Will dosing bacteria to established tank outcompete older strains?

[ggNoRe]

In for results. My tank makes nutrients dissapear quickly as well. And if I feed a lot I get nuisance bacteria explosions such as dinos and cyano.

 

[Cyanopatches]

Up your fish load by 30-70%. Feed them appropriately and enjoy your nutrients and colored corals.

You really think fish poop will do the trick? I added a purple tang in april. A skimmer in july.

 

[Cyanopatches]

In for results. My tank makes nutrients dissapear quickly as well. And if I feed a lot I get nuisance bacteria explosions such as dinos and cyano.

Dosing nutrients helped dino's in my tank but they will always be on Grube's gorgonian, sometimes on certain Zoas forcing them to close. On tips of stag and digitata.

 

[DeniableArc]

You really think fish poop will do the trick? I added a purple tang in april. A skimmer in july.

Hi, this is why I added a second tang in my 65 all food gets consumed and corals uptake ammonia directly. When you have a densely packed tank of coral you would be surprised how much ammonia and phosphate is taken and how little is left.

 

[Cyanopatches]

Hi, this is why I added a second tang in my 65 all food gets consumed and corals uptake ammonia directly. When you have a densely packed tank of coral you would be surprised how much ammonia and phosphate is taken and how little is left.

Hi are you using a skimmer? The one I'm using is rated for 66 gallons. I've got about 60 gallons total volume.

 

[DeniableArc]

Hi are you using a skimmer? The one I'm using is rated for 66 gallons. I've got about 60 gallons total volume.

Indeed, I use a Red Sea rsk 300 which is rated for 80g heavy load.I do realise skimmers can strip a tank clean but the benefits just outweigh the bad. I have had my skimmers air line fed directly by outside air and it was the most Noticeable benefit I have made.

 

[Cyanopatches]

Indeed, I use a Red Sea rsk 300 which is rated for 80g heavy load....

The Tunze 9004 is rated 20 gallon heavy bioload. This tank was skimmerless for 3 months with the purple tang. Had hair algae popping up everywhere and cyano. Skimmer has helped a lot.

During spring and fall here in Massachusetts my alk consumption does go up with the windows open more, with or without skimmer.

 

[Dan_P]

Indeed. I feed 9 fishes at least twice a day. There's detritus all over the floor. The only time I can test detectable the next day is if I dose atleast .05 phosphates and 4 ppm nitrates. But the corals don't respond well. Zoas seem fine as well as goniopora. Feeding more hasn't gotten great responses either. Cyano patches on frag rack and high up on rock show up.

I believe some denitrifying bacteria is really effective in this tank. But where? Inside the reef saver rock? It's extremely dense.

Could the biomass of these corals really uptake that much nutrients that I can't even detect them? Then why aren't they thriving and reaching their potential?

My impression from the R2R posts is that elevating PO4 and NO3 to detectable levels is beneficial to coral. I also assume that means constantly elevated.

You found that adding more food does not help the coral and seems to increase nuisance organism growth. Doesn’t that suggest some other problem?

This last point brings up another idea. There may not be too many denitrifying bacteria but too many heterotrophic bacteria stripping the system of nutrients before they can become nitrates.

The quick removal of nitrate you observe can also occur when dosing carbon or by an abundance of algae. If you turned out the light for one day would nitrate consumption stop? (I don’t recommend this unless it does not harm the coral).

 

[Garf]

With the increase in Alk consumption with the windows open, have you investigated if you could improve pH conditions? or temperature related issues maybe?

 

[Cyanopatches]

This last point brings up another idea. There may not be too many denitrifying bacteria but too many heterotrophic bacteria stripping the system of nutrients before they can become nitrates.

The quick removal of nitrate you observe can also occur when dosing carbon or by an abundance of algae. If you turned out the light for one day would nitrate consumption stop? (I don’t recommend this unless it does not harm the coral).

Oh that's really interesting... I need to do some digging.

 

[Cyanopatches]

With the increase in Alk consumption with the windows open, have you investigated if you could improve pH conditions? or temperature related issues maybe?

Hi I've had another reef tank in this house before that had no issues. Then I upgraded and used Seed to cycle.

 

[Deep]

Hi I've had another reef tank in this house before that had no issues. Then I upgraded and used Seed to cycle.

This has nothing to do with your cycle or denitrifying bacteria. It maybe that your import is lower than your export - IF your tests are correct. what are you using to test your nitrates and phosphates ?

You mention that you had hair algae problems without the skimmer suggesting that you had excess nutrients at that time. But you also say you have zero nutrients for 2 years. Something doesnt add up.

Fix the import side like someone else said you need more fish and feed more, or lower the export by taking skimmer offline (fully or partially) and soon you will be complaining of too much nutrients again.

 

[Cyanopatches]

This has nothing to do with your cycle or denitrifying bacteria. It maybe that your import is lower than your export - IF your tests are correct. what are you using to test your nitrates and phosphates ?

You mention that you had hair algae problems without the skimmer suggesting that you had excess nutrients at that time. But you also say you have zero nutrients for 2 years. Something doesnt add up.

Fix the import side like someone else said you need more fish and feed more, or lower the export by taking skimmer offline (fully or partially) and soon you will be complaining of too much nutrients again.

Hi I ran this tank without a skimmer for 3 months with weekly water 6 gallon water changes. By the end of the week there would be cyano patches. Hair algae all over the powerfilter. I clean the glass everyday. I ended up doing two water changes a week until my skimmer arrived.

I clearly have nutrients. I meant that something is utilizing the nutrients really effectively. It doesn't seem to be the corals.

Just feel that some bacteria is dominating this tank.

Here are my test kits.

 

[Cyanopatches]

I added another cupful of fluval biomax, maybe increasing surface area will trigger something.

 

[Cyanopatches]

Added some of this aswell..

 

[brandon429]

dont add cycling bac to a cycled tank, total waste, has no where to attach but as sinked floc or exported by skimming and changes. surfaces only hold so much bac, to increase filtration if it was needed you'd add more surface area, not bacteria. that contributed only more oxygen competition temporarily. it is wasted bioload but then again so is any uneaten fish food, so its part of the bioload chain, not a benefit chain. those are the heterotrophs Dan is referring to

 

[Cyanopatches]

I see. I added about a quarter and had an air pump going.
I thought it'd add to biodiversity..
Maybe next I'll trying dose nutrients at lights out, test before lights on.

 

[brandon429]

add zooplanktors to that tank for increased feed sourcing, live stuff.

get tisbe pods, a bag of wigglers too from algaebarn, a true motile micro array.

 

[Garf]

Tank looks great, your doin a fine job, exactly what is the problem?

 

[Cyanopatches]

add zooplanktors to that tank for increased feed sourcing, live stuff.

get tisbe pods, a bag of wigglers too from algaebarn, a true motile micro array.

Hmm I used to feed ocean nutrition arctipods in my old tanks..