Carbon dosing - method testing started

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by steve wright, Mar 24, 2011.

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  1. JBL

    JBL Sea Dragon

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    Suscribed!
     
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  3. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    Im not Siddique to be honest
    as whenever I have had the nuisance described I have dealt with them
    using GFO, increased flow, manual removal, increase of CUC

    and its that method I want to test against the carbon dose forms of nutrient control

    never had just a few corals, so never been in a position that I would have felt comfortable leaving it to nature to regain control

    Steve
     
  4. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    progress today

    [​IMG]

    purchased rock smashed and then distributed between all 4 tanks
    added 1cm of medium grain sand

    [​IMG]
    just showing the flow created by the tiny wavemaker

    lights on at 8am and they will stay on until 10pm

    the rockwork is covered in various algae forms

    added 3 mils of microvert to each tank

    the solution to dilitution being polution

    Steve
     
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  5. Siddique

    Siddique Dragon Wrasse

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    No prob Steve;)

    Progress today lookin good.
     
  6. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    Thanks Siddique

    need more rock - will just get some base rock now and place that under the dirty green and brown stuff ( get it closer to the lighting to really kick start it)

    maybe next time round

    I can use the 4 tanks
    1 - control - nothing at all - see if nature will sort it out for me
    2 - GFO - plus flow plus manual removal
    3- Algae fix marine by API
    4 - winner of the most effective carbon source test

    That might make an interesting later experiment.
     
  7. thebanker

    thebanker Astrea Snail

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    This is great Steve. Well done on setting up a clean experiment. I'll be following this thread too.

    As a biopellet user for about 6 months now, I'm curious to see the outcome.
     
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  9. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    I thought you might be interested Mikey
    as they will be run as per your exact method - HOB in a reactor

    Im also very keen to know what the solid carbon sources do in comparison to the liquid versions I will be using

    Steve
     
  10. Sacul1573

    Sacul1573 Millepora

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    Steve,

    Wonderful experiment. I've been contemplating carbon dosing, and wondering which way to go. Maybe I'll hold off for a few weeks to see the results. Couple questions, to which I'm sure you've already thought of.

    - BP pellets... I've read people have to continutally upgrade the pump to the reactor to keep the pellets tumbling. Are you intending on doing the same (ie, keep the pellets tumbling if it means increasing flow), or keeping the same flow and letting them clump?

    - I thought carbon dosing (esp vodka) was only supposed to be used on systems that have matured past the various algea plagues that are inherent to new tanks? Is it your opinion that carbon dosing right away will not encourage a cyano bloom, or will you cease dosing if experiencing one?

    - What is the overall measure of success? Time taken to eliminate all/any detectable algea, overall tank apperence, or coralline growth on LR, etc?

    - Will you be dosing initially with MicroBater7 or something similar to encourage a beneficial bacteria population?

    Awesome experiment, and I'm sure it hit your wallet pretty hard. Much appreciated!
     
  11. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

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    Thanks Sacul1573

    The pump I have is regulatable - the Aqua Excell reactors are OK with up to 1300 lph flow through, so thats the max on the pump I purchased
    I will start lower thus giving me the option to increas if the top layer will not tumble

    on the cyno issue
    its my intention to find out if the various carbon forms will in actual fact fight through these or will other forms of treatment be required ( basically by monitoring the set ups, recording the process, deciding later if maybe
    increased flow in the vodka tank would deal with the issue
    or addition of GFO in the vodka tank would deal with it
    basically only adding 1 variable at a time and letting that do its thing whilst monitoring any improvment

    my aim is to get nitrate and phosphate recordable on Salifert test kits
    once I have those 2 - and by distributing the water between 4 tanks, trying to ensure all 4 achieve same levels
    then the test will be about
    which method reduces these most efficiently
    followed by which method goes on to create the most aesthetically pleasing set up once the N+P are gone, which one of these methods cleans the place up the best

    Steve
     
  12. sostoudt

    sostoudt Giant Squid

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    Steve will you be continually adding food regularily to simulate phosphate and nitrate additions common in reef tanks?


    My predictions:

    The GFO will kill the algae the fastest, but will leave high nitrate and exhaust fast.

    Biofuel or biopellets will be the second most effective solution in killing GHA.

    Vodka taking the longest to work, but being the cheapest to use.

    Vodka and Biofuel may have the down side of encouraging slime algaes.