J_Geisinger000
New member
I heard dosing sugar could brown out your sps
DSB in a bucket for nitrate control
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
percula99
New member
There seems to be no real clear cut result using the RDSB. It works for some, and not for others. When I first set mine up, within a few weeks my nitrates were down to below 10 from a range of 40-50 before. After a couple of weeks, they crept up again and stayed there. I vaccuumed my sand bed and cleared my sump of lots of detritus, did a water change a month ago, and as of last night my nitrates are still under 10. Can that be attributed to the maintenance I did, or the RDSB? I personally beleive the RDSB is doing some good, but I had to do the maintenance to assist the RDSB to do it's job. Keep everything else clean, and it can do what it is supposed to.
bguile
Premium Member
and unfortunately, there will never be. Condoms work but many of us have children b/c....well, you get the point! :rollface:
There are too many factors in play in this case. You never know what others have missed, or done or exactly what they have in their tank. All live rock or livestock is not the same. For me personally I believe it has done well. Unfortunately, with where I live right now and whats available to me my makeup water consistently has 5ppm of nitrates in it. However, on weekly tests previous to adding the water my nitrates measure around 2.5ppm somewhere. I've had algae problems in the past but within the last couple weeks it seems that my RDSB is starting to kick in. With each cleaning I'm seeing a much slower and less return of algae.
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
Oxygen tends to produce faster metabolisms. Perhaps the aerobic bacteria in the thin aerobic layer grow much faster than the anerobic bacteria in the thick remainder. The quick drop in nitrates was due to aerobic bacteria binding nitrates as they grew. Once the aerobic media was saturated the nitrates started climbing again. Once the anerobic bacteria starts to export nitrates as nitrious oxide the nitrates will start to drop again.
Does anyone with climbing nitrates have clear buckets with newly fomed (nitrous oxide) bubbles visible in the sand?
Does anyone with climbing nitrates have clear buckets with newly fomed (nitrous oxide) bubbles visible in the sand?
onehundred20
In Memoriam
from what ive read it look like it shows quick results but then will rise again, but after a few weeks will come back down and stay there, some problems other may be having is not a big enough bucket.
i believe its 5 gallons per 50 gallons
i believe its 5 gallons per 50 gallons
percula99
New member
bguile, if you are having trouble with your make up water have you tried using an RO unit? I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "where I live right now and whats available". Aren't you not just outside Baltimore? There must be places there where you can get an RO unit. Or is there another problem?
Malifluous
New member
I think the reason why the RDSB seems like rolling the dice is beacause nobody indicates if they are using live sand or dry sand to start the RDSB. Dry sand from Home depot is going tot ake some time to be beneficial. The quallity of he live sand people are using can also vary. IME, RDSB started with fresh, live sand will alwayd reduce trates.
I gotta disagree. If you add all live sand (let's forget about the stuff in a bag, to me, "live sand" comes from an established tank) to an empty bucket, you not only kill off the aerobic bacteria that winds up at the bottom of the bucket (no oxygen), you are not adding any anaerobic bacteria (the bacteria that consume nitrate).
I have no direct DSB in a bucket experience, so I'm only drawing conclusions, but I believe I'm correct.
onehundred20
In Memoriam
i think it just takes time, and also you must make sure your using the right amount etc.....
Is there such thing as overkill, Im t hinking about doing a 20 gallon brute instead, on a 120 with a 55 gallon sump.
Is there such thing as overkill, Im t hinking about doing a 20 gallon brute instead, on a 120 with a 55 gallon sump.
thriceanangel
New member
heres a thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=898931
and it does work. I have gone from 20- 160ppm w/ RDSB running for 3 months, I had removed the coral rubble substrate, had no fish, used ro/di water as replacement. SO as a last resort I tried the sugar method, and it works!!!!!!! I now have gone from 160ppm to about 15ppm in a week, and still falling. SPS are actually less brown!!
and it does work. I have gone from 20- 160ppm w/ RDSB running for 3 months, I had removed the coral rubble substrate, had no fish, used ro/di water as replacement. SO as a last resort I tried the sugar method, and it works!!!!!!! I now have gone from 160ppm to about 15ppm in a week, and still falling. SPS are actually less brown!!
