ridetheducati May 7, 2013 Share May 7, 2013 Absolutely.... not. You will need three Bubble Kings. Just kidding. You should be fine, you may notice an increase in skimmate production and volume. Keep some kalk (1tsp) inside the skimmer cup to eliminate the smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 7, 2013 Author Share May 7, 2013 Shoot three bubble kings... I will have to sell my car... And some more stuff! Man now I will need to clean the cup everyday! Thanks for everyone's help too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 8, 2013 Author Share May 8, 2013 Question for the carbon dosers here. How long did it take until you noticed your nitrates dropping? Is there anything you dose on the side that goes hand in hand with the carbon dosing? Like potassium or amino acids? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami May 8, 2013 Share May 8, 2013 Question for the carbon dosers here. How long did it take until you noticed your nitrates dropping? Is there anything you dose on the side that goes hand in hand with the carbon dosing? Like potassium or amino acids? Paul, when I did it, I noticed my nitrates dropping within a week or two. Then it stalled for a week or two before I pulled the GFO. It then quickly dropped to zero and stayed there. This was early on in the life of the 90 gallon tank that I had in Ashburn. I was not dosing potassium, amino acids, or vitamins of any sort at that time. Just kalkwasser for calcium and alkalinity. I also ran carbon, a skimmer, and a small macro-fuge in the sump back then. Not much more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 8, 2013 Author Share May 8, 2013 Nice, how high we're they when you started and how low did they get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami May 8, 2013 Share May 8, 2013 This was early in the tank's life. Nitrates went from 10 to 20 and up to 40 or 50, I think. Why it climbed like this, I don't know. I don't recall doing much to the tank back then but something was happening. I tend to say that the biological filter just wasn't where it needed to be. Anyway, I started dosing and brought it down to but stalled between 10 and 20 as I recall. Then, after pulling the GFO, it dropped to zero (undetectable). After that, I never had to reintroduce the GFO to maintain low phosphates, even after discontinuing the carbon dosing regimen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 May 8, 2013 Share May 8, 2013 Vinegar will take nitrates from 20 to undetectable in less than a month... That was my experience. Go slow. I no longer use Vinegar on my new tank (fish only). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefoholic May 8, 2013 Share May 8, 2013 I can say from experience that carbon dosing in the form of vodka dosing worked pretty well for me. I have GFO pellets as well. Tho not a huge quantity (almost 1/4 cup), for my 20 gal, the amount has proved to be more than enough. I started dosing vodka when my SPS lost color. After starting vodka dosing, i get more PE from my SPS and they started to color up again. I run a very low nutrient system and don't feed heavy either. On the other hand, dosing has enabled me to indulge my fish and corals in big meals every now and then. You can find my dosing instructions on my tank thread, around page 8 or 9. In any event, a good skimmer seems to be the key. I get medium brown skim mate every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 8, 2013 Author Share May 8, 2013 Thanks guys, I did turn off my gfo because I have been getting burnt tips on my Belina and chips acros before starting the dosing. Alk was only 8 to 8.5 also. Hopefully this carbon source will help with that issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati May 8, 2013 Share May 8, 2013 What are you going to do if phosphates do not retreat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 8, 2013 Author Share May 8, 2013 Just hope I can regenerate my gfo and use it without burning my tips. Probly add some more rock to the sump and pull a few fish that we plan to sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati May 8, 2013 Share May 8, 2013 Once you get the feel for carbon dosing, consider dosing potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate to get the nitrates and phosphates aligned. No need for GFO or Rowa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefoholic May 8, 2013 Share May 8, 2013 Just hope I can regenerate my gfo and use it without burning my tips. Probly add some more rock to the sump and pull a few fish that we plan to sell. I will also advise against too many water changes. I think you need to give your system a chance to naturally balance, given you know that you are dosing carbon right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 8, 2013 Author Share May 8, 2013 You mean naturally balance to the new carbon addition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefoholic May 9, 2013 Share May 9, 2013 yep. I think there comes a point that you know everyone in the tank is happy and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 19, 2013 Author Share May 19, 2013 So I just started dosing 20 ml a day with a doser dosing three times a day during the day. Yesterday I saw the first drop in nitrates. I let them rise to 20 and did a small 10 percent waterchange. I also took the gfo off for a few days. Oddly enough it went from a steady .03 or .04 (even with fresh gfo it would only hit .02 for a day) down to .02 and stayed there with heavy feeding continuing. I have been feeding a ton since I added about 12 more fish. Two days ago it finally went up to .03 so I am running gfo for a day to help it stay low. I think a few corals are mad that the nitrates were high for a few weeks because the alk has been kept lower than normal to try and keep the burnt tips from happening again. All in all the water is clearer and a few corals look happier than normal and the fish are happier from being fed well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 19, 2013 Author Share May 19, 2013 Once you get the feel for carbon dosing, consider dosing potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate to get the nitrates and phosphates aligned. No need for GFO or Rowa. Tony I have been reading that thread on RC about dosing the nitrates to lower phosphates. Great thread, have you experimented with it before? Also are there any tips the people that are vinegar/vodka dosing could give me? Should