Carbon dosing - method testing started

thank you m2434

Im looking forward to seeing which if any of the set ups I get unique issues with
such as Cyno, or peach fuzz bacterial build up etc

also wanted to update as follows

all tanks where initially started with tap water - my aim was to create issues at that stage
since Saturdays water change, using salt water made with RODI
all topping off is now being done with RODI
thus this test will be to see which if any of the methods can help to clear up the problem I already have in there
rather than to see which if any could keep up with my blind determination to continue creating the problem (LOL)

 

Very interesting comment. Ill speak to it from my experience. I had a NASTY HA battle a few months ago despite testing zero nitrates and phosphates. I was running pellets and they had been in there long enough to colonize, yet still the HA was very prevalent. dosing algaefix marine on Feb1st for under 3 weeks demolished it from my tank and it has not returned. YAY! yet then I battled a bad cyano outbreak. BOO! not sure where its causes were, but it was there. dosed Chemiclean and it has now vanished with no signs of return in two weeks.

Steve, Great article so far. surely one that will go down in the history books! Curious though about the water changes since they essentially Dilute the nitrates present in the systems.

 

thank you for contributing Pickupman66
I will be interested to see what happens with the GHA and other algaes in all the systems ( GFO has been my standard weapon for many years so my heart tells me that tank number 1 could well get cleanest the fastest)

thanks for the compliment
I have been really pleased with the responces on this thread
all positive , no negatives
and its made me more determined to ensure I see it through to at least some form of visible to all who view the images, conclusion

Steve

 

......and we're off! This is a great thread and Kudo's to Steve for taking the time to do this.

 

Interesting. I've heard a number of people recently complain that pellets don't work as well as other carbon sources. I have no idea, so, that is one reason I am interested in this thread. As to algae removal, certain algaes and especially cyano really won't go away without manual removal of some sort. They have too many ways to store and reuse nutrients and cyano can even share and recycle nutrients with bacteria. So, you do tend to need to remove it, whether it be siphoning, lights out, chemi-clean, aggressive flow and skimming etc... However, the improved water quality, possibly from the pellets certainly is why it didn't return.

That will be one limitation of this experiment, the experiment is to see which cleans up the algae the most, however, it would also be interesting to see which improves the water the most as the two aren't actually always perfectly related. Improved water is more important for long-term removal and prevention though. Testing would be okay, but test kits really aren't accurate enough for comparisons at low levels. I wonder if maybe an alternative would be to, at the end of the experiment, remove the remaining algae and see which tanks it comes back the most in.

 

I was hoping some of you guru's would elaborate on this please.

TIA

 

Yes, I'm waiting as well....

 

....

 

Well I label you a guru.

Thank you for the input, I will do some home work on polymers or rethink my limited knowledge base on carbon source. When I think carbon source I am thinking sugars in one form or another.

 

Edit: sorry iphone problems, let me try again...

I'm not sure I want to label myself a "guru", but I'll answer anyways Biopellets are polymers which are a carbon source, actually carbohydrates. These break down into sugars then more basic organic compounds such as acetate etc.. So, the pellets act as a carbon source and a medium for growth. Although some people question whether they really are as much of a medium for growth as claimed. There is evidence the pellets shed carbon and no question bacteria into the water, but likely some growth is certainly contained to the surface.

The difference in sources is what types of carbon they release. Biopellets are carbohydrates, these break down into sugars, then basic organic compounds such as acetate. Some people also think this may be important. There is evidence sugars can be harmful to corals, while, acetate is useful to corals directly. So some people think something like vinegar (acetic acid), which breaks down into acetate almost immediately is better suited for our systems. Also, there some organisms can possibly use different organic carbon sources but not others. Cyano bacteria for example is one, although primarily autotrophic, certain strains of cyano have been shown to have heterotrophic properties and modes. Some people suggest that carbon sources lower down the chain are less likely to be useful by these organisms, although no one really knows for sure.





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