Carbon dosing - method testing started

x2 definitely a sticky is in order!!

 

I agree, this is a very nice experiment and it really does deserve a sticky.

Good going, Steve. I really like the idea of comparing the effects that the stuff we usually add to the tank has on the corals.
Thanks again for committing to this experiment and dedicating the time.

 

I concur
+1

 

Looking great Steve!

HAHA, as soon as I read Steve's post I thought to myself... Cheryl's gonna jump him... sure enought, two posts later I wasnt disappointed ;D

 

Steve,

Since you carbon dose vodka on your SPS reef
At this point in the experiment, what are your thoughts as to the carbon dosing method you are personally using as opposed to the alternatives?
And are you entertaining the idea of a switch?

I'm not sure in an established ULNS it makes sense to do a switch, but if starting out from the beginning, biopellets look the most promising over vodka?

 

thank you rec_mcwaters

Thanks Night - Rida
not convinced its sticky worthy at this point, but may be at a later date, depending on how it all turns out

Thank you Magnus

Thank you SaltLifeChris

Thanks Sacul - yep my terminology was incorrect, the clowns may have all decided to let the Torches host them would have been better

Good question Sacul and one I have been considering for a while
I will want to run this experiment at least twice, because we do have the unknown to me at this point difference in lighting between the 2 end tanks and the 2 in the middle
with the Bio pellets on the end tank, it might be a combination of less light combined with additional bacterial activity


by turning them all off in a few weeks, re distributing the rock and sand
allowing them to algae up again and then swapping Bio Fuel and Vodka to tanks 1 and 4, and GFO and bio pellets to tanks 2 and 3
if the pellets seem to perform better than the other methods in that scenario, then I will give further consideration to changing my current method on reef tank

the easiest of the 4 tanks to maintain is the bio pellet one
you add them in reactor, run water through it, and thats it ( clogging incident only happened once and they have been fine since)
GFO - you need to change it
Vodka and bio fuel, you need to make daily additions (OK on my reef tank my BM TM01 handles that for me so it automatic, but for someone without a doser or someone wanting to dose in increments of 0.5mils or less, then the doser I use would not work)

 

I use BioFuel right now on my tank...have been from day one. I have had 0 consistently on my tests (Salifert), and no algae whatsoever. I am a huge advocate of Brightwell's BioFuel product. I also use a doser to lessen my maintenance.

 

Thank you FaceOfDeceit
I used Bio Fuel on my reef tank before switching over to Vodka
and I also had a positive experience with it, my findings in that scenario
where
1) it did help to control the speed at which Micro algae and film algae appeared
2) it certainly helped with tank clarity

I swapped over to Vodka simply because before the 1st x 250 mil bottle was used up, I felt I had reached the extent of its ability to help me create the tank aesthetics I was looking to achieve using this product

I found that when I switched to Vodka, that the work previously done by Bio Fuel, was then exceeded once I had got to 1/3 of amount of volume being dosed (was dosing 3 mils bio fuel - and found that once I got to 1.1 mil of Vodka - week 3 - that the tank looked cleaner than it had previously)

with these 4 reasonably identical set ups
the tank being dosed 1 mil of Bio Fuel daily is the only tank at present in which algaes seem to be developing
in the GFO set up they seem to be standing still
in the Vodka they are receding
in the bio pellet set up, they are receding even faster than Vodka

but in your scenario, starting dosing before any of the nuisances had been allowed to establish, could certainly make a significant positive difference to your experience with the product

(I run GFO during cycle on majority of my set ups for same reason, lights off, GFO in an attempt to take them out (algaes) before they increase in numbers)

NB - Vodka maintained at 0.3 mils for additional week, rather than increase to 0.4mil - reason being is that my reef tank is currently being dosed 2 mils per day thus my 12 gallon test tank being dosed at 0.3 mils, is approximately the same ( 70 divided by 12 = 5. 83 , 2 mils divided 5.83 = 0.34 mils - thus 0.34 mils into the test tank would me same strenght of dosing as main reef tank = handy when your going to transfer corals over later in the testing)

 

I want to add that I also run GFO (2 tbsp in 35 gallon twv), and have since day one as well.

 

really cool tread looks like ill be going with bio pellets lol