Let's see 'em - Before and After pics of Vodka Dosing!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13590135#post13590135 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by miwoodar
I don't recall off the top of my head but I would like to say it is 15mL vodka, 15mL white vinegar, and a tablespoon of sugar.
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thanks! how long have u been dosing?
 
miwoodar in the first pic of your tank that growth is crazy so it only took 3 months to get that growth??
 
Yup. Those were some very exciting months! I'm not having such good days right now unfortunately. I got some sort of ailment during my tank move and have been battling for the last two months. I'm off the VSV until things clear up.
 
Thanks for the reply I also noticed you were dosing VSV and amino acids and also some bacteria culture. What kind of Vinegar and do you know if ozone will counter act when I add amino acids and the VSV solution.

Also is there another product someone could add besides your homemade bacteria culture?
 
Is vodka ok to use to get better color, i dont have much algea, but my colors are not that great, and i mean dose the vodka in very small amounts that is.
 
i have a ?. do i need a doser to dose vodka or can i add it direct to the system...i have the 34g solana and would add it to the back filteration portion...any help?
 
White vinegar - the kind you can buy in the gallon jug (although you'll only need a cup or less even on the very largest of tanks). Be patient and take your time.

I can't comment definitively on the use of ozone. I wouldn't expect it to be a serious concern. Yes, it will kill bacteria but I doubt that it would cause a carbon dosing approach to fail.

Commercial product lines are out there. Zeovit, fauna marin, polyp labs, brightwells, and prodibio to name a few. The first two in the list incorporate zeolitic stones and claim the stones support a step in the process.

This should help...
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
 
i have a ?. do i need a doser to dose vodka or can i add it direct to the system...i have the 34g solana and would add it to the back filteration portion...any help?
 
I add my doses directly to my tank. I just put it right in front of the powerhead. I just have a Tupperware container and a syringe.
 
paul how long have you been doing it ...and do you see ne side effects?
also i just have a stockj skimmer on my solana ...will that be enough..or should i wait till i can buy the tunze?...my current skimmer is pulling out a ton of skimmates though
 
I have been dosing a little over 3 months. This was the only thing that got my nitrates down to zero. I am still not phosphate free but getting there slowly. I have not noticed any side effects. I have a dsb in tank, and also dose biodigest and AA's. My colors have definitely got better but that is because I feed more often now and dose AA's. I only fed my tank twice a week before. Now I alternate feeding Rod's food (reef) and Reef Nutrition Oyster feast every other day. I also feed Ocean nutrition Marine pellets for the fish daily. So some days the fish get fed twice per day when I feed Rod's food. My Nitrates do not go up at all. I dose the vsv mixture 1ml/per day. I started with just vodka at .4ml per day then every week I would bump it up another .1 until my nitrates hit zero. I just started the vsv mixture a week ago. I am holding at 1 ml for the next couple of weeks to make sure. I have mostly frags in my tank with green cap colony some zoa's and two clams. I am still a noob as far as sps go.
 
Im still kind of confused here, if my tank has no algea present in it, but my po4 test at 0.03(hanna), and no3=2.5, which they are pretty low, but some of my corals are still ugly brown. Should i try dosing vodka in small amounts to try to get the no3 to 0 and bring down the po4 some. Im just tryin to find a good way to lower it and also get some good color back. I always thought i was nutrient lacking because of the no algea in the tank, but there must be something going on because of brown corals. Any ideas should i try the vodka, thanks
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13652218#post13652218 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by volcom69
Im still kind of confused here, if my tank has no algea present in it, but my po4 test at 0.03(hanna), and no3=2.5, which they are pretty low, but some of my corals are still ugly brown. Should i try dosing vodka in small amounts to try to get the no3 to 0 and bring down the po4 some. Im just tryin to find a good way to lower it and also get some good color back. I always thought i was nutrient lacking because of the no algea in the tank, but there must be something going on because of brown corals. Any ideas should i try the vodka, thanks
Click to expand...

You'll have to ask someone else about the numbers, but I've seen .03 quoted as good for PO4

Remember that some corals are just brown... was the piece in question every not brown? If so, how long did it take to brown out? What lighting are you using? Are you dosing Amino Acids or feeding heavily? ULNS tanks need high nutrient addition combined with high nutrient export (like Carbon dosing and heavy skimming) for the corals to be at their best colors. Other trace elements can be lacking as well

There are a ton of other factors that can lead to brown corals... as you have low nutrients and little to no algae, I would look into feeding more and/or AAs, but I also suggest you list all tank parameters and equipment (lights, skimmer, bulb age, light cycle, etc) so someone can give a more complete evaluation of why you might have brown coral
 
Thanks, yea ive asked on a couple of threads, like i said i have no algae on live rock or none really in the tank, and my refugium cant grow cheato at all, and what i do have its coverd in coraline. Thats what confuses me to ive heard that 0.03 is ok for po4, and i was going to feed more but i was alittle nervous about it. Also not all corals are brown in fact some look great, and yes the brown coral was some kind of purple color, and i do see the hint of purple in there. My worst coral right now is my green slimer its so dark brown, but yet the poylps are bight green (weird). So im just tryin to figure out whats best to do with my tank, and i am starting to add zeo AA, but a little nervous on that to. I skim very heavy i empty it like every 3 days, and its a big collection cup.
Lights 2-250 watt xm 20k and are about 3 months old oh and i have 2x54watt t5 actincs. and all lights 8 inches above water.
skimmer-asm skimmer rated for twice my tank
flow=2vortechs+my return pump
Parm=cal-450
alk-8.6-9
mag-1300
po4-0.03
no3-2.5
Its just frustrating, and im sure eventully ill figure something out but just seeing if i can figure out what works best. Thanks
 
Ok, from what you've listed, I'd say you are already at a ultra low nutrient state (which is where I hope to be someday) and all your other parameters are good... lights are fine as well

I'd definitely vote feed more and AA's... from everything I've read that's all you are missing... just go slow and keep an eye out for nuisance algae... if any shows up (which I doubt from your skimmer size and wonderful amount of flow)... if you get a bit of green on the glass or rocks, then you might start dosing a maintenance dose of vodka, but all it does is help the bacteria reduce NO3 and PO4, which I don't think you need yet
 
Me Mike? If me, I'm in a new tank these days. :) I have a build thread going in the red house. I'm not carbon dosing at the moment but I intend to start again in the not so distant future.
 
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