Dosing Vinegar

[gatoralum69]

Using natural resources provide diminishing returns as you need to have a very large refugium or amount of macro algae to equal what carbon dosing provides.


With your vinegar dosing, please remember that GFO will inhibit bacterial growth of the system and needs to be removed/ramped down with dosing. Also consider balancing your additive. Vodka/Sugar/Vinegar for example

Sorry will have to disagree there. If you can get macro algae to export your nutrients, as it grows due to this it becomes food for your fish such as tangs etc. I have tried carbon dosing before and had great results at first, but one mistep and you are looking at bacteria bloom, cyano outbreak, etc. All of which I went through.

 

[Biggar]

Mandy, I have been running a refugium with great results. I can grow a cheato ball the from a baseball to basket ball in couple months.

Its still not enough export.

I know I can get where I need to be with more water changes and I think that may be what im going to do. I do 20% every 3 weeks.

In the mean time- Im dosing very little vinegar to see what happens. Every system is different, lets see how mine reacts.

 

[gatoralum69]

Mandy, I have been running a refugium with great results. I can grow a cheato ball the from a baseball to basket ball in couple months.

Its still not enough export.

I know I can get where I need to be with more water changes and I think that may be what im going to do. I do 20% every 3 weeks.

In the mean time- Im dosing very little vinegar to see what happens. Every system is different, lets see how mine reacts.

Mike what I was referring to was trying different types of macro algae What I mean is maybe some combination will eventually get you to where you want and at the same time feed the fish For instance I have added graciella and ulva to my refugium now. Will see if it grows and if it does at least I can feed that to the fish when it gets too large...btw I have seen the way your fish like veggies and i am SURE they will appreciate it

 

[Biggar]

Mike what I was referring to was trying different types of macro algae What I mean is maybe some combination will eventually get you to where you want and at the same time feed the fish For instance I have added graciella and ulva to my refugium now. Will see if it grows and if it does at least I can feed that to the fish when it gets too large...btw I have seen the way your fish like veggies and i am SURE they will appreciate it

Gotcha ( :

I have been growing Dragon's Tongue Macro too.

Its beautiful, but slower grower. Wish my fish didnt find it so tasty.

 

[gatoralum69]

I will let you know how Ulva does. I have read alot that it exports lots of nutrients just as cheato does and requires less light but more flow.

 

[Joshporksandwic]

I will let you know how Ulva does. I have read alot that it exports lots of nutrients just as cheato does and requires less light but more flow.

Ulva is thin and goes through the baffles unless you have sponge. Be careful because if it reaches your return pump you will have the happiest tangs in the world

 

[gatoralum69]

Yup...I put it in middle section behind all the cheato..and I have net installed on my PVC tube before it hits the bulkhead connected to return pump Also planning to load up that last section with rocks for more bacateria surface area.

 

[Biggar]

One thing i noticed after dosing vinegar is this milli started exploding with new growth all over and polyp extension on the tips are very long. Still at 30mls a day. Ready to kick it up to 40 soon.

Coincidence?

 

[marke]

Has the v dosing reduced your nitrates? What test hit do u use for no4

 

[FoxInSox]

Have you completed any reading about combining carbon sources for a more complete system? Vodka and sugar as well?

When I started dosing three years ago, I found it to be a solution quite exemplary in comparison to chemical methods or general nutrient export via scrubbers, refugia, etc.

 

[Biggar]

Has the v dosing reduced your nitrates? What test hit do u use for no4

Mark, I use salifert. Nitrates have not went down yet. Currently 5-8ppm

But...... they have not went up ( :

Have you completed any reading about combining carbon sources for a more complete system? Vodka and sugar as well?

When I started dosing three years ago, I found it to be a solution quite exemplary in comparison to chemical methods or general nutrient export via scrubbers, refugia, etc.

I use a refugium with cheato and also GFO. I have tried biopellets too in past.

If vinegar works, it will be very cheap and easy.

 

[Biggar]

Been running vinegar about 6-7 weeks now. 50 mls per day.

Nitrates are down to 3ppm, despite me feeding fish about 2x what I used too.

 

[S13<3]

You are using regular distilled white vinegar correct?

 

[Biggar]

You are using regular distilled white vinegar correct?

Yes.... white 5%.

