Probiotics and carbon dosing presentation - questions for Murray

[ramsey]

I've started researching biopellets lately and have a question. Can you run them in a canister filter or would it not work as well as a reactor?

[murraycamp]

Canister filter would probably be ok, but you will get better surface/water contact with a reactor.

[ramsey]

Cool, I guess the TLF reactors are a cheap enough investment. One more question. I've heard people having problems when switching from running a fuge to carbon dosing. Any recommendations on making the switch? I was thinking about slowly dosing carbon and slowly phase out the fuge. Any other caveats?

[murraycamp]

Cool, I guess the TLF reactors are a cheap enough investment. One more question. I've heard people having problems when switching from running a fuge to carbon dosing. Any recommendations on making the switch? I was thinking about slowly dosing carbon and slowly phase out the fuge. Any other caveats?

I am unclear as to what problems you have heard about. Can you be more specific?

I assume you are referring to a refugium with macroalgae in it. I would leave the fuge operating. Once the nutrients decline to a certain level, you should see either inhibited growth in the algae or actual die off of the algae from lack of nutrients. In the latter instance, I would remove the algae once you start to see die off to prevent decomposition and attendant release of stored nutrients back into the system. Other than that, I am unaware of any incompatibility.

HTH

Murray

[stoneroller]

Or maybe issues with DSBs?

[ramsey]

Specifically, I've heard of PH/oxygen problems due to bacteria blooms. That's what I want to avoid.

[murraycamp]

Specifically, I've heard of PH/oxygen problems due to bacteria blooms. That's what I want to avoid.

That would be from overdosing of a labile organic carbon source. It's not necessarily directly related to extant filtration systems.

[txg8gxp]

How do you feel about dosing bacteria( MB7,etc. ) from time to time to control/add bacteria strains to bio pellets? Thanks.

[murraycamp]

How do you feel about dosing bacteria( MB7,etc. ) from time to time to control/add bacteria strains to bio pellets? Thanks.

The real issue is whether the specific species/strains in the inoculant are efficient at utilizing a given polymer. We just don't know. IME, Prodibio is a good inoculant for ethanol or VGV. The good commercial systems appear to have good inoculant/carbon source synergies. If you feel you need an inoculant, I would experiment.

HTH

Murray