High Tide Aquatics

Vinegar dosing

I’m still learning about carbon dosing, but I believe it increases bacteria population by providing them with an easier food source and then the increased bacteria population is better at reducing nitrate than phosphate because it is easier to ‘eat’ nitrates.

I don’t believe it will only reduce NO3 but it will reduce it more than it will reduce PO4
 
I’m still learning about carbon dosing, but I believe it increases bacteria population by providing them with an easier food source and then the increased bacteria population is better at reducing nitrate than phosphate because it is easier to ‘eat’ nitrates.

I don’t believe it will only reduce NO3 but it will reduce it more than it will reduce PO4
You are correct.
 
Does vinegar dosing reduce nitrate without affecting phosphate?
It shoild reduce both indirectly. This is carbon dosing as max explained it increase the bacterial population.
The no3 reduction is usually much more faster than po4 reduction thats why some times ppl think carbon dosing reduce only no3.
But when done correctly ot actually reduce both, but again with much faster reduction on the no3. That is also why people can get in to imbalance trouble when carbon dos9ng cause an over dose can deplete your no3 while po4 still detectable
 
My current situation is that phosphate dropped from 0.1 to 0.02 while nitrate stayed the same (25) without any dosing. I believe it is the Chaeto starting to do its thing but I’m not sure. So, I now have a bigger imbalance.

That being said, I don’t have any issues with algae, bacteria or unhappy corals.
 
My current situation is that phosphate dropped from 0.1 to 0.02 while nitrate stayed the same (25) without any dosing. I believe it is the Chaeto starting to do its thing but I’m not sure. So, I now have a bigger imbalance.

That being said, I don’t have any issues with algae, bacteria or unhappy corals.
Are you using any po4 remover media?
 
Nope. Nothing.
So you can benefit from carbon dosing but am very paranoid of recommending that to ppl cause if they overdose and cause more sever issues.
What is your problem exactly now? Besidr the imbalance, is the System showing any signes of stress?
You can control no3 by water changes, cleaning, reduce feeding and husbandry. Have u tried that?
 
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So you can benefit from carbon dosing but am very paranoid of recommending rest to ppl cause i they overdose and cause more sever issues.
What is your problem exactly now? Besidr the imbalance, is the System showing any signes of stress?
You can control no3 by water changes, cleaning, reduce feeding and husbandry. Have u tried that?

No signs of any stress, I’m just thinking out loud about ways to get ahead of it.

I have reduced feeding and I clean filter socks more frequently.
 
No signs of any stress, I’m just thinking out loud about ways to get ahead of it.

I have reduced feeding and I clean filter socks more frequently.
That would be a better route.
What you are seeing is what most of us predicted for your system. Your feeding and fish load was too fast too soon.
But thats ok, managing no3 is jist good husbandry habits and eatwr changes..
 
yeah i meant molar ratio (that would still be 16:1 NO3: PO4 right?)
Yes, that sounds right. But since we almost always talk in mg/l (ppm) for these nutrients, the weight matters. For example if you added enough carbon to reduce Nitrate 1 ppm, you would expect Phosphate to reduce about 0.1 ppm, rather than 0.06 ppm.
 
Yes, that sounds right. But since we almost always talk in mg/l (ppm) for these nutrients, the weight matters. For example if you added enough carbon to reduce Nitrate 1 ppm, you would expect Phosphate to reduce about 0.1 ppm, rather than 0.06 ppm.
Oh, I see what you mean
 
My Salifert nítrate test has colors for 10 and 25. I’m always in that range. Is there a test that can show me more detail there ?

You may want to try using the low range measurement. Look through the side (instead of looking down from the top) and match the color and divide by 10 (so 50 becomes 5) Looking from the side is more accurate and measures lower numbers. It should at least confirm that you are over 10.
 
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