Carbon (VSV) dosing volumes

[Myka]

Any update Brad?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Myka

Any update Brad?

Ya, I think carbon dosing is stoopid.

[maron6977]

+1

[Reef Pilot]

Yeah, really don't get why people bother with dosing carbon. I tried it once many years ago, and decided very quickly this was going to be too much work (and attention). Got a bio pellet reactor then and couldn't be simpler. Just add some bio pellets about once a year (went a year and half last time) and forget. N03 consistently stays near zero until bio pellets run out.

And no extra pump with mine. I have a T off my return line that runs through my chiller, and return from that goes through my bio pellet reactor.

[Aquattro]

I just don't find it works in my tank. In fact, NO3 has never been higher. I've stopped a couple days ago, probably going to lean back towards Zeovit, if I can figure out how to fit a reactor in my sump.

[maron6977]

I have 2 TLF reactors , can I just run pellets thru those ? I know they make different screens to adapt them . Also which pellets do you recommend ?

[Lampshade]

The TLF reactors didn't seem to cut it for me, I have the big one and small one (forget what they're called). I ended up with dead spots no matter how much flow I pumped through them. I got the Vertex bio pellet reactor and used it for a long time with no problem.

I stopped using bio-pellets because it was too low of a nutrient system. My nitrates went crazy for awhile after stopping, ZEObak ended up saving me. I don't think I had enough different beneficial bacteria to break down my tank waste after the bio-pellets were removed. All balanced back after awhile but took a few weeks.

Aquattro, I'd recommend trying the same thing, try ZEObak or something of the sort. You're feeding your bacteria that help your tank cycle, but you may not have enough different kinds after running ULNS with zeovit. That's the sales pitch on it and it seemed to help me.

edit:I see others recommended microbacter7 - same kind of thing