I've been considering dosing vodka in my sps tank. Its a new tank but I'm starting to see algae growth. I feed my fish tons of frozen so my nutrients could potentially cost alot to control. What's everyone's experience with carbon dosing. Should I stop using phosphate/nitrate media in my reactor while dosing? How much should I dose? What are the risks?
carbon dosing.
- Thread starter robert.talarico
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Just my opinion but I wouldn't jump into that one at this stage in your tank. The tank is fairly new and the rock you put in didnt look that mature. The algae phase is pretty natural part of the full cycle and I would advocate that you just let the tank go through it. Keep it under control as much as possible, as it will likely take many months, but let it get through it.
If you were to add another means of nutrient export I would recommend you add a GFO reactor instead of carbon dosing. Its less risky then dosing imo and far less maintenance.
I use a gfo carbon reactor now but only run it when the lights are on. I did run it 24 hrs, but as I added more sps the nutrients in the water got so low that they started to lose color and were growing slower. I'd like to do away with the reactor altogether at some point but I too like to feed fairly heavy
Also what fish have you added to it, it had none when I saw it last?
If you were to add another means of nutrient export I would recommend you add a GFO reactor instead of carbon dosing. Its less risky then dosing imo and far less maintenance.
I use a gfo carbon reactor now but only run it when the lights are on. I did run it 24 hrs, but as I added more sps the nutrients in the water got so low that they started to lose color and were growing slower. I'd like to do away with the reactor altogether at some point but I too like to feed fairly heavy
Also what fish have you added to it, it had none when I saw it last?
That contradicts all the articles I've read. The all stated its best to start while the tank is young before the nutrients and bacteria are within the rock otherwise determining s correct dose is nearly impossible. If the tank is young the dose would be smaller therefore you don't risk feeding cyano and dinoflang.
Ive dosed 25ml of vodka in my 400g system since day 1. I use about half the recommended amount of carbon and gfo in brs reactors. I also have a biopellet reactor with a cup of pellets in it. My nitrates are 0 and my phosphates are .02ppm (which is a first for me, I've always fought phosphates) I also have a full refugium with mangroves and cheato/ caulerpa.
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You need to decide if you want your tank to handle the N and P, or if you want to do it by hand. I have had tanks since about 1992 and never dosed any carbon or GFO and you cannot detect any N or P on Salifert, Elos or LaMotte. I prefer to let the tank handle it - it can adapt and come to equilibrium without crashes or stripping of nutrients. People had beautiful SPS tank before the suppliers and manufacturers started to offer GFO and the various other types of organic carbon.
I use 2 skimmers, and have the larger set to dry skim (very dark thick skimmate) and the smaller to wet skim ( maybe a dark iced tea color) I used microbacter7 while cooking the rock for 4 months. But since putting the entire system online I have not dosed anymore. I dose 15 ml of red sea amino acids every day, And feed twice a day