skimmer for vodka dosing
- Thread starter Greyson
- Start date
saltfishguy18
Member
Yes it is necessary
saltfishguy18
Member
Vodka dosing increases the production of bacteria to help breakdown n03 etc. if You don't have a good skimmer that excess bacteria will build up and you can have an outbreak of nuisance algae everywhere.
Greyson
New member
Yes i understand what it does, but stopping the daily dosing would also stop the process. My question is besides depleting oxygen levels and lowering ph what OTHER harm can it do ..i can always add an airstone to sump area to compensate for the lower oxygen.
slief
RC Sponsor
The worst that will happen is that you will wipe out your tank. You need a means of exporting the nitrates and phosphates and everything that will die off as a result of the carbon dosing. Without the skimmer, everything will remain in the tank which will likely result in a crash.
You could possibly get away with heavy water changes but I wouldn't suggest dosing without a good skimmer. If you are considering dosing to deal with nitrate or phosphates and or other nutrient issues, perhaps you should try a good skimmer first or take a good look at your system and figure out why you are having these issues. One of the reasons could very well be your resistance to running a skimmer to begin with. They really are beneficial for more than just nutrient export you know.
If you are hell bent on dosing, then I suggest you read this thread. It's a long one but if you understand what vodka dosing does, they you would understand why you need to run a skimmer.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=288714
Here is a search of that thread showing posts that mention skimmers
http://reefcentral.com/forums/search.php?searchid=15657447
Greyson
New member
Thank you for your Post ! Yes i have read all of that prior to posting. My nitrates are actually 0 right now, my phosphates i'm not entirely sure ( waiting for test kit ). Iam doing this more to reduce the zoax. in the coral, my sps are brown and its driving me nuts. They are growing well though, just ugly. So i thought this may slightly help with the color. I am not trying to do it the traditional way either of gradually bumping up the dosage instead i am trying to add small amounts .5-1 ml/day. I'm not looking for huge results i'm just looking to color up my coral a bit. I have almost no algae, i have a tiny bit of bryopsis the feathered kind that almost looks like cheato on one small rock thats about 3x3 inches and my emerald crab has been decreasing its population. I have a tiny bit of diatom on the sandbed and that tells me i may have some phosphates or silicates in my system. There may be other means of coloring up my sps but it seems like most people have got good results with this method. I am considering a skimmer for my tank soon so it can be a possibility.
slief
RC Sponsor
I will be the first to admit that I don't carbon dose. I am not an expert at all on the subject and have no first hand experience. I've never found a need for it as my tank does very well on its own. That said, I've read up on the subject a bunch as it's something that I keep an open mind to.
I assume you saw the skimmerless carbon dosing thread that just popped back up? I just saw it and started reading it. If you haven't seen this thread, you definitely want to check it out. It is certainly very pertinent with regards to your questions. It seems (much to my surprise) that some do go skimmerless while dosing. On the other hand they also have reasonably large systems with other things in place like GAC, in some cases DSB's or mud beds along with a lot of corals and other bacterial predators to keep things in check and consume the bacteria produced by the carbon source. Some rather objective experience in that thread for sure.
Still I am a big proponent for skimmers. Aside from the waste they remove, the O2 that they add and gas exchange they provide is very beneficial to any system along. They also typically result improved PH levels and stability assuming they get good fresh air. I wouldn't run a tank without one short of maybe a really small nano tank. Then again, I'd probably figure out a way to include a skimmer even on a nano.
Anyway, in case you didn't see this thread, here is a link.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2438547
As a side note, have you considered that your lighting could be in part cause for your corals coloration?
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Greyson
New member
Cool post i will check it out for sure, yeah i have a nano 18 g and that is why i haven't been running a skimmer but i may get a pls-50 in the upcoming weeks.
Greyson
New member
Yes i have actually, i have a kessil a150 ...and i am considering other options...i can either go with a d120...or maybe a reef breeders..or maybe a custom diy. I had a member offer me 3x rapid led aurora puck with a storm x controller for my kessil.
What do you think would be better with those options?
slief
RC Sponsor
I'm running 8 Kessil 360WE's and really like them so I am kind of partial. Then again, I'm keeping soft coral and not SPS. I think the A160 is coming out soon and it offers better spectral control while maintaining better intensity. Another option would be a Radion Pro XR15.. I think that would be a much better option with better control than the Rapid LED's..
Greyson
New member
I just don't like the discoball i get from the kessil, and the Radion is out of my price range although it is a nice LED.
slief
RC Sponsor
Disco ball??? I assume you are talking about shimmer. If so and you have ever been scuba diving, you know these put out the closest thing to natural sunlight light effects of any LED. Shimmer is a natural part of the oceans reefs. The shimmer is not unlike metal halide shimmer either. I know though that some don't like it. Having run metal halides for years and having switched to LED's 4 years ago, I missed that shimmer and love the Kessils largely because of that. Shimmer was a motivating factor for me to switch from my ReefTech LED's to the Kessils.
The Radion XR15 Pro's should have some decent discounts come Black Friday.
Greyson
New member
Yes by disco ball i'm referring to shimmer, i personally don't like too much it gives me a headache. Kessils are great lights but i personally don't like them.radion is nice but i think there are wayyy cheaper options for units as good. But for the right price i wouldnt say no
macdaddynick1
Member
May be the lack of skimmer is the reason your corals are brown?
He isn't going to reply. See the period after registered member?
I haven't read all responses, but if you're using a low dose carbon source you should be fine - you just have to be very careful to avoid getting into the O2 depletion or bacterial bloom territory. Keep doses small and you'll be OK.
From what I understand, dosing carbon without a skimmer will remove N - through processing nitrates into nitrogenous gas that will rise out of the aquarium during normal gas exchange, but will not reduce P which will remain in the bacteria and be removed to the WC after the bacterial life cycle ends or it is consumed. If you skim, you will of course remove more N and P as the N doesn't even have to be metabolized and the bacteria will skim out quite readily.
Please do correct me if I'm mistaken - but this is how I understand it.
Edit: did not realize the member had left
From what I understand, dosing carbon without a skimmer will remove N - through processing nitrates into nitrogenous gas that will rise out of the aquarium during normal gas exchange, but will not reduce P which will remain in the bacteria and be removed to the WC after the bacterial life cycle ends or it is consumed. If you skim, you will of course remove more N and P as the N doesn't even have to be metabolized and the bacteria will skim out quite readily.
Please do correct me if I'm mistaken - but this is how I understand it.
Edit: did not realize the member had left
