Live Rock/Heterotrophic Bacteria/Carbon Dosing

[Spectre2006]

The new thing on the scene seems to be carbon dosing in different forms, whether fixed form in terms of pellets or liquid form. If you have enough live rock, wouldn't the rock itself act as the media for bacterial growth and nutrient export through skimming? If provided with a liquid carbon source, isn't the surface porous nature of live rock be a greater surface area then the pellets in a reactor?

Water circulation would be key for nutrient exchange through live rock. A reactor and pellets would be redundant. Unless the aquarist wanted to avoid a liquid form of carbon, water clarity might be effected.

[noahlito]

Ive set up a tank before where all i used was live rock but u need a ton of it. At least 1.5lbs per gallon. The purpose for carbon dosing is when u have to much live stock, u over feed ur tank, u have chemical warfare from softies, u want ur tank sup clean or all or some of the options said. Im carbon dosing with vodka and a carbon reactor because of all of the above said.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, live rock provides a lot of surface area. So does GAC which is where I get substantial bacterial growth.

Pellets provide both the food and the surface. The original intent was to completely localize the organic to prevent cyano or other bacterial growth anywhere else in the system. if true, that could be a big plus for pellets. It seems to not hold up in real use that way, however, and I prefer liquid organic dosing (vinegar) for a variety of reasons.