Is anyone dosing with Vitamin C
- Thread starter moatdaddy
- Start date
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I keep an open mind and I'd love for someone to prove dosing vit. C does something significant for their reef aquarium.
cardiffgiant
Active member
I thought about trying it, but my understanding is that you can't premix it and automate dosing. With my travel schedule, that's pretty much a show stopper for any type of maintenance in my system.
Dave VG
New member
I like to keep an open mind as well and have read a couple of threads on this. Some say it works and some very experienced reefers have had bad results from using it. And no one has come up with any rock solid proof that it works or a set in stone dosing schedule. I’m not saying it doesn’t work but I’m not taken a chance until it is proven to at least not do damage. I have been keeping an eye on this subject in other forums here on RC and elsewhere on the net.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
jmo
jmo
a lot of these people dosing vitamin C don't even have a low range PO4 kit or test for Mg.
There are better things to spend your money on than vitamin C!
jmo
a lot of these people dosing vitamin C don't even have a low range PO4 kit or test for Mg.
There are better things to spend your money on than vitamin C!
Dave VG
New member
Jeff
Premium Member
Hello from Chicago!! Lots of conjecture and opinions on Vitamin C but there always are when new technologies and habits are introduced. I am a friend of Pufferpunk's, the lady that took the initial VC dosing and ran with it. I ran VC for 3 years along with her and we tested it unscientifically and made up a dosing program that suited our needs. It worked great for us. Our coral and fish health improved and out nutrients dropped to nothing while dosing. I went on and off VC dosing a few times over the three years and always noticed an increase in nutrients and decrease in coral health while off it. I have a couple corals that are good indicators of water quality and overall stability in the tank. I used those to guide my dosing and see changes when on and off VC.
I believe in carbon dosing and have stopped dosing VC and started a solid pellet reactor which seems to do the same thing for my tank. I placed a frag in my tank two seeks ago covered in hair algae. It's almost gone now and never spread to other parts of the tank.
Pufferpunk and I are not scientists but open minded hobbyists. I am a skeptic by nature. We tried it, it worked for us. The pellet reactor is much more hands-off for me.
Carbon dosing basics=Grow beneficial bacteria in your tank, feed the bacteria with a carbon source, the bacteria population explodes, you skim out the bacteria that has gorged itself on nutrients and a carbon source.
It's not for everyone.
I believe in carbon dosing and have stopped dosing VC and started a solid pellet reactor which seems to do the same thing for my tank. I placed a frag in my tank two seeks ago covered in hair algae. It's almost gone now and never spread to other parts of the tank.
Pufferpunk and I are not scientists but open minded hobbyists. I am a skeptic by nature. We tried it, it worked for us. The pellet reactor is much more hands-off for me.
Carbon dosing basics=Grow beneficial bacteria in your tank, feed the bacteria with a carbon source, the bacteria population explodes, you skim out the bacteria that has gorged itself on nutrients and a carbon source.
It's not for everyone.
Capt_Cully
Active member
I have tried it, and weather it was the power of suggestion or actually working, I don't know, but, certain zoos did seem to open fuller and replicate faster. Once dosing was discontinued, the observed results declined. But, I wasn't testing all parameters so the variables were countless, and certainly unscientific.
Jeff, when you say, "coral and fish health improved" what are you basing this on? Appearance alone? Not being confrontational, just inquiring. I read about the various, extensive trials of VC dosing on the zoanthid forum. It was a huge thread.
Vodka dosing is another avenue that is extensively discussed on RC and Reef Keeping mag. Is that a method you've employed in the past? I'm not familiar with carbon pellet doser, could you link to an example?
Thanks!
Jeff, when you say, "coral and fish health improved" what are you basing this on? Appearance alone? Not being confrontational, just inquiring. I read about the various, extensive trials of VC dosing on the zoanthid forum. It was a huge thread.
Vodka dosing is another avenue that is extensively discussed on RC and Reef Keeping mag. Is that a method you've employed in the past? I'm not familiar with carbon pellet doser, could you link to an example?
Thanks!
Jeff
Premium Member
I dosed sugar in the past and it worked well on nutrients. The VC worked better in my opinion. Not sure why, it just seemed to keep things nice and stable.
As far as the coral and fish improvements, I have a couple corals that I use as indicators as to overall tank health. I have a Tyree Toadstool, a Maxima Clam and some Orange Bam Bams that I use in this regard. I'm not sure why but those three things close up if things are off even a little. They tend to do it in unison so I think that there is some kind of correlation with them. Not very scientific but it works for me. If things are stable for a month with no temperature swings and constant water changes along with carbon dosing, I see brighter colors and better growth. As far as fish health, they just seemed healthier, colors were better. I had tons of black striations on a blue tang that came out when it was healthy and happy.
As far as vodka, suager and VC, they are a daily thing. The reactor is a one time thing that needs adjustment every 6 months or so.
This is the big thread about solid pellet dosing: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1694529
It's actually getting outdated. More and more companies are making reactors and pellets.
moatdaddy
New member
From what i read on the huge thread and what im seeing is repeated here by the CPT and jeff if that there was some improvements to some corals. that it helps the system but is a pain in the arse to keep up with.
Solid evidence for me would be someone dosing with no other changes and posting before and after pics and results.
