+KimP Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 I'm considering starting carbon dosing on my tank. I picked up a bottle of NO3:PO4 -X by Red Sea yesterday and it says to test the nitrate and phosphate levels frequently to adjust the amount of product added to make sure levels don't drop too low. I have seahorses and so I feed frozen mysis at least once per day, which is probably like dumping a spoonful of phosphate in each time. So I'm not sure when would be a good time to test the water. I'm guessing not immediately after feeding, but maybe not right before either? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 Why not do a series of tests a few hours apart? I don't do carbon dosing but I would do several tests to get a benchmark then immediately before the first dosing then a few hours later and then halfway mark between dosings until I get a feel for what's going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted January 12, 2012 Author Share Posted January 12, 2012 That's an excellent idea. Thanks, that's exactly what I'll do. It'll be interesting to see the difference in phosphate levels, if any, after feedings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don duncan Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 If its true carbon dosing you won't see noticeable differences over hours. It usally drops over weeks. I have been dosing in one form or another for the last 2 yrs. I am currently running bio pellets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted January 14, 2012 Author Share Posted January 14, 2012 Okay, that's very helpful to know. I'm guessing it's true carbon dosing since the main ingredients are methanol and vinegar. I ran several tests over the course of the day and for one, my nitrate is pretty low at 3 and my phosphate is high like I thought. It definitely went up a couple hours after feeding. I hate these color tests, and the phosphate ones are the hardest for me. My best guess is I started out at 0.5 and closer to 1 after feeding. I'm using a low range red sea pro and a nutrafin one that goes much higher. Anyway, I'm still undecided since my nitrate is so low. The directions for this product base dosage levels on nitrate. I just need to pull my phosphate down and keep it there without being able to use a reactor. Thanks for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaJohn Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 get a hanna phospate checker you will thank me in the morning from what I have read about carbon dosing it takes months for the bacteria to actualy get a big enough presence to make a difference. I know with vinager you want to keep uping the dose till you hit 0 then cut the amount of that dose in 1/2 to use as your base normal dose. and then check weekly to see if they numbers go up if so incease 1 ml check in a week and if they go up ad 1 more mil so on till you get them stable at close to 0. for my size tank I started with 9ml then the next week went to 12 16 and am currently at 22ml and my phospates are still at .2 ish. and its been over a month so far no drop from the cabon and I also run gfo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don duncan Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 My best advise would be to run some rowa to lower phosphates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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