Reef nutrition

Carbon Dosing FW Tanks

I miss having African FW tanks and was thinking of starting a small one again. The big thing with them is the huge bioload and the resulting algae issues. Even with mechanical filtration and WCs its a never ending battle to keep them looking good. I've been having great success with carbon dosing and the nano and was wondering if it translates just as effectively to FW.

Any ideas?

-Gregory
 
No, I don't think it will work.
Carbon dosing works by having bacteria eat waste, then bacteria are exported by the skimmer.
FW = no skimmer.
So you may end up with a mess of bacteria.

Consider an algae scrubber?
 
Given the high pH and hardness can a skimmer be used?

Maybe filter feeders like fresh water clams as well to sift the bacteria?

-Gregory
 
I was researching biopellet use in fw on my tanganyikan groups. The manufacturers state that they will work in fw. I was just too lazy to follow through and my systems run great with 50% waterchanges
 
I may have to look into it...

50% changes? I'm good with weekly WCs but not that good!!

-Gregory

Thats nothing lol! Some of my fellow keepers in texas do up to 80% TWICE A WEEK. At that point I always ask why they even use filters
 
Pl*costomus.


Do we still do that? Use an asterisk whenever posting the word pl*co to avoid the usenet curse?

(if you type that word with an 'e' instead of a '*' your pl*co will die ... as the legend has it)
 
I know they are no longer fashionable, but what about an undergravel filter? My dad's aquarium was always a mess until I installed one. Be ware of what's under there though, if you ever clean it!
 
Actually for a general FW I like a UGF wiht a powerhead..... but need to vacuum regularly!! They don't do anything that I'm aware of for the reduction of nitrates or phosphates. African tanks have large population densities and are messy fish... out of control algae is an issue without large and frequent WCs. That's why the interest in carbon dosing...

-Gregory
 
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