Anyone local dose vodka/sugar?

vietcu

vietcu

New member
Having a cyano outbreak in my tank, and trying to figure out how to get rid of it. Have already done the other methods of ridding cyano with little signs of success. I have been reading into this dosing with vodka or sugar method and was wondering if anyone local have done this method? If you have could you share experience and what amount you dose please. My tank is pretty clean, no algae forming in it at all. The only algae I get is on the glass, but cyano is continuing to thrive in my tank. Have already done the 3-day no lights trick, added gfo, carbon, water change, feed every other day (small portions), and lights are not on more than 8 hours a day. Talking about this problem in the discussion forum, but curious what you local guys have done.
 
do you run any kind of UV sterilizer ?? could help in controlling some of that i would think ,,, get a hold of tolo13 (i think) it is in this forum ,,i know he does the vodka thing every day in his AWESOME 265 ,,, he works at Salty Critter also ,,,real smart cat with this saltwater game we all play .... he might have some useful tips on controlling that stuff for you .

Murph
 
I was thinking about going with a UV sterlizer, but was kind of hoping to stay away from more equipments. But have also seen that some people run UV and they still get the stuff. I will try to message tolo and see what he says.
 
i had a huge cyno problem for a long while and now theres no trace of anything, it comes and goes. if your tank is new then you will have some, if you don't use ro/di water then the phos with cause cyno. you can either get a phosephate reactor or get a phos sponge with some white powder from rms. that white power does wonders in under two days it rids cyno.
 
I know fambrough is dosing Vodka right now, you can ask him about the process.

I've used a product (if you're interested, PM me and I'll look for the name) that got rid of cyano in one day. It did not deplete my talk of oxygen, nor did it hurt any of my livestock. I used it on my 34. One day the tank was covered, the next day, none.

Of course you still want to corrent the high phosphate issue.
 
vietcu,

I'm not the only around here dosing vodka. There are a few others. I'm not sure it's the answer for you. I dose specifically for a high nitrate issue. And, after almost two months of dosing, am still in the experimental stage. I do not have a cyano issue. And, like you, I do not have a nuisance algae problem. Lucky us! I'm dosing vodka to stimulate bacterial growth, which, theoretically, will consume nitrates and be removed by active skimming. You've probably already found the recommended dosing scheme, if you've done the requisite reading. If not, read this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
It outlines in great detail how to calculate your dosage, schedule the incremental increases and find your proper maintenance dose.

You're welcome to send me a PM, if you have any specific questions about my case.

Best of luck.
 
Vodka can feed cyano. I dose a few bottles of vodka or the corse of a few months. when I did I got cyano when I stopped it went away. I dosed it for a different reason then most, I did it to feed nonphoto corals. It was like clock work though start dosing ...3 days later cyano.
and the more I continued the more cyano I got. At the time though I delt with it as there's not really any information out there on care of dyndro's and vodka seemed to work.

If you want to get rid of cyano, vodka is not the answer. time, water changes and changing the flow in the tank is a good start.
Erik
 
I dose Vodka/Sugar in my wives LPS/Softie 24G nanocube & Zeovit in my 29G SPS tank.


If you cyano becomes so bad you can dose chemiclean without harming your corals. Lots of people will tell you this isnt a solution but a bandade. They are correct, but its a usefull tool to fix a proble temporarily if it becomes too large so you can research the cause of the problem.

If you have any questions about vodka/sugar method methond i'd be happy to help.
 
Cyano isn't really that bad right now after the 3 days no light, but it is coming back slowly everyday. Started the vodka/sugar treatment to see what will happen. I have already done everything imaginable other than this two methods so figured mind as well try. What I have noticed though is that the cyano first appears on the new LR that I acquired from someone who said they had to battle algae outbreak in their tank. The LR that has been in my tank would never get the cyano on them. Is it a possability that the cyano is seeping out from the new LR??
 
If you do some research about vodka and cyano, you will find the strain of bacteria bloom that vodka makes Cyan bacteria uses that for food.

The live rock is most likely Leaching phosphates. Old live rock collects all the Dirt and fish poop. Detritus. If you shake the rock hard, Dust will most likely come out.
 
I like the vodka method because its great if you dont have room for a large refugium or operate sumpless like i do in my biocube.

Just one big rule with Vodka or Zeovit Make sure you run a good skimmer. All bacteria driven systems deprive the tank of oxygen and if the skimmer cant keep up you'll suffocate your fish and or coral. Besides a bacteria system pulls alot more skimmate than normal.
 
Vodka is a carbon source the bacteria feed off of the carbon source and get remove via a good skimmer' that is a must. I you dose too much you just feeding your bacteria.
 
ChrisKirkland
That cyano bacteria in your avatar pic, Thats the same stuff Vodka feeds.

Our corals will also feed on this bacteria. Nonphoto corals especially.
Vodka isn't a cure for Cyanobacteria though. It makes it worse.
You need a good skimmer to remove the extra waste associated with Vodka use, not to add extra oxygen to your tank.
 
If it's 3 olives vodka, I found no cyano in my system.....stomach that is....
I've used ulta life red slime remover with sucess in my new system....it turned the water a bit yellow the first day....but on the third day after using it once...i vacuumed what was on the rock and gravel and it went away...
 
Kregger, I politely dissagree with you about the need for with oxygen. Your right that zeovit and vodka methods put out more skimate because of the over abundance of bacteria. But I run zeovit on my tank and vodka on my wifes tank and her entire tank suffocated because the skimmer stopped one day.

But in my experience bacteria systems are great if you can't setup a large fuge. Just make sure you have a large reliable skimmer.
 
I was just saying the skimmer isn't used to add the oxygen, the bigger skimmer is used to remove the extra waste. Surface movement creates more air in the tank then your skimmer does :)

I'd have to disagree that her tank sufficated because the skimmer was off, Unless there was really no surface movement in the tank. It was the waste bacteria levels in the tank were to high causing the issues. A large skimmer removes them quickly.

If you look at it like this, Does the cost out way the possible side effects by using it? Would people risk there tanks adding vodka to feed/help lower nitrates at the risk of lowering the oxygen levels so low that it kills the tank? I know I sure wouldn't. If your using Vodka to lower your high nitrate levels your just masking the problem IMO.
Fix whats wrong with your system and you won't have to use a bandaid fix like Vodka.
If your having high nitrate levels, using Vodka will help, once the tank gets to a safe level Look at what caused the issue.
To much feeding? Over stocked tank? Old sand bed? Poor skimmer? To many big fish? Still using bio balls? There's endless possibilities but to have long term success Masking problems with a quick fix doesn't work ..IMO


When I dosed vodka I used the cheap stuff Colonial Club, Due to the higher level of Ethanol in it. Theres lots of good threads on how to use vodka in closed systems. I found that I used 10 m/l a day gave me the right "Feeding" response I wanted from my corals.
 
Last edited:
Here is an update to my Vodka/sugar dosing result. Right now it is still too early to co to a conclusion, but I have noticed my cyano's growth slowed quite a bit. There is still cyano in my tank, but it is not growing at a pace that it was growing before. Thats my observation so far, but I have only been doing this a week so its still too early to tell.
 
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