I start with 1ml dose and it drops p04 from .15ppm down to .1ppm in a couple days, and then switch to bactobalance because you tested 3 days later that your p04 is within range of changing. If you switch p04 will most likely drop some more and continue dropping because you are dosing too much carbon source. I’d rather see my p04 drop from .15 to .1 in 2 to 4 weeks. That way I can drop it farther say from .1 to.06, from there I’ll know if all else is equal, how much liquid to dose and taking it slow really reduces risks.
Yeah I cut the dose they mention by half on purpose to watch how much it drops per the course of 1-3days. I will monitor it closely to ensure it doesn’t drop quickly and try to get back in the right ratio.

I had it dialed in pretty good for months no3 at 5 and po4 at .04-.05 and than outta no where they started rising.
 
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Yeah I cut the dose they mention by half on purpose to watch how much it drops per the course of 1-3days. I will monitor it closely to ensure it doesn’t drop quickly and try to get back in the right ratio.

I had it dialed in pretty good for months no3 at 5 and po4 at .04-.05 and than outta no where they started rising.
I see it got out of skew, did you dose more to make up for the rise in po4. Or is that what you are trying to do now switching back to eliminp?
 

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I see it got out of skew, did you dose more to make up for the rise in po4. Or is that what you are trying to do now switching back to eliminp?
I’ve not used it before at all nutrients were in control than the slow rise began after months of being stable. I typically just let things be but the rising hasn’t stopped so need to do something about it.

I started with balance a couple days as per a TM post that if under .1 use balance. But I remember reading somewhere it needed to be lower so I purchased eliminp. I will be checked my nutrients again tomorrow to see if balance has had any affect yet.
 

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When you target bacteria with only one type of carbon source. It may be limiting. Not all carbon sources are the same. Thus ,diversify the type of carbon source by using multiple methods ie pellets and eliminp, vodka, vinegar, etc.

I don't think there is any evidence whatsoever to back those sorts of claims.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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That’s exactly what’s recommended. Once your po4 is below.1 then switch and dose the exact same amount of bactobalance as you were eliminp. I’d rather see my po4 decline slowly than rapid. What I’ve notice is if I overdose bactobalance I’ll strip to much phos. Through my experience less is more when carbon dosing liquids.

It's recommended by who? The company that sells it? :)
 
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