You are correct.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
No, it’s just carbon dosing so it reduces bothDoes vinegar dosing reduce nitrate without affecting phosphate?
It’s about 16:1 N: P, but actually about 10:1 NO3: PO4 (accounting for molecular weights)I think its something like a 16:1 ratio of NO3: PO4 consumed
It shoild reduce both indirectly. This is carbon dosing as max explained it increase the bacterial population.Does vinegar dosing reduce nitrate without affecting phosphate?
Are you using any po4 remover media?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?
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.Nope. Nothing.
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?
That would be a better route.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.
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.yeah i meant molar ratio (that would still be 16:1 NO3: PO4 right?)
Oh, I see what you meanYes, 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.
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 ?