Use our skimmer output as a rough gage. When the effluent output increases substantially you'll know you're in business.
DJ
N/P reducing pellets (solid vodka dosing)
- Thread starter tntneon
- Start date
- Status
Use our skimmer output as a rough gage. When the effluent output increases substantially you'll know you're in business.
DJ
Thanks for the informative posts. Are you suggesting I might also dose vodka in addition to the pellets? What is the reasoning? Diversify the type of bacteria and where they are colonizing?
FWIW, running GAC will remove the organic P that a skimmer can't remove. Organic P can brake down into inorganic phosphate. So running GAC is a good thing to do while using these biopellets as well as liquid carbon sources.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
anen,
What is your nitrate and phosphate level currently at? Is your phosphate level stabilized or does it rise at all? Was your nitrate level high before using the pellets or did it read zero?
What is your nitrate and phosphate level currently at? Is your phosphate level stabilized or does it rise at all? Was your nitrate level high before using the pellets or did it read zero?
Last edited:
jason2459
Well-known member
The whole RUGF thing is just a fad, no one will be using them in 40 years. LOL
Paul, I wondered how long it would be before you noticed this thread and the RUGF ideas being presented.
I think he does a forum search daily for anyone mentioning RUGF. I think the thread count is up to three now.
anen, Why do you wan't to dose organic carbon ( via pellets, vodka ,vinegar etc.) if your nitrates are at 0?
Add more fish if you wish.
I'd then wait and see if your current system supports them while keeping low nitrates low without carbon dosing. High total organic carbon as can occur with dosing can be harmful.
BTW Chaetomorpha takes up nitrogen and phosphate . It also helps reduce CO2 and raise O2 levels.
Varied sources of organic carbon such as polysacharrides( pellets),vodka( ethanol) monosacharrides( glucose/etc) advantage various strains of bacteria. The variety may be of some benefit or the opposite in that certain strains may be more harmful than others. For example, acidogenic bacteria that breakdown sugars seem to have an adverse effect on certain corals based on several anecdotal accounts and some studies demonstrating adverse effects in corals related to high total dissoved organic carbon and particularly glucose.
Add more fish if you wish.
I'd then wait and see if your current system supports them while keeping low nitrates low without carbon dosing. High total organic carbon as can occur with dosing can be harmful.
BTW Chaetomorpha takes up nitrogen and phosphate . It also helps reduce CO2 and raise O2 levels.
Varied sources of organic carbon such as polysacharrides( pellets),vodka( ethanol) monosacharrides( glucose/etc) advantage various strains of bacteria. The variety may be of some benefit or the opposite in that certain strains may be more harmful than others. For example, acidogenic bacteria that breakdown sugars seem to have an adverse effect on certain corals based on several anecdotal accounts and some studies demonstrating adverse effects in corals related to high total dissoved organic carbon and particularly glucose.
izzy123
New member
Wow, what a totally new concept on the cutting edge of technology. Who would have thought?
:lolspin:
My nitrates have always tested 0, I started the tank with very established live rock. May this be the cause if there is no bacteria on the pellets?
My phosphates were around 1.25 before I added the gfo and chaeto. After the addition which was a few months ago I have always gotten 0 on a elos test kit. I purchased my first acro frags a couple weeks ago and they're all browning, if not already brown. I got a hanna meter and it gives me readings between like .03 and .06. I then took a water sample to someone with a $200 meter not sure the make, where I was getting a .09.
My phosphates were around 1.25 before I added the gfo and chaeto. After the addition which was a few months ago I have always gotten 0 on a elos test kit. I purchased my first acro frags a couple weeks ago and they're all browning, if not already brown. I got a hanna meter and it gives me readings between like .03 and .06. I then took a water sample to someone with a $200 meter not sure the make, where I was getting a .09.
Wow, what a totally new concept on the cutting edge of technology. Who would have thought?
I was wondering when you were gonna catch wind of this. Welcome aboard Paul.
DJ
HighlandReefer
Team RC
anen,
Simply put, you don't need to use these biopellets, your nitrate is at a zero reading without them. You need to use a product like GFO to reduce your phosphate to a zero reading. After that you can stop and see if your phosphate remains at a zero reading. If not use GFO for maintenance.
