bio-pellet users

[NyReefNoob]

it's my 6" supermale flame wrasse, i feed 3 cubes of frozen daily, as well as i occasionally feed pellets and or flake along with frozen, once a week i either feed phyto, rotifers, or bb shrimp and will soak it in AA's. fish wise i have a stocked tank and corals as well, have around 40 sps, 15-20 zoa's and some lps, fish are flame wrasse, pair of 8 line redsea wrasse, a condie wrasse, a lined spot wrasse, pair of clowns, pair of yashi gobies, tailspot blenny, blue striped gobie, atlantic pygmy angel and a small tomini tang and a ton of clean up crew, i dose 100ml of cal and 70 ml of alk daily and use esv salt, i do 10-20g wc weekly or if going with the 20g ill skip a week, size and amount of time for wc is inconsistant for me. with colors and growth rate i have had i will leave alk where it is. i do only run about 300 gph on my return, was never one for a high turn over rate through my sump plus im not really aiming at the uv to kill algae, but more so for parasites, but cant say it works there either lol as i dont have any. but just been using it for so long i havent taken it off

 

[RegalAngel]

I don't think there's any evidence of activated carbon being used by bacteria, even in that particular commercial product. Activated carbon might make a reasonable substrate for bacteria, although I agree that carbon dust can be an issue if there's enough of it.

This is what I was referring to :

"One of the three types of carbon contained in the Tri Base is a uniquely structured form of carbon that, if used in conjunction with Right Now! Bacteria, allows this bacteria to complete the nitrogen cycle aerobically."

This is why after 4-5 years the TBPC must be replaced as the bacteria have consumed the part needed to perform this function. Yes, the TBPC is the ultimate bacteria housing as it has extreme pores for that purpose. It is not just an GAC product, which is what I was trying to convey, but is essential to the use of Right Now bacteria.

http://www.hdltd.com/
see Tri Based Carbon..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IMO, it isn't clear what they are referring to, or whether it is accurate or not. I do not believe that bacteria can consume GAC at any noticeable rate. But if the Tri based carbon contains soluble organic matter (like vodka and vinegar contain), then it obviously could promote bacteria growth.

 

[RegalAngel]

The Right Now Bacteria is not an ammonia dependent bacteria. It does rely on other organics to function hence that is why the TRI carbon is used...and is in his patent. He (Bill Hiatt) did say that you cannot supply ammonia and the bacteria will live and function as with many bacteria. But he said if you supply their Trace Elements for Macro Algae it will supply what the bacteria need.

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6025152/description.html

From the patent....

Also the invention uses any carbon source to the extent it is soluble in water provides a measurable TOC (total organic carbon).The portion is solution will be available as a food source for the bacteria. It is believed that the bacteria feeds on the dissolved carbon, which is further believed to continue to be produced as the cycle proceeds.

This discovery therefore calls for leaving the carbon particulates in contact with the treatment subject as a permanent bacterial platform. Thus the carbon particulates are used in liquid remediation along with the bacillus ingredients. This speeds up the denitrifying process so that completion can be accomplished in as little as one day.

Therefore, Mixture C may be incorporated in the present invention to impart nourishment to the biological aquacultures of the present invention, and to provide a growing surface for the cultivation of the bacterial colonies of the present invention. The carbon source is chosen from the group consisting of coal, coconut shell, or synthetic lignite. The amount of the carbon source is preferably about 0.1667 times the number of gallons of the treatment subject.




Whatever...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This discovery therefore calls for leaving the carbon particulates in contact with the treatment subject as a permanent bacterial platform. Thus the carbon particulates are used in liquid remediation along with the bacillus ingredients.

Yes, that is essentially what I accomplish by using vinegar (for growth) and GAC (as a substrate).

 

[NyReefNoob]

Randy have u ever looked at the use of the bio-pellets ? if i remember correctly you run a mainly lps softies tank. and dont you use the vinegar with kalk ? this was the only time i had a bacterial bloom, i was dosing kalk through my ato and decided as it wasnt keeping lvl's up i would strenghten the dosage with adding vinegar to my kalk solution and within 2 days of doing so i have a bloom, was using the pellets at the same time also

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, I've not used any of the pellet products. I use vinegar without any lime in it right now, and I also use limewater. I've never had what I'd call a bacterial bloom (which I define as a sudden increase in bacterial levels), but at very high and steady vinegar doses, the tank was cloudy to the eye, and that went away when I reduced the dose.