Carbon source for denitrifying bacteria - Page 6

Randy Holmes-Farley · #**126** 09/22/2006, 06:34 PM

Depends on how much food you are adding.

boxfishpooalot · #**127** 09/22/2006, 06:39 PM

2x sheets of nori(2"x1")

about 2-3grams of mysis shrimp

2 grams of flake food

somtimes some supermarket shrimp(1 a day)

little clump of chaeto to the tangs.

all this daily. Its a lot?

Edited the grams.

Randy Holmes-Farley · #**128** 09/23/2006, 06:50 AM

A good size refugium like you mention would seem adequate for keeping nutrients low.

boxfishpooalot · #**129** 09/23/2006, 03:34 PM

Thx Randy. I add some flourish iron yesterday, and put in 2tsp of sugar to the auto top off. I also put in some iron into the top off.

I had the foggiest bloom i have seen. I wonder if those bacteria can become iron deficient?

Randy Holmes-Farley · #**130** 09/24/2006, 06:23 AM

They might,, especially if you are forcing them to bloom rapidly.

Chicago · #**131** 09/24/2006, 08:13 AM

just to jump in here... is there any benefit to dosing vodka or other source of carbon...if your tank is running fine and has no nitrate levels or extremly low levels...undetactble on standard test kit. and bottom on low range test kit?

Randy Holmes-Farley · #**132** 09/24/2006, 01:48 PM

The only purpose that most folks dose carbon sources is to drive bacterial growth to reduce nutrients. The bacteria may also be useful foods for some organisms, but may also have drawbacks, and I personally wouldn't recommend it as a food only activity.

Have you measured phosphate? How low is bottom on your nitrate kit?