Malifluous
New member
Now I gotta disagree,
you are not going to kill of all the aerobic bacteria for 2 reasons. SOme of the aerobic bacteria will end up in the upper layer of the DSB. They will recieve O2 and do fine. Some aerobic bacteria that goes to thge deeper regions will not be all obligate aerobes and therefore will not all die.
The live sand will also contain non obligate anaerobic bacteria so if they end up in a deepoer region they will be fine, if they end up in a shallow region they will be fine. With live sand you are planting the seeds of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Yes you are adding anaerobic bacteria from the live sand. Non obligate anerobes. If you get live sand from a established tank, Dig down to the bottom and get some of the anaerobic bacteria as well.
I don't claim to be an expert here, what I'm saying is a product of things I've witnessed, and things I've read. There is no guarantee that I am right.
My understanding of anaerobic bacteria is that they can not be exposed to an oxygen rich environment, or they die. At the same time, aerobic bacteria can not be suffocated, or they die.
I'm sure that seeding with live sand helps, I just don't think you can create an "instant DSB in a bucket" with live sand or otherwise. It, like everything else in this hobby takes time.
My understanding of anaerobic bacteria is that they can not be exposed to an oxygen rich environment, or they die. At the same time, aerobic bacteria can not be suffocated, or they die.
I'm sure that seeding with live sand helps, I just don't think you can create an "instant DSB in a bucket" with live sand or otherwise. It, like everything else in this hobby takes time.
Malifluous
New member
I agree , you can not just create an effective DSB instantly. You are correct about aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. But some of them can go both ways. They can thrive under oxygenated and low O2 environments. Im no expert either but i have a clue and everything i said in my last post was just my opinion. We are just trying o understand why the RDSB works for some and not for others. Does anyone have another reason why we can be geting different results?
Phillybean
New member
I have a question, I'm planning on setting up a RDSB for my 75 gallon, however under my stand I do not have any room. I have a 33 gallon sump and a 10 gallon fuge, can I add a section to my sump to have the RDSB?
What kind of flow is best? Since I'm starting off a new Tank, what kind of sand should I use? What about lighting? How many pounds of sand is needed for it to be effective?
What kind of flow is best? Since I'm starting off a new Tank, what kind of sand should I use? What about lighting? How many pounds of sand is needed for it to be effective?
George Grogan
New member
Malifluous:
I can imagine at least 3 reasons:
1. As is the case with many things in this hobby, different people get different results. Each set up is unique, and each individual is unique in their husbandry practices. I often read posts in various threads where something that works for one (or many) doesn't seem to work for somebody else; such as: skimmer mods, lighting, BB vs DSB, fish compatibility... the list goes on and on!
2. We also don't know how closely any one person is following Anthony Calfo's instructions. Throughout this thread people are making suggestions to adjust it this way or that....
3. I believe reefkeeping is as much an art as it is a science. Some people just seem to have a superior ability to finesse things into working.
The answer? Who knows!! Maybe one of the above, maybe some combination or, maybe I've missed it all together!:eek2:
One thing is certain though, many people have reported success when they followed Anthony's instructions from the original thread!
I can imagine at least 3 reasons:
1. As is the case with many things in this hobby, different people get different results. Each set up is unique, and each individual is unique in their husbandry practices. I often read posts in various threads where something that works for one (or many) doesn't seem to work for somebody else; such as: skimmer mods, lighting, BB vs DSB, fish compatibility... the list goes on and on!
2. We also don't know how closely any one person is following Anthony Calfo's instructions. Throughout this thread people are making suggestions to adjust it this way or that....
3. I believe reefkeeping is as much an art as it is a science. Some people just seem to have a superior ability to finesse things into working.
The answer? Who knows!! Maybe one of the above, maybe some combination or, maybe I've missed it all together!:eek2:
One thing is certain though, many people have reported success when they followed Anthony's instructions from the original thread!
a4twenty
Premium Member
i haven't checked this thread for a while, i'm glad it's still going.
my RDSB has been running for 8 months, i have doubled my bio load and i am still reading 0. i actually had a spike of about 1 ish a few weeks ago but after trimming my macro and doing my usual water change i'm back at 0.
just thought i'd share
my RDSB has been running for 8 months, i have doubled my bio load and i am still reading 0. i actually had a spike of about 1 ish a few weeks ago but after trimming my macro and doing my usual water change i'm back at 0.
just thought i'd share
