I have been to get algae under control in one of my tanks. decided to start vodka dosing. it has been seeming to start to work but in all info on adding vodka it says you need to check nitrates. well problem with that is I would test 0 no mater what from algae consuming them. so this is where the question starts. when should I stop increasing vodka. i know if i increase a dose to much i can cause a bloom. but what happens if i take small steps and am dosing to much. like say system would require 10 ml if their was no algae. but since nitrates are at 0 and can use that as a gauge what happens if i work all the way up to 20 ml. would over dosing just be wasteful or cause a problem.
carbon dosing
- Thread starter Jonny5s
- Start date
I'd max it at .03 ml of 80proof vodka per gallon of water volume and keep it there for a month or so before raising it further. Check PO4 and NO3 to see whether you want to go higher or lower. Most settle in at a dose around 0.03ml to 0.08ml per gallon of water volume but each tank is different.
MidwesternTexan
Average Joe
What a waste of even cheap Vodka ;-)
Have you heard of, and/or tried an Algae Turf Scrubber?
It's the real deal!
My once huge mass of chaeto was all given away once my ATS started doing it's thing.
Have you heard of, and/or tried an Algae Turf Scrubber?
It's the real deal!
My once huge mass of chaeto was all given away once my ATS started doing it's thing.
The heterotrophic bacteria need some phosphate and nitrogen to grow . Overdosing can lead to a buildup of organic carbon harmful to corals particularly when other nutrients are limiting. I would reduce the dose significantly and remove as much algae as I could . The algae may be pulling nutrients from rock or substrate or may be an oligotrophic( thrives in low nutrients) type.
.2ml per gallon is about 50 times the starting dose recommended( .1ml per 25 gallons or .004 per gallon) in the "Vodka Distilled" article,coauthored by Genectics, who posted in post #6, and 3.5 times the maintenance dose I settled on for a heavily fed system,ie, 40 ml for 650 gallons . For clarification : what is the water volume on your system and how much 80 proof vodka are you dosing?
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
Organic carbon dosing is a very effective way to manage the nutrient balance for organic carbon, nitrogen commonly seen in nitrate testing and inorganic phosphate) in an aquarium while enhancing the food web
This thread may also be of interest:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2134105&highlight=organic+carbon+dosing
The vodka isn't wasted at all . I've used algae refugia and algae turf scrubbers and have had the best success with organic carbon dosing for the last 7 years or so. A further discussion on turf scrubbers doesn't come under the topic of this thread so I'll refrain from it.
.2ml per gallon is about 50 times the starting dose recommended( .1ml per 25 gallons or .004 per gallon) in the "Vodka Distilled" article,coauthored by Genectics, who posted in post #6, and 3.5 times the maintenance dose I settled on for a heavily fed system,ie, 40 ml for 650 gallons . For clarification : what is the water volume on your system and how much 80 proof vodka are you dosing?
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
Organic carbon dosing is a very effective way to manage the nutrient balance for organic carbon, nitrogen commonly seen in nitrate testing and inorganic phosphate) in an aquarium while enhancing the food web
This thread may also be of interest:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2134105&highlight=organic+carbon+dosing
The vodka isn't wasted at all . I've used algae refugia and algae turf scrubbers and have had the best success with organic carbon dosing for the last 7 years or so. A further discussion on turf scrubbers doesn't come under the topic of this thread so I'll refrain from it.
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The nutrients you are trying to control with carbon dosing are nitrates and phosphates. The export tends to happen in a fixed ratio. So if you have no measurable nitrates, use your phosphate levels as a proxy for nutrients.
Also try getting a second opinion on your nitrates. Which test kit are you using? I like the salifert test kit for Nitrates and Hanna ULR Phosphorous for phosphate.
NoPOX have a chart for dosing based on both nitrate and phospate level, check that out for one data point, and watch your tank carefully. Over time you'll figure out a maintenance dose that works for you
-droog
Randy Farley experimented with upping and upping organic carbon levels to 2ml per gallon vinegar which is equivalent in organic carbon content to .25ml of 80 proof vodka in an effort to eliminate some algae. It didn't reduce the algae but the tank and anemones fared poorly leading him to reduce it significantly.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1813810&highlight=vinegar+limit
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1813810&highlight=vinegar+limit
Ok so the dose has more to do with amount if food than water amount. So if I were to be feeding 4 medium table shrimp every other day on a 90 gallon tank what the experienced vodka dosing guys think be a good amount? Honest numbers here guys. And keep in mind I have sloppy fish. Thanks for all the input guys
