Carbon source: dose or run pellets?

[jbdreefs]

Thinking about jumping on the carbon dosing train and I am curious to know if anyone is still running bio pellets? I haven't seen much discussion on these lately. I have a doser and I am considering using No3 Po4 X by Red Sea. Any advice or experience with both a reactor and/or a dosing regimen?

 

[1percula]

Pellets can be tricky. Might get cyano bloom if things get out of balance. I've given both a shot. Dosing seems to run better for me. Using auto dosing with vertex.

 

[lsu_fishfan]

1PERCULA;1027323 wrote: Pellets can be tricky. Might get cyano bloom if things get out of balance. I've given both a shot. Dosing seems to run better for me. Using auto dosing with vertex.

What causes cyano?
I am running the all in one biopellets for 4 months now and it has dropped the nitrates from 20+ ppm to around 3 ppm

 

[ralph atl]

I have tried almost every single carbon dosing known, from pellets, sulfur, VV, ect, and I have been dosing since 2006.

100 proof vodka is my all time favorite with an addition of Acro-power....

 

[jbdreefs]

Ralph , do you manually dose or use a doser?

 

[nickh06]

Im running biopellets with good results. Started with a small amount and I'm increasing slowly. Had a tiny cyano outbreak in sump but it went away within a week. Nitrates are 0-1ppm.

 

[declanisadog]

Vodka is the only thing I have experience with, and aside from aside from a couple bacterial blooms, it has been easy and works wonders.

 

[jbdreefs]

Ralph, would you mind telling us what you didn't like about the pellets and other forms of dosing (not specific for each, but in general terms)? What did you find as advantages of vodka over the other forms?

 

[jbdreefs]

Nick, what reactor are you using?

 

[nickh06]

JBDreefs;1027345 wrote: Nick, what reactor are you using?

Aquamaxx biomaxx, it works great too, very easy to setup and no clumping.

If you go this route, start slow with a small amount of pellets and give it time. Took about 4-5 weeks for the pellets to colonize. Also, make sure you plumb the reactor output right near or in your skimmer input so it can skim the excess bacteria/film.

 

[mikesmith34]

Manual dose vodka. Doser goes nuts and you have a problem. I agree with ral