Carbon dosing - method testing started

good suggestion lukabrasi
might be worth a head to head in future
Vodka and MB7 (available to me here)
Vodka alone
Bio fuel MB7
Bio fuel alone

that would be interesting to see if there was or was not a signifcant difference between using or not using bacteria supplements

some are very keen on using bacteria in combo with carbon source
others believe their systems accomodate enough bacteria already and as such do not foresee a need for adding it

Steve

 

the above images taken on 21st

these next 4 captured this morning

Tank 1 GFO

Tank 2 - Vodka

Tank 3 - Bio fuel

Tank 4 - Bio Pellets


front glass only credit card wiped prior to image capture
not sure if the images will show this properly but hopefully you can see the difference

Steve

 

It looks to me like vodka is kicking butt, Steve.

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never tried anything but VSV and seems like I made a right choice

:grinthumbs:

 

It would seem based on the speed in which algae is re colonising the cleaned surfaces that Vodka at present it keeping the free nutrients lowest
followed closely by GFO and the Bio Fuel maintained set ups ( hard to say exactly which of these 2 is 2nd cleanest at this point, a few more days may make the picture clearer)
the tank currently being run using pellets does not yet seem to have kicked into action
having said that

the life of a reef tank is a marathon and not a sprint
and as such seeing where we are in a couple of months time, once corals are established in there, may change the picture totally

Steve

 

Not a vodka doser here, but I must say, that's impressive so far. With all the money I've spent on pellets and reactors and GFO, I'm kinda excited that a cheaper way might win.

But like Steve said, it's a marathon, and I'm curious to see who will win in the long run.

 

Thank you thebanker

credit to m2434 for helping with the following idea
My original plan to find 4 very similar Wellso, or Acans etc LPS corals
then placing 1 of each into these 4 set ups, is flawed
m2434 pointed out that as these would be independant corals, their previous location, life history and general well being may be different
as such judging the reactions of 4 potentially non connected corals (NB Acans may have come from same mother but you would not know for certain) would not be as good a guideline as say 4 x SPS frags from the mother colony in my reef tank

therefore
my 1st LPS corals in these set ups will be frags of torch corals, from the same mother colony
I purchased 3 torch corals, currently residing in my reef set up
and each torch coral has at least 4 heads

these will each be divided by 4
and 1 from each mother will be located into each tank

I intend for example to put
all the frags from mother colony 1 on the left of each of the 4 tanks
all the frags from mother colony 2 in the middle of each of the 4 tanks
all the frags from mother colony 3 on the right of each of the 4 tanks

that way we will be able to observe 1 frag from all 3 mothers in all 4 set ups and all in same location in terms of light, flow etc (within reason)

this way if any frags do particularly badly in 1 of the set ups
whilst the frags from same mother do OK in the other 3

we should then be able to cite the carbon dosing method in that particular tank was the issue, rather than the coral itself


Dremmel with cutting wheel attachments ordered and should be with me Friday


Steve

 

There is no concern about the end tanks having less light is there? The tanks look like similar light but just curious.

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A little yes, without doubt
they are 4ft tubes and the last couple of cm on each end, will be lower output
but its a 6 lamp canopy so the difference should not be significant

pcarrol mentioned this earlier in the thread
and I considered it before replying

"when I repeat the test, I will change the order, so that the GFO and Bio Pelllets look after middle two tanks and Vodka, Bio fuel, look after the ones on either end"

that way we should know, if light was a significant factor in these test 1st time around

Steve

 

Ah ok. I guess if the tanks seemed pretty similar before adding anything there shouldn't be much of a difference I guess and the los shouldn't be needing that much light anyway.

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