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Unread 11/06/2011, 10:47 PM   #11
tmz
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: West Seneca NY
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The reactor is a low oxygen and ultimately a low nitrate environment with low flow. Organic carbon will get in there from miscible carbon sources like vodka and vinegar and fuel sulfate reducing bacteria and hydrogen sulfide as a by product once the nitrate feeding the reactor is used up,ime. This may be worse when argonite media is also added giving more potential anoxic zones.
Once the nitrate in the tank NO3 hits 0 contiumed use of the reactor along with dosing organic carbon will lead to an organic carbon buildup with no N for the bacteria that consume the carbon along with N and P to use.
A bit of time overlapping the two methods,ie ,a sulfur dentrator and orgnic carbon dosing. may be ok but long term I'd choose one or the other. Organic carbon dosing has the advantage,imo since it reduces some PO4 as well as NO3.


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Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.
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