Can vodka method kill SPS?

[Gen21]

Hi..

Im using in my reef tank the vodka method to low the nutrients on it... Im dosing around 1ml (0.5ml morning - 0.5ml night).. my reef is around 385gal. with around 45 SPS... but the past weekend I got something like a RTN in 80% of my SPS mostly Acroporas... but Im not sure if the RTN appeared for the use of vodka or overdosing...

What do you think about it?¿

Thanks.

 

[Henry Bowman]

1 - Check your alkalinity. SPS are very sensitive to changes in alk when moving to a Low Nutrient set up.

2. Back off a bit on the Vodka

 

[ginger7286]

I have been VD for about a year and it does help. Like Bowman stated back off on the vodka. You can hurt the SPS in the beginning. Start the vodka with low doses and gradually work the dosage up (dose the same amount for about a week then up your doesage). Keep track of your Alk and be patient.

 

[Gen21]

Hi Henry and ginger...

Thanks for your comments about this.. I can tell you that the past weekend my alk was 7.5dKh and I raised it up with bicarbonate at 8.3... and now it is on 9... Im gonna add only 0.5ml per day instead 1ml..

By now my SPS looks like "dry" tissue... and some are bleached... but Im not sure if I would stop to add the vodka for a while.

Thanks.

 

[Gen21]

Hello again...

Today I noticed that only my Acroporas has been affected... my Montis, Stylos, Seriatos and all my LPS still open and in very good condition...

What do you think about this?

 

[returnofsid]

I would closely look at your effected Acros for parasites, such as Acropora eating Flatworms.

 

[Gen21]

Hi returnofsid....

By now... I dont have any Acropora... all died... just one prostrata palmers survive but is now full brown and no more than 10% live...

So.. I dont think not survive parasites like AEFW or red bugs or something like that...

 

[NyReefNoob]

friend of mine tank was just wiped out of acro's no other sps effected but acro, we never could figure out the problem, whats the rest of your tank parms ? we believe it was bacterial but couldnt find anything else, copper, alk, ph, cal mag all were on point

 

[Gen21]

I think like you NyReefNoob...

Maybe this kind of "deseases" are a bacterial problem... because there arent other signs or something that you could notice that are bleaching the Acroporas...

The parameters of my tank are and were in good levels... only dkH at first dropped to 7... but this level still being unharmful...

Some little spikes on NO3 (no more than 5ppm)... no amm, no nitrites, Ca 450 to 480, Mg 1380 to 1400, no PO4, no Si, pH 8.0 - 8.2, I have no test for cooper but my Xenia still alive... so..thinking about the chemistry... it wasnt...

Regards.

 

[Aqua Keepers]

Let's not forget that when you first start to dose vodka that the water will get very clear fast allowing better light penetration that could shock corals. Could this be the prob?

 

[MrPike]

I might be inclined to blame the vodka if you were at one time dosing a significant amount, then abruptly stopped dosing. It seems to me the increased bacteria population might then look for another carbon rich source, like your organic carbon rich coral slime on acroporas.

 

[tmz]

1 ml per day for 385 gallons isn't very much at all.

 

[Garage1217]

I highly doubt the vodka, I have over 65 SPS species in around 100G total water volume and dose 8ml a day in one shot every evening for a LONG time now.