You only use these pellets for nitrate reduction when you can't keep the nitrate levels down. They won't work for phosphate reduction for any serious amount. They may cause more problems than any possible good in your situation.
Simply put, you don't need to use these biopellets, your nitrate is at a zero reading without them. You need to use a product like GFO to reduce your phosphate to a zero reading. After that you can stop and see if your phosphate remains at a zero reading. If not use GFO for maintenance.
You only use these pellets for nitrate reduction when you can't keep the nitrate levels down. They won't work for phosphate reduction for any serious amount. They may cause more problems than any possible good in your situation.
PO4 at .09ppm won't interfere with calcifiction by sps or lps enough to notice,ime, provided your alkalinity is constantly at a level with the acceptable range (7 to 11 dkh) and other water quality/parameters are in good order. Salifert notes .15ppm aa critical level with .25 as inhibiting calcification. I'd still try to lower it to under .05ppm but doubt .09 accounts for the browning. I ran my sytem at .1 or so for a long time without any browning.
Carbon dosing will reduce some PO4 if sufficient nitrogen is available. As Cliff noted it takes a lot of nitrogen to enable bacteria to use a little PO4 . Thus as a primary strategy for reducing PO4 ,carbon dosing it is quite limited. Gfo will do better particularly in a tank with 0 nitrates. Perhaps you need to use more gfo or change it more frequently. If cost is an issue you could check out the thread on regenerating gfo which is a relatively easy process and allows resuse multiple times.
bluereefs
New member
duh, is me again , lol
Anen, if you do not see any bacteria, stronger and stinkies skimmate/skimming, if your pelets are same size in 6 months, then IMO they do not work.
Bp can work on aquarium with 0 nitrates/phosphates, and can create bacterial bloom as well on those aquarium. In this thread are already few expirience from people who come from zeovit system with so called ULNS system and they also get bacterial bloom what is proof that bio pellets can produce big amount of bacteria in those enviroment.
Locally I know for few people who start bp in almost brand new aquarium with undetectable nitrates and phoshates on test kit (salifert) no algae or any sign of elevated nutrients in aquarium (white clean sand, clean rocks (reef ceramic) ) and they get bacterial bloom as well, actually extreme example of bp usage in my posts are one of that aquarium who use only 200 ml of bp in 200 g capacity aquarium, everything more then 200 ml create bacterial bloom.
There is always food and nutrients in aquarium, if we have working live bacteria in aquarium (and we must have them otherwise our aquarium will not work at all) then we can use bp. We must have bacteria on rocks, sand, glass, equipment ... in aquarium to work properly, so bp must work and must create bacteria even when we measure 0 nitrates, 0 phosphates. If bacteria can not be present in bio pellets when nitrate/phosphates are 0 then we will not have bacteria at all in our aquariums under those condition.
Anen, if you do not see any bacteria, stronger and stinkies skimmate/skimming, if your pelets are same size in 6 months, then IMO they do not work.
Bp can work on aquarium with 0 nitrates/phosphates, and can create bacterial bloom as well on those aquarium. In this thread are already few expirience from people who come from zeovit system with so called ULNS system and they also get bacterial bloom what is proof that bio pellets can produce big amount of bacteria in those enviroment.
Locally I know for few people who start bp in almost brand new aquarium with undetectable nitrates and phoshates on test kit (salifert) no algae or any sign of elevated nutrients in aquarium (white clean sand, clean rocks (reef ceramic) ) and they get bacterial bloom as well, actually extreme example of bp usage in my posts are one of that aquarium who use only 200 ml of bp in 200 g capacity aquarium, everything more then 200 ml create bacterial bloom.
There is always food and nutrients in aquarium, if we have working live bacteria in aquarium (and we must have them otherwise our aquarium will not work at all) then we can use bp. We must have bacteria on rocks, sand, glass, equipment ... in aquarium to work properly, so bp must work and must create bacteria even when we measure 0 nitrates, 0 phosphates. If bacteria can not be present in bio pellets when nitrate/phosphates are 0 then we will not have bacteria at all in our aquariums under those condition.