I be running my skimmer exit through some carbon or should I be running it in a reactor? Right now I have it hanging in the sump return in a bag with my gfo running over it and my top off water spraying right on it. It's hanging right at the top of the water. Also I have been using deep blue carbon. Not sure if switching to ROX or something is a good idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati May 19, 2013 Share May 19, 2013 Tony I have been reading that thread on RC about dosing the nitrates to lower phosphates. Great thread, have you experimented with it before? Also are there any tips the people that are vinegar/vodka dosing could give me? Should I be running my skimmer exit through some carbon or should I be running it in a reactor? Right now I have it hanging in the sump return in a bag with my gfo running over it and my top off water spraying right on it. It's hanging right at the top of the water. Also I have been using deep blue carbon. Not sure if switching to ROX or something is a good idea? I experimented with dosing Potassium nitrates in order to drive down phosphate levels. I needed to raise nitrates levels from zero to 2ppm. I cannot remember why 2ppm nitrate was my target number, and I dont see it in my logs. The tricky part was making a dosing solution at 1ppm per gallon. I then dosed over several days while maintaining the vodka dosing. Stopped dosing KNO3 and the vodka was able to drive down the nitrates and phosphates. Also, if my memory serves me correctly, I did not do any water changes while performing the experiment. It took several weeks for the NO3 and PO4 to reach zero. 1. Not sure what your trying to do with the skimmer exit. 2. Run GAC separate from GFO. I would not use GFO if your goal is for carbon dosing to manage the nutrients. 3. Use a GAC that you are familiar with the results. ROX is very good, I use it at half strength because it is very aggressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 19, 2013 Author Share May 19, 2013 I experimented with dosing Potassium nitrates in order to drive down phosphate levels. I needed to raise nitrates levels from zero to 2ppm. I cannot remember why 2ppm nitrate was my target number, and I dont see it in my logs. The tricky part was making a dosing solution at 1ppm per gallon. I then dosed over several days while maintaining the vodka dosing. Stopped dosing KNO3 and the vodka was able to drive down the nitrates and phosphates. Also, if my memory serves me correctly, I did not do any water changes while performing the experiment. It took several weeks for the NO3 and PO4 to reach zero. 1. Not sure what your trying to do with the skimmer exit. 2. Run GAC separate from GFO. I would not use GFO if your goal is for carbon dosing to manage the nutrients. 3. Use a GAC that you are familiar with the results. ROX is very good, I use it at half strength because it is very aggressive. Wow that's awesome, did you notice any negative aspects of using this method? And after you stopped dosing the nitrate, the carbon dosing took care of the phosphate on its own? 1. I dunno what I was thinking either... I should refrain from posting so early... 2. Yea I run them separate. I am also weening off the gfo. I only turn it on every few days for half a day. Do you think I should just ditch it altogether? Even if the phosphates get above say .05? After switching from 24/7 use to everyone and then, the corals look much better, seem to right after I run it too. 3. Do you run your carbon in a reactor? How often between changes? Anyone that is carbon dosing feel free to jump in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati May 19, 2013 Share May 19, 2013 (edited) Wow that's awesome, did you notice any negative aspects of using this method? And after you stopped dosing the nitrate, the carbon dosing took care of the phosphate on its own? 1. I dunno what I was thinking either... I should refrain from posting so early... 2. Yea I run them separate. I am also weening off the gfo. I only turn it on every few days for half a day. Do you think I should just ditch it altogether? Even if the phosphates get above say .05? After switching from 24/7 use to everyone and then, the corals look much better, seem to right after I run it too. 3. Do you run your carbon in a reactor? How often between changes? Anyone that is carbon dosing feel free to jump in. Nothing negative that I recall. I was worried about dosing too much KNO3, greater than 5ppm, because it could lead to excessive green algae. My strategy for carbon dosing was to use ONE product that would minimize Nitrates and Phosphates. I got tired of using GFO. Before carbon dosing, I never had problems with nitrates, but my phosphates were always elevated (.05 - .08 ppm). Nothing wrong with running GFO for phosphate and vodka for nitrates, it works extremely well. I run one cup of HC Rox in a reactor, changed monthly. I will share a little secret... Try to keep your nitrate levels at .25 ppm and phosphates at .02 ppm or .03 ppm. Try not to get to zero nitrates. I noticed the best growth and color at these levels without any fears of cyano or dinos. C:N:P is the answer. Edited May 19, 2013 by ridetheducati Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati May 19, 2013 Share May 19, 2013 My tank is currently nitrate limited so I plan to dirty the tank a bit in order to get back to C:N:P balance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 19, 2013 Author Share May 19, 2013 Nice tips man! I thought that method was pretty cool, it's great to hear you had success too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basser9 May 19, 2013 Share May 19, 2013 Heres a nice dosing chart for CARBON. Tanks with lots of fish react very differently then a typical berlin style setup with limited fish pop. Get a seachem low nitrate kit its cheap an test in the area you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals May 20, 2013 Author Share May 20, 2013 So is the seachem that much better than the low range saliferts where you look through the side of the vial? I am sort of color blind so every bit counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basser9 May 21, 2013 Share May 21, 2013 I hate all the kits from salifert they are just badly made the seachem is about the finest kit i have used.....love it. Has a reference sample as well.....try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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