Carbon dosing & microalgae-can you have both

[L/B Block]

So my question of the day-can you carbon dose and have micro algae assuming the nutrients are high enough?

The moment I started carbon dosing my sea lettuce just dried up. Carbon dosing has been more effective than sea lettuce for nutrient export but i kinda miss watching all the copepods at night. Plus PH was slightly higher.. (still at 8.15-8.3)

It may have been due to other factors as I cordoned off the sea lettuce and flow/light were affected. Who knows-

But generally curious if people have successfully had both of the above going simultaneously.

TIA

Lawrence

 

[JVU]

You certainly can dose carbon and keep macroalgae, though you need to make sure you have enough N and P for both.

Also bear in mind that photosynthesis (in macroalgae) is functionally similar to carbon dosing since it converts CO2 to organic carbon. The main difference is carbon dosing results in bacteria that gets skimmed out while photosynthesis results in growth of macroalgae, which you manually remove. Secondary difference is that photosynthesis increases pH while carbon dosing slightly reduces it.

 

[L/B Block]

Thanks. May give it that ole college try again.

 

[Turkeysammich]

I’m doing both right now. It does shrink the macro algae some.

 

[L/B Block]

I’m doing both right now. It does shrink the macro algae some.

Which algae you using & source of carbon dosing?

 

[Turkeysammich]

The Julian sprung and lettuce. Julian spring is doing well. Lettuce never did well for me. Carbon is vodka and lanthium

 

[L/B Block]

I was also using lettuce -maybe I will try something else and see if it does better. Thanks

Lettuce was doing ok for awhile.,

 

[Turkeysammich]

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe go to cheato. The lettuce is on a slow melt. My numbers are still hella high. So it shouldn’t melt but it is. Dunno.

 

[L/B Block]

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe go to cheato. The lettuce is on a slow melt. My numbers are still hella high. So it shouldn’t melt but it is. Dunno.

Wonder if carbon dosing takes away other trace nutrients that the micro algae might need if not competing for nitrates & phosphates?

 

[Turkeysammich]

I tried carbon dosing with vinegar with cheato like 5 years ago. It melted all my cheato. But I was heavy dosing back then. Now I’m going the slow approach. Probably a happy balance type thing.

 

[JVU]

I’ve done both successfully in the past, chaeto and nopox (low dose). For the past few years I’m not using nopox any more because I don’t need to, but I wouldn’t have a problem with adding it again.

 

[L/B Block]

I am still slowly raising the dose -using TM’s
Bacto balance -but getting to the upper recommend limit-may wait to see where that gets me in PO4.