Zoanthids and carbon dosing

[Piper27]

I have seen zoas explode in friends tanks that use biopelets and carbon sources. I am guessing they benifit from the bacteria. Anybody use a carbon source effectively for nutrients and see zoanthids grow better, or look healthier? Since changing a few things on our system i will be testing this "Theory" myself!

 

[reefwars]

I carbon dose vinegar in a zoanthid dominant prop system(s) works great

 

[Piper27]

Nice, do you notice better growth in that system? I am using vodka and vinegar this time. Pulled my macro algaes out and am using high flow with live rock in the old refugium area, where i now dose the carbon source.

 

[reefwars]

Better colors for sure , growth I would think is better too

I dose it to my fuge every morning and it bypasses my skimmer .

Yellow sponges have taken off same with feather dusters my sump is covered in both lol

 

[reefwars]

a little pic of the sponges and feather dusters in my fuge , system is about 6 yrs old

 

[Piper27]

Wow that yellow sponge is masive!!! How long have you been carbon dosing in that tank?

 

[reefwars]

Wow that yellow sponge is masive!!! How long have you been carbon dosing in that tank?

i cant remember exactly but around 2 years or so,it grows right in the light lol its 72ml of %5 vinegar a day in a 200g total system

i dont dose any other additives really , the odd time ill add some food or amino acids but its just alot of fish and food for them.

i love it i dosed vodka many years ago and imo this seems better but my knowledge is much better now a days as is the equipment i run.

over 150 different types of zoanthids and frags in the thousands lol

 

[kelrn98]

I can't say for sure my zoas are growing rapid because of carbon dosing as I have been more attentive to my tank over the last 6 months. But I do use biopellets and my nitrates are <1 and phos <0.03 My zoas are flourishing. Here are a few pics.

 

[JJ650]

I need to read into this! My zoas are very slow growers, but the palys always seem to do better. They spread like crazy yet the zoas never really seem to do so.
I know I seem to have high nitrates all of the time, even after revamping feeding methods. I just want them to spread and flourish!

 

[Piper27]

Maybe you need to figure out a way to keep the nitrates down? Our stuff grows better when there is lots of food being fed but also nitrates need to be kept low at the same time. If nutrients build up in the tank then algae starts to mess with the zoanthids growth by growing around or on them.

Anyne else sucessfully using a carbon source in their zoanthid and paly tank?