blackthunda77
New member
Not sure if i should ask this here or in the advanced or chemistry forum. Figured i would ask here since more of the people that need pristine water are the SPS guys.
I seem to keep having bacteria blooms when carbon dosing. I started off with NOPOX a couple months ago and followed their instructions based on a nitrate reading of around 20 and a tank volume of around 220 gals total. I added about 30 mls of NOPOX and the very next day the tank was cloudy. Albeit, i did add it at night and was then told by others that it should be added during your daytime light cycle. I dropped my dosage to 20mls and still got a slight bloom, then i dropped it to 5mls, and did not get a bloom, however, i dont think it was sufficient because im not getting any more skimmate than i was before, and my nitrates are still stuck at around 20.
I have since ran out of NOPOX and switch tot he two part diy mixture of vodka and vinegar. Following the threads on here, i started low, with like 8mls, and then bumped it up to 12, 15, and once i got to 20 i got another bacteria bloom, slightly white cloudy water. I not exactly sure what im doing wrong or if i should be doing something different. I started doing the carbon source in the morning before going to work as my my atinics come on a couple hours later, and my MHs a couple hours after that.
You guys have any input or advice? Based on my research it says to keep bumping up the dosage until you see a drop in nitrates, and then keep that dosage as a maintenance dosage. Well i havent seen a drop and when getting to about 20mls, i get that bacteria bloom. Should i go back down to 10-12ish and just stay there?
I seem to keep having bacteria blooms when carbon dosing. I started off with NOPOX a couple months ago and followed their instructions based on a nitrate reading of around 20 and a tank volume of around 220 gals total. I added about 30 mls of NOPOX and the very next day the tank was cloudy. Albeit, i did add it at night and was then told by others that it should be added during your daytime light cycle. I dropped my dosage to 20mls and still got a slight bloom, then i dropped it to 5mls, and did not get a bloom, however, i dont think it was sufficient because im not getting any more skimmate than i was before, and my nitrates are still stuck at around 20.
I have since ran out of NOPOX and switch tot he two part diy mixture of vodka and vinegar. Following the threads on here, i started low, with like 8mls, and then bumped it up to 12, 15, and once i got to 20 i got another bacteria bloom, slightly white cloudy water. I not exactly sure what im doing wrong or if i should be doing something different. I started doing the carbon source in the morning before going to work as my my atinics come on a couple hours later, and my MHs a couple hours after that.
You guys have any input or advice? Based on my research it says to keep bumping up the dosage until you see a drop in nitrates, and then keep that dosage as a maintenance dosage. Well i havent seen a drop and when getting to about 20mls, i get that bacteria bloom. Should i go back down to 10-12ish and just stay there?
