Vodka, vinegar,biopellets and other organic carbon dosing

[tmz]

I use vodka and vinegar and avoid sugar dosing.

 

[Johnb123]

how do you deal with the cyano? do you actually use cyano removal products?

 

[jason2459]

I would advise against any cyano removal products if at all possible. Siphon them out and get the nutrients they consume under control. By siphoning them out you both remove the nutrients they've consumed and allow other bacteria populations to get a better foothold and out compete the cyano.

 

[Johnb123]

yes i figured that but doesn't carbon dosing cause cyano every so often so is this a on going process to suck the cyano out?

 

[jason2459]

yes i figured that but doesn't carbon dosing cause cyano every so often so is this a on going process to suck the cyano out?

It should not continually happen. Vodka users have reported this though more so then vinegar users. Also, more so at the beginning when starting. I've had cyano outbreaks but because of some other underlying problem and not the carbon dosing. Once the source issue is resolved I usually do nothing but maintain consistency in my import and export methods and they go away.

 

[tmz]

I do not use cyano removal products and don't recommend them.
Siphoning out detritus helps a lot. Start up issues can occur with either vodka or vinegar. I suspect it has to do with changes in organic nutrient levels giving cyano an edge over competitors until things settle in. I haven't seen any notable cyano in my system in about 6 years.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Hi all,

Tropic Marin has a new product called Elimi-NP, which according to the company contains polyalcohols. Has anyone used polyalcohols as carbon source? I looked at a German forum and there does not appear to be any complaints.

Thank you.

 

[tmz]

I have not used sugar alcohols/polyalcohols and I'm not aware of any reports positive or negative by anyone using them.

 

[jason2459]

So, would that be one stick of Trident daily?

HO-OH-OH-OH-OH!

 

[gdemos]

The heterotrophic bacteria encouraged byu carbon dosing are facultatative as most dentirfying bacteria are . Facultative bactera use oxygen and can use nitrate for oxygen when freee oxygen is unavialable but live in high oxygen areas very well creating anaerobic areas in shallow sand , rock pores or in their own mats.

Using block media sand, live rock et alia gives extra surface area. Boring through it should increase water flow through it but it may be porus enough to make that step[ unecesary. The water brings oxygen, and nutrients the bacteria need.

Would this suggest that sand (substrate) that seems to get matted (I.e. Heavier if you will or somewhat bound as opposed to 'sifty' if that's a word...not matted by algae) is a bio market of excessive organic carbon or an excessive carbon dose? Sorry my vocabulary is suffering this evening.

 

[tmz]

I doubt it has an effect on sand clumping based on my experience. High alk and low mag usually plays into that more. Though some bacterial activity may be involved whether or not organic carbon is dosed; i.e., if bacterial activity was causing some clumping it wouldn't necessarily be from heterotrophic bacteria.

 

[victorcan]

I started a biopellet reactor about 3 1/2 weeks ago so far I haven't seen any change in anything, I continued to dose vodka for the 1st 2 weeks but have since stopped. Hoping a few more weeks I should start to see the effects as right now I'm still running Rowa and GFC .. One thing Im not sure if is good or bad is my ALK I Run a constant 11.2 with my CaRx. Should I back it down to 8-9 DKH? or am I ok ?

 

[tmz]

Up to you. I prefer the mid 8's for alk. When and if PO4 gets too low ,true zero, higher alk can be a problem with burnt tips and stn for sps corals. I also prefer to keep some PO4 in the 0.02 to 0.04ppm range.

 

[victorcan]

Po4 has been in the .16 range for the better part of 2-3 weeks and thats up from 0ppm.. Will say i was using an APItest kit for yearsfor trites and trates but just got my 1st salifert nitrate kit and it does show a low reading of around .15 which the api has showed 0, i ordered potassium nitrate as ive read nirtates do aid in coral growth at low levels? I didnt dose any as a result of the new test but just thought id mention it

 

[bif24701]

With the API nitrate test you must shake the bottles vigorously for several minutes. I also made the same mistake until I learned that trick.

 

[tmz]

I wouldn't dose potassium nitrate without a clear indication of a nitrate deficiency .

 

[jason2459]

I wouldn't dose potassium nitrate without a clear indication of a nitrate deficiency .

That will be hard to determine with NSW near the surface is commonly under .01.

 

[bif24701]

How possible is it to have a nitrate deficiency?

 

[victorcan]

I bought the potassium Nitrate prior to receiving my Salifert kit, since discovering my nitrates are in fact not 0 as once believed I have postponed the induction of any additive kinda just in a circling pattern right now.. I pray for patience all the time but struggle to receive that blessing, however constant setbacks continue to reinforce the practice of holding off .. LOL
Frustrating just lost an achilles tang from ich. I picked him up from my LFS and knew I shoulda quarantined him with copper but asked my guy what he thought and said put him in my sump (6'long 125 gallon) feed and get him fat then put in my DT, well he got ich of course and by the time I moved him to the QT he was so stressed he went goodnight within a few hours Patience 20 years I know the rules but my excitement and eagerness to achieve hits me hard both financially and emotionally .

 

[tmz]

That will be hard to determine with NSW near the surface is commonly under .01.

Yes , it is difficult. It's worth noting that in reef surface waters the nitrogen and other nutrients have already been depleted by consumers on the reef. Nitrate isn't the only nitrogen source either.
To be clear I personally don't add any nitrate witjhout a history or zero,completely undetectable readings; even then there may be no deficieny. One indicator might be a rise in PO4 suggesting a lack of nitrogen for the bacteria or paling by corals that might be limited in zooxanthelae production by a lack nitrogen.

When I do very rarely feel a need to toy with a nitrate I use sodium nitrate in tiny quantities,1tsp for 650 gallons as a one time tweak. I have noted an uptick in nuisance algae even at this level. If I were using larger amounts I'd avoid the potassium nitrate since the potassium might build up.