Here is a really good read from TOTM winner who has being using a vodka vinegar mix for over 4 years.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2134105

 

[Biggar]

Very Interesting Facts

Very Interesting Facts

You can actually mix both vodka and vinegar in same container per randy farley.

Something else interesting. If one used a super high dose. 1ml per gallon vinegar, this would only drop your ph by .3

The average dose is .25-.5ml per gallon daily. So, I figure PH would only drop about .1

So, no worries:thumbsup:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2161090

 

[Gillguy]

Mike, I've been dosing vodka for five years and swear by it. Might go ahead and also dose vinegar at the same time to experiment. Thanks for the link to the thread. It's really informative. Oh BTW, the chaeto and Hydnophora frag have taken off. The milli however is alive and healthy but a slow grower.

 

[Biggar]

Mike, I've been dosing vodka for five years and swear by it. Might go ahead and also dose vinegar at the same time to experiment. Thanks for the link to the thread. It's really informative. Oh BTW, the chaeto and Hydnophora frag have taken off. The milli however is alive and healthy but a slow grower.

Yea, loved that thread, one of the best i have read.

I may start to do a mixture of both myself. Some claimed vodka can cause cyano, so im just letting the vinegar do the work for a few months. Did you get cyano?

Glad to hear they are doing well. My millis are stubborn growers too. Except the red one i posted. Between the romaine lettace and vinegar, i might as well just throw salads in the tank :lmao:

 

[Gillguy]

Yea, loved that thread, one of the best i have read.

I may start to do a mixture of both myself. Some claimed vodka can cause cyano, so im just letting the vinegar do the work for a few months. Did you get cyano?

Glad to hear they are doing well. My millis are stubborn growers too. Except the red one i posted. Between the romaine lettace and vinegar, i might as well just throw salads in the tank :lmao:

I followed the measurements recommended by Randy Holmes-Farley of increasing .5ml a week and did get some cyano in week four. I did a lot of wet skimming and had to do some manual removal but by week seven the cyano was gone. I stuck with the plan and kept increasing the dosage until week twenty which I was dosing 12ml. That's when nitrates and phosphates were steady at zero. I cut back on the dosage to 8ml daily and have continued ever since. If I try the vinegar I'll cut back on the vodka.

 

[AquamanE]

Mike- i just re read this whole thread. Ive been keeping reef tanks for over 20 years. and have never had to use methods other than the simple, and basic ones.

Im not against carbon dosing as many have had great success with it BUT: have you tried the basic and truly tested methods of 30% water changes, GFO and carbon first.?

Again im not opposed to their methods but you seem to just want to continue following the latest craze as opposed to following true methods proven for decades.

Biopellets came and went, carbon dosing is also a newonce. Not an unworthy one imho but only after the true and proved methods have succumb.

Youve seen my tank. All i do is regulat water changes and gfo, and carbon, PERIOD.

 

[Gillguy]

Mike- i just re read this whole thread. Ive been keeping reef tanks for over 20 years. and have never had to use methods other than the simple, and basic ones.

Im not against carbon dosing as many have had great success with it BUT: have you tried the basic and truly tested methods of 30% water changes, GFO and carbon first.?

Again im not opposed to their methods but you seem to just want to continue following the latest craze as opposed to following true methods proven for decades.

Biopellets came and went, carbon dosing is also a newonce. Not an unworthy one imho but only after the true and proved methods have succumb.

Youve seen my tank. All i do is regulat water changes and gfo, and carbon, PERIOD.

Eddie,
I respect your opinion and you are right. Most important is water changes, gfo and carbon along with keeping parameters in check. However, some tanks need more than others because every tank is unique. We all have different equipment, lighting, fish, corals, sand, circulation, and so on. That's why some people can grow certain corals and others can't. For my tank I tried doing what you mentioned and the tank was fine but not what I wanted. The vodka dosing did it for my tank. It might not work for others. There is nothing wrong with trying something new as long as there is scientific research behind it and not some company or manufacture pushing a new fad or product. I would have never tried vodka dosing if Holmes-Farley had not mentioned that it works for some tanks and dosing vodka/vinegar has actually been around for a while. The hobby is still evolving and I agree that some of the stuff being pushed is not needed. Believe me, my tank is as simple as it comes. I have not succomed to all the gadgets out there. I'm not against them I just feel people are spending way to much money on things they can do with a little manual labor.