I document everything in a journal and photo the tank and corals often. Since i have the time and love the hobby i will do it for this as well.
Solid evidence for me would be someone dosing with no other changes and posting before and after pics and results.
I document everything in a journal and photo the tank and corals often. Since i have the time and love the hobby i will do it for this as well.
Capt_Cully
Active member
Thanks Jeff. Were you using pure powdered sodium ascorbate or some other version of VC?
Jeff
Premium Member
I used the one in that long thread. It's buffered sodium ascorbate. The other ones including the pills will lower your ph.
Jeff
Premium Member
Here is the guide. I wrote it for Puffy a year ago and she uses it in her VC thread:
VITAMIN C DOSING CHART
Here are the directions:
Use this product:
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=10178&at=0
$5 off coupon code: LUL789
To figure out how much to use, decide if you want to simply improve coral growth, spread, and color. If so, then you should dose around 5 ppm twice daily (down to 2-3 ppm works also). If you are having problems with coral or fish health, dose up to around 30 ppm twice daily.
Calculate the total net number of gallons in your tank (minus rocks, sand, etc). Enter that number here ______.
You will now need to do a little math. The amounts below are for 100 gallons of water so if you have 50 net gallons, cut the amounts shown below in half etc.
Dosing amounts using Iherb product:
1/4 tsp=1112 mg.
For every 100 gallons:
5 ppm ----- 1892 mg VC
10 ppm ---- 3785 mg VC
15 ppm ---- 5677 mg VC
20 ppm ---- 7570 mg VC
25 ppm ---- 9462 mg VC
30 ppm ---- 11355 mg VC
After you have figured out how much you want to dose at each dosing, enter that number here _____. This is your dose to be used twice a day.
Notes:
*Be sure your pH and alk are within normal reef limits before starting. Adjust if needed. Monitor weekly.
*Shoot for a ppm of around 5 or lower if only dosing for improved coral growth, coloration, and spread, also for better health/coloration of your fish. Shoot for higher amounts up to 30 ppm if you are having melting zoas or closed zoas and look for the causes of your problems as you dose. Higher doses of as much as 100ppm (for about 2 weeks) for fish illness. Check for high nitrates, pests, zoa pox, predators, and unstable water conditions.
*Dose low amounts and increase the amount slowly over the course of a few days to a couple weeks.
* If you notice an algae bloom (white stringy stuff) or increased scum on your glass then cut back by half until it disappears.
* Watch your skimmer, it will start to skim more.
* Dose the amount twice a day in a fast moving area of your sump or overflow. You may dilute the vitamin c in ro/di water then pour into overflow. If adding to sump, try and add the vitamin c after filtration such as skimmers and reactors. *Keep your Vitamin C bottle in the refrigerator. * If you have a question, ask here. I do my best to check these threads daily.
* The instructions in this guide and throughout this thread are based on using pure Sodium Ascorbate, not vitamin c pills and other non-buffered forms of vitamin c.
Be sure to take some "before" pics!
VITAMIN C DOSING CHART
Here are the directions:
Use this product:
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=10178&at=0
$5 off coupon code: LUL789
To figure out how much to use, decide if you want to simply improve coral growth, spread, and color. If so, then you should dose around 5 ppm twice daily (down to 2-3 ppm works also). If you are having problems with coral or fish health, dose up to around 30 ppm twice daily.
Calculate the total net number of gallons in your tank (minus rocks, sand, etc). Enter that number here ______.
You will now need to do a little math. The amounts below are for 100 gallons of water so if you have 50 net gallons, cut the amounts shown below in half etc.
Dosing amounts using Iherb product:
1/4 tsp=1112 mg.
For every 100 gallons:
5 ppm ----- 1892 mg VC
10 ppm ---- 3785 mg VC
15 ppm ---- 5677 mg VC
20 ppm ---- 7570 mg VC
25 ppm ---- 9462 mg VC
30 ppm ---- 11355 mg VC
After you have figured out how much you want to dose at each dosing, enter that number here _____. This is your dose to be used twice a day.
Notes:
*Be sure your pH and alk are within normal reef limits before starting. Adjust if needed. Monitor weekly.
*Shoot for a ppm of around 5 or lower if only dosing for improved coral growth, coloration, and spread, also for better health/coloration of your fish. Shoot for higher amounts up to 30 ppm if you are having melting zoas or closed zoas and look for the causes of your problems as you dose. Higher doses of as much as 100ppm (for about 2 weeks) for fish illness. Check for high nitrates, pests, zoa pox, predators, and unstable water conditions.
*Dose low amounts and increase the amount slowly over the course of a few days to a couple weeks.
* If you notice an algae bloom (white stringy stuff) or increased scum on your glass then cut back by half until it disappears.
* Watch your skimmer, it will start to skim more.
* Dose the amount twice a day in a fast moving area of your sump or overflow. You may dilute the vitamin c in ro/di water then pour into overflow. If adding to sump, try and add the vitamin c after filtration such as skimmers and reactors. *Keep your Vitamin C bottle in the refrigerator. * If you have a question, ask here. I do my best to check these threads daily.
* The instructions in this guide and throughout this thread are based on using pure Sodium Ascorbate, not vitamin c pills and other non-buffered forms of vitamin c.
Be sure to take some "before" pics!