Paul B
Premium Member
I hope it never catches on, I like having the oldest tank on here and I don't have to worry about calcification, bio pellets, Vodka dosing, DSBs, Chaetomorpha (I don't even know what that is) Carbonite hardness and all of these other things many people worry about
If I had to think about all of that stuff I would get a stroke.
My test kit came in a wooden box and the directions say to keep in a cool chariott.
I throw some food in the tank, wave hello to the fish and go out with my wife and have a nice glass of merlot with dinner. :beer:
Have a great day but most of all, have fun. :dance:
If I had to think about all of that stuff I would get a stroke.
My test kit came in a wooden box and the directions say to keep in a cool chariott.
I throw some food in the tank, wave hello to the fish and go out with my wife and have a nice glass of merlot with dinner. :beer:
Have a great day but most of all, have fun. :dance:
Hi All,
Been following this thread and others simular to it for ages and finally decided to take the plunge.
My system is aprox 500l, 5x2x2 with 3x1.5x1.5 sump. Its been running for 18months and I had been dosing vodka for 10 months. My reason for changing over is that although the vodka kept my nitrates down, (5-10) I developed a horrible light brown stringy covering on my rocks, when touched it turned into dust. I tried VSV for 2 months but the covering still persisted.
I stopped dosing altogether 6 weeks ago, the covering is now covered with cyno and my nitrates have risen to 25, phosphate is 0-0.03 (using GFO in DIY reactor).
My story so far with BPs
I added 1l of the BP to the system on Tuesday night after soaking them for 24hrs, they are in a deltec reactor running at a slow boil with the output right in front of my FM ultraskim 2 skimmer inlet.
Wednesday morning woke up to find both my skimmers overflowing, cleaned the cups and turned them right down (almost on lowest settings). By the evening had to empty them both again, never seen that amount of gunk come out of them!
Woke up this morning to find the tank in bloom, its not as bad as some of the pics I have seen, I can still see from end to end. The Orp has dropped to 270 from its normal 320-350. I have added activated carbon to help clear it up and will turn the ozone on tomorrow if its not clearing up. Combined my skimmers are rated for 1600l (heavy stocked) so should be able to handle the excess dead bac.
Cheers
Grant
Been following this thread and others simular to it for ages and finally decided to take the plunge.
My system is aprox 500l, 5x2x2 with 3x1.5x1.5 sump. Its been running for 18months and I had been dosing vodka for 10 months. My reason for changing over is that although the vodka kept my nitrates down, (5-10) I developed a horrible light brown stringy covering on my rocks, when touched it turned into dust. I tried VSV for 2 months but the covering still persisted.
I stopped dosing altogether 6 weeks ago, the covering is now covered with cyno and my nitrates have risen to 25, phosphate is 0-0.03 (using GFO in DIY reactor).
My story so far with BPs
I added 1l of the BP to the system on Tuesday night after soaking them for 24hrs, they are in a deltec reactor running at a slow boil with the output right in front of my FM ultraskim 2 skimmer inlet.
Wednesday morning woke up to find both my skimmers overflowing, cleaned the cups and turned them right down (almost on lowest settings). By the evening had to empty them both again, never seen that amount of gunk come out of them!
Woke up this morning to find the tank in bloom, its not as bad as some of the pics I have seen, I can still see from end to end. The Orp has dropped to 270 from its normal 320-350. I have added activated carbon to help clear it up and will turn the ozone on tomorrow if its not clearing up. Combined my skimmers are rated for 1600l (heavy stocked) so should be able to handle the excess dead bac.
Cheers
Grant
Toadally,
I have a 40 breeder, sps placed towards the top. I'm running an ATI sunpower with 3 month old ATI bulbs. The guy I bought the frags from was running LEDs. Doesn't seem like it would be too much or too little to me?
I can't remember if the browning occured during the dip or after, but I would say the browning took place the same night so I would rule lighting out.
I have a 40 breeder, sps placed towards the top. I'm running an ATI sunpower with 3 month old ATI bulbs. The guy I bought the frags from was running LEDs. Doesn't seem like it would be too much or too little to me?
I can't remember if the browning occured during the dip or after, but I would say the browning took place the same night so I would rule lighting out.
- Status
Similar threads
