Is carbon dosing good for macro?

[Subsea]

I have researched some in the RC archives, but did not make the connection I was seeking. As a grower of utilitarian macro, I fertilize heavily with miracle grow, kelp concentrate, iron and ammonia. I am experimenting with a daily vinegar dose of 25ml in a 55G tank.

 

 

1. Would including vinegar as a carbon source provide biomass to macro

 

2. Is carbon dioxide gas solubility in water a source of carbon. For certain in FW it seems to act that way.

[GMay]

Plants do consume CO₂ to make carbohydrates (sugars) through photosynthesis. They are also able to use carbohydrates for energy through respiration and do this when there is not sufficient light for photosynthesis. So the short answer to your questions 1) maybe in some instance, 2) yes.

[Subsea]

Plants do consume CO₂ to make carbohydrates (sugars) through photosynthesis. They are also able to use carbohydrates for energy through respiration and do this when there is not sufficient light for photosynthesis. So the short answer to your questions 1) maybe in some instance, 2) yes.

Thank you. I actually considered the vinegar more for the benefit of bacteria growth as a food for filter feeders, including corals. I just wanted to make sure that I was not disrupting natural processes.

[ajmckay]

I have researched some in the RC archives, but did not make the connection I was seeking. As a grower of utilitarian macro, I fertilize heavily with miracle grow, kelp concentrate, iron and ammonia. I am experimenting with a daily vinegar dose of 25ml in a 55G tank.

 

 

1. Would including vinegar as a carbon source provide biomass to macro

 

2. Is carbon dioxide gas solubility in water a source of carbon. For certain in FW it seems to act that way.

 

Great questions! It's gotten me thinking about my own tank and macro growth. I love the macros and I would like to be able to grow a number of macro species. But I'm running into a limit where the macros are outgrowing my system.

 

Currently I'm carefully increasing my bioload in an attempt to monitor these but I would like to switch over to a dosing regimen.

 

Do you have any particularly helpful/useful links that you've come across in your research?

 

One issue with carbon dioxide is an acidification of the water.

[Mariaface]

Would something like Seachem Excel or Metricide work as a carbon supplement?

[Subsea]

I have operated large systems with the help of a calcium reactor. Yes, the effluent of the calcium reactor will have a low pH. Using arroggonite as a substrate has the buffering effect to absorb both vinegar and/or co2.

Great questions! It's gotten me thinking about my own tank and macro growth. I love the macros and I would like to be able to grow a number of macro species. But I'm running into a limit where the macros are outgrowing my system.

 

Currently I'm carefully increasing my bioload in an attempt to monitor these but I would like to switch over to a dosing regimen.

 

Do you have any particularly helpful/useful links that you've come across in your research?

 

One issue with carbon dioxide is an acidification of the water.

 

 

I approach this like a Gardner. I remove the weeds that I do not want in "the garden" When in the hieracrky of the plant world one starts with

micro algae, then macro algae. In the marine plant world, macro algae are seaweeds and sea grass are true marine plants.

 

In a post on RC PlantBrain made a statement which works for me. It does not matter what the N-P ratio of the water is is as long as it is never nutrient limited. The macro knows what it needs. Some macro grows very fast and are good bioindicators . I use Caulerpa Paspodies as my nitrogen bioindicators. If sufficient nitrogen is in the water, the fast growing tips of this macro will be translucent to white. When this fast growth ceases, some fronds turn browm.

 

From my experiences, it is hard to dose too much iron.

 

Cynobacteria is a good bioindicators for phosphate. Everything contributes to phosphate, it comes in with the food.

 

I use ammonia as a clean nitrogen source. Just be careful where you mix it.

 

I also dose with vinegar, but not for nutrient export using a protein skimmer. I have been skimmerless for >20 years. I dose with vinegar to grow bacteria to feed filter feeders, including corals.

[Subsea]

Would something like Seachem Excel or Metricide work as a carbon supplement?

Yes to Seachem Excel being a carbon source for plants.

 

When I googled Metricide, I got disinfectant,

[Subsea]

Great questions! It's gotten me thinking about my own tank and macro growth. I love the macros and I would like to be able to grow a number of macro species. But I'm running into a limit where the macros are outgrowing my system.

 

Currently I'm carefully increasing my bioload in an attempt to monitor these but I would like to switch over to a dosing regimen.

 

Do you have any particularly helpful/useful links that you've come across in your research?

 

aj,

The best hands on informative guide on macro that I use is from Russ Kronwetter of Gulf Coast EcoSystem. When at his live-plants.com website go to free guide. Good information for individual macro requirements

http://marineplantbook.com/marinebookpage1.htm

[Subsea]

I like what John Mahoney at Reef Cleaners said about stocking a refugium with fast, pulse and slow grow macros..

 

http://www.reefcleaners.org/stocking-the-sump-refugium

[Mariaface]

Yes to Seachem Excel being a carbon source for plants.

 

When I googled Metricide, I got disinfectant,

 

 

One of our magical Bens informed us that Metricide is the same active ingredient as Excel (glutaraldehyde), but twice as concentrated. All you've got to do is not add the activating packet.

[Subsea]

Dosing viniger is a good clean  carbon source for macro.  I dose 1ml per gallon twice a week.  All tanks also get iron and iodine twice a week.

 

My one macro tumble culture of Gracilaria Hayi & Dragons Tongue gets much fertilizer:  Muracle Grow, amonia, and kelp fertilizer, in addition to vinegar, iron and iodine.