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Several people have been kind enough (@Coxey81 and @sixty_reefer) to do a couple experiments and comment (@Lasse, @Dan_P, @taricha) on the effects of freshwater and scrubbing live rock on nitrifying capacity (whether by bacteria, algae or both). These experiments are meant to repeat and extend those experiments.
Goals:
1. Validate (or not) the results of @Coxey81 - which showed that after freshwater scrub/rinse that the nitrifying ability of rock originally from a dark sump area in a cycled tank loses about 80% of ammonia removal after freshwater rinse and scrub.
2. Validate (or not) the results of @sixty_reefer - which showed that after freshwater soaking for multiple minutes affected the nitrifying ability as well - His rock was exposed to light, had algae, and was from a lit tank - but only lost about 50 % of ammonia removal capacity
3. Evaluate Nitrite, Nitrate as well. Evaluate changes in Phosphate during testing.
4. Is there a change in ammonia removing ability between using 'saltwater rinse and scrub' and 'freshwater rinse and scrub'.
5. EDIT - Try to determine whether the tank and equipment (without rock) contain significant nitrification ability (in the dark)
Tank Parameters:
1. 1 lb rock/gallon.
2. 78 degrees.
3. pH - constant based on where salt mixes with RODI. Using Brightwell Marine.
4. Flow via marineland powerhead.
5. Salinity at 1.026 - maintained with Top off as needed with RODI.
Experiment(s):
1. Repeat @Coxey81's experiment
Step 1. Set up tank, add rock to 1 lb (or so) per gallon, heat to 78 degrees. add powerhead. (rock has been in dark sump - high flow area for >5 years)
2. Add 4 drops Dr. Tims (per instructions - as Coxey did) - which resulted in a high ammonia level - but - according to Dr. Tim's instructions should not cause a problem.
3. See if ammonia is processed in 24 hours.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the ammonia is processed in 24 hours. IF repeated steps are needed I PLAN (Comments?) to dose water containing 2 ppm ammonia (measured before adding to tank)
5. Hereafter is where things will change (a little) - After the tank/rock can process 2 ppm ammonia in 24 hours (rinsed tank between uses) - will do the same RINSE (BUT IN SALTWATER) as @Coxey81 - which I believe was a soak in water, followed by scrubbing and rinsing for 1-3 minutes.
6. Then - I will again check to see if 2 ppm ammonia can be processed in 24 hours. If so - I will repeat step 5 - using FRESH water (tank temp) per the same protocol.
7. If after step 5 or 6, ammonia is not processed in 24 hours, will continue every 12 hour testing until it is processed.
8. At this point - re-verify if 2 ppm ammonia can be processed.
EDIT - 9. Then remove the rock, add 2 ppm ammonia and determine how long it will take to process ammonia.
After this I think I will take some old rock covered with various 'stuff' from the lit tank - and repeat the 2 experiments above - which will hopefully document @sixty_reefer's experiment.
I am going to try to borrow a seneye if possible.
I will use API tests to measure ammonia - along with another one. I will purchase 2 separate kits - to check for any errors.
I will also measure ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH daily or 2x day depending on where we are in the experiment.
po4 will be measured at the beginning and end of each experiment.
Goals:
1. Validate (or not) the results of @Coxey81 - which showed that after freshwater scrub/rinse that the nitrifying ability of rock originally from a dark sump area in a cycled tank loses about 80% of ammonia removal after freshwater rinse and scrub.
2. Validate (or not) the results of @sixty_reefer - which showed that after freshwater soaking for multiple minutes affected the nitrifying ability as well - His rock was exposed to light, had algae, and was from a lit tank - but only lost about 50 % of ammonia removal capacity
3. Evaluate Nitrite, Nitrate as well. Evaluate changes in Phosphate during testing.
4. Is there a change in ammonia removing ability between using 'saltwater rinse and scrub' and 'freshwater rinse and scrub'.
5. EDIT - Try to determine whether the tank and equipment (without rock) contain significant nitrification ability (in the dark)
Tank Parameters:
1. 1 lb rock/gallon.
2. 78 degrees.
3. pH - constant based on where salt mixes with RODI. Using Brightwell Marine.
4. Flow via marineland powerhead.
5. Salinity at 1.026 - maintained with Top off as needed with RODI.
Experiment(s):
1. Repeat @Coxey81's experiment
Step 1. Set up tank, add rock to 1 lb (or so) per gallon, heat to 78 degrees. add powerhead. (rock has been in dark sump - high flow area for >5 years)
2. Add 4 drops Dr. Tims (per instructions - as Coxey did) - which resulted in a high ammonia level - but - according to Dr. Tim's instructions should not cause a problem.
3. See if ammonia is processed in 24 hours.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the ammonia is processed in 24 hours. IF repeated steps are needed I PLAN (Comments?) to dose water containing 2 ppm ammonia (measured before adding to tank)
5. Hereafter is where things will change (a little) - After the tank/rock can process 2 ppm ammonia in 24 hours (rinsed tank between uses) - will do the same RINSE (BUT IN SALTWATER) as @Coxey81 - which I believe was a soak in water, followed by scrubbing and rinsing for 1-3 minutes.
6. Then - I will again check to see if 2 ppm ammonia can be processed in 24 hours. If so - I will repeat step 5 - using FRESH water (tank temp) per the same protocol.
7. If after step 5 or 6, ammonia is not processed in 24 hours, will continue every 12 hour testing until it is processed.
8. At this point - re-verify if 2 ppm ammonia can be processed.
EDIT - 9. Then remove the rock, add 2 ppm ammonia and determine how long it will take to process ammonia.
After this I think I will take some old rock covered with various 'stuff' from the lit tank - and repeat the 2 experiments above - which will hopefully document @sixty_reefer's experiment.
I am going to try to borrow a seneye if possible.
I will use API tests to measure ammonia - along with another one. I will purchase 2 separate kits - to check for any errors.
I will also measure ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH daily or 2x day depending on where we are in the experiment.
po4 will be measured at the beginning and end of each experiment.
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