Tell me why I shouldn’t carbon dose

[immo]

So. I have a Deskmate (4.8 gallon) that I have had set up coming up on 4 months. I know that this is generally considered “too early” to carbon dose. As a new reefer I don’t really understand why that is. My no3 runs 40-50 per week before my roughly 50% water change (my math assumes a 20 ppm nitrate after water change). I want to reduce my water change, but I’m not opposed to continuing what I’m doing currently. Nonetheless my phosphate stays pretty constant at 0.03 and I was running a phosguard packet, and have just switched it out for the chemipure blue nano, and I’m running a reef glass skimmer with a very wet skim mate (I’m not getting much removed in my skim mate I do not believe, it is only very slightly green). The tank only has a small clown fish, but a fair amount of corals - a small acan colony (10-12 heads guessing) 2 lepto frags, a cyphastrea frag, a ricordea, a Rhodactis, 4 heads of candy cane, and a gsp on the back wall. I know that I’m going to be told that I shouldn’t carbon dose, and it’s not that I disagree, I just don’t understand why, or what else I can do to reduce my nitrate increase weekly. I have a fair amount of rock for the size of tank, and more bio media in the back, so I do not see that as being a limiting factor. Thoughts?

 

[arking_mark]

Sure. Dose carbon...it should reduce nitrate.

 

[Spare time]

Seems kinda risky given how little is needed to start a bacterial bloom. However, that may not be an issue.

 

[immo]

Seems kinda risky and pointless on such a small tank.

I understand it’s risky. But why? I don’t understand the reasoning behind it. Will my skimmer do well enough? Is it a measurement and accuracy issue with the LC?

 

[liddojunior]

How often and how clean is your filter sock? If you aren’t changing it all the time and giving it a good cleaning that’s probably the source

 

[immo]

Sure. Dose carbon...it should reduce nitrate.

White vinegar? Start below 1 mL/day?

 

[immo]

How often and how clean is your filter sock? If you aren’t changing it all the time and giving it a good cleaning that’s probably the source

I run floss. Change it every 2-3 days.

 

[Spare time]

I understand it’s risky. But why? I don’t understand the reasoning behind it. Will my skimmer do well enough? Is it a measurement and accuracy issue with the LC?

Just since a small tank is easy to overdose when carbon dosing.

 

[Spare time]

I run floss. Change it every 2-3 days.

If you get a pad and rinse it once a day, that might help too

 

[liddojunior]

Honestly with the skimmer, the chemiblue, weekly water change, and consistent floss changing I would be expecting you to be adding nutrients!
You shouldn’t really have to dose anything in a nano.
I do monthly water changes on my 10 gallon. And have a hard time getting higher than 10 ppm nitrates.

Honestly don’t do a water change for an extra week and monitor your nitrates. And then water change every 2 weeks if nitrates don’t go higher. You can have and it sounds like it’s working , nitrates at that level.
Edit: And if you want to go longer do the same process by adding a week and monitor values. But gradually change the water change schedule otherwise you might stress corals

 

[immo]

Just since a small tank is easy to overdose when carbon dosing.

Would reducing the LC mixture via RODI be a good option to reduce the risk of an overdose?

 

[Spare time]

Would reducing the LC mixture via RODI be a good option to reduce the risk of an overdose?

I just think starting at the lowest dose would be good. I think a glass dropper would be great for this since you can increase the dosage by tiny amounts.

Have you thought about trying to put macroalgae in the display? That might be fun

 

[immo]

Honestly with the skimmer, the chemiblue, weekly water change, and consistent floss changing I would be expecting you to be adding nutrients!
You shouldn’t really have to dose anything in a nano.
I do monthly water changes on my 10 gallon. And have a hard time getting higher than 10 ppm nitrates.

Honestly don’t do a water change for an extra week and monitor your nitrates. And then water change every 2 weeks if nitrates don’t go higher. You can have and it sounds like it’s working , nitrates at that level.
Edit: And if you want to go longer do the same process by adding a week and monitor values. But gradually change the water change schedule otherwise you might stress corals

I wish I were having to add nutrients. But it just isn’t the case. I may try extending the water changes but I hate to , considering I’m using a Red Sea test kit and the resolution maxes out at 50.

Everything seems happy aside from the moody BTA that I forgot to mention.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Would reducing the LC mixture via RODI be a good option to reduce the risk of an overdose?

Why are you looking at LC for nitrates?

I agree with the others that dosing (anything) on a new 4 gallon tank is pointless. Water changes should be simple and sufficient.

 

[immo]

I just think starting at the lowest dose would be good. I think a glass dropper would be great for this since you can increase the dosage by tiny amounts.

Have you thought about trying to put macroalgae in the display? That might be fun

I have deeply considered adding dragons breath, especially considering I run a fuge in my IM 15. Just unsure how much it would help as I wouldn’t want to pack it out with macro.

 

[jabberwock]

I believe that most of the time, adding things to your system is not the right choice. I suggest daily micro water changes. Every day, 1 red cup (16 oz) out, and 1 red cup of new saltwater in.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I wish I were having to add nutrients. But it just isn’t the case. I may try extending the water changes but I hate to , considering I’m using a Red Sea test kit and the resolution maxes out at 50.

Everything seems happy aside from the moody BTA that I forgot to mention.

Lps like higher nitrates and do well even around 100. Your tank is still finding balance. If you want to go full-on dosing (with later dosing to correct what the original dosing messed up), go for it. It's just not necessary IMO.

Also, if you're carbon dosing in such a small container, do be prepared for bacterial blooms and remedies for keeping your livestock from suffocating...

 

[immo]

Why are you looking at LC for nitrates?

I agree with the others that dosing (anything) on a new 4 gallon tank is pointless. Water changes should be simple and sufficient.

I want to reduce my nitrates. I’m not opposed to continuing 50% water changes. I would like to get to 25% weekly or biweekly. I may be rushing it. I don’t have the experience to cipher which direction I should go, hence why I’m looking for advice.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I want to reduce my nitrates. I’m not opposed to continuing 50% water changes. I would like to get to 25% weekly or biweekly. I may be rushing it. I don’t have the experience to cipher which direction I should go, hence why I’m looking for advice.

LC does not reduce nitrates!
(Lanthanum chloride)

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I want to reduce my nitrates. I’m not opposed to continuing 50% water changes. I would like to get to 25% weekly or biweekly. I may be rushing it. I don’t have the experience to cipher which direction I should go, hence why I’m looking for advice.

Feed less?