Lets talk about Vodka/sugar dosing
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woz9683
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Has anybody noticed their fish being "hungrier" since starting to dose vodka? Maybe it's my imagination, but I've only got 3 fish in my 125g at the moment, and one is a mandarin. The other two, a sailfin tang and a maroon clown, have just started going nuts whenever I feed now. I think I've quadrupled the amount of food they're getting in the past two weeks, just so they'll leave me alone while I'm trying to shift corals around, clean tank walls, etc. These fish have both been with me for at least 2 years now, so it's not like they're just getting used to me or anything like that. I don't know, just thought I'd see if anyone else had noticed a change.
The mono-culture theory is pretty rediculous with a basic understanding of microbiology. The only way you will ever see a mono-culture is if you put your tank in a pressure cooker at 20 psi for 120 minutes and then add one bacteria strain and keep it in a clean room.
Its hard to get a mono-culture on a petri dish let alone a reef tank.
Its hard to get a mono-culture on a petri dish let alone a reef tank.
I was working on the assumption that when people mention, in the context of a reef tank, monoculture = prevalence of one strain, but not the only strain. While it is impossible to get just one bacteria to grow on a petri dish in a non-sterile environment, the fact is that *eventually* it is very possible to get one strain outgrow all others.
stony_corals
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It's crazy but oh so true... I have no idea. In thinking about what's different, the key difference is the ZEOvit media..... I can't believe though that is the real reason....
stony_corals
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Not sure. Though corals can absorb aminos directly from the water column. It's ultimately a source of N.
stony_corals
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I have not noticed this....
stony_corals
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I think this is the crux of the monoculture theory.... I do not know where this theory came from by the way. I do not think that Jorg mentioned this, and this is not mentioned in the RA3...
I'm still going with the theory that the worst case scenario with a prevalence of one strain of bacteria is that it could *possibly* use up an essential element/mineral/compound that other tank inhabitants require. That's it. I think people should differentiate issues with bacterial blooms (mats, strings, cloudiness) vs perceived "monoculture" (which, incidentally, is completely unsubstantiated).
As for the burnt tips, my tricolor is definitely showing extremely fast growth spurts in the tips, prior to the tips losing the tissue. Is this normal for "burnt tips"?
I've increased to 1.5mL per day now...
As for the burnt tips, my tricolor is definitely showing extremely fast growth spurts in the tips, prior to the tips losing the tissue. Is this normal for "burnt tips"?
I've increased to 1.5mL per day now...
stony_corals
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Could it be that these burnt tips are the result of the fast calcification, and not enough N to build new tissue?!?
acrylic_300
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If the burnt tips are caused by nitrogen limitation then a source would need to be added. This is getting deep because the addition of carbon was probably originally added to reduce nitrate.
This sounds like it would keep phosphate really low...because phosphate reduction by bacteria is limited by nitrate if I remember right.
This sounds like it would keep phosphate really low...because phosphate reduction by bacteria is limited by nitrate if I remember right.
Serioussnaps
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10990431#post10990431 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
OK, back to anectodal evidence
I just started dosing a few days ago. I'm at 1mL per day in my 115g tank. Some things I am noticing. Corals are starting to get better color (they were quite brown). Most noticably....many acros polyps are starting to turn green. Even some colonies that have never had green polyps before (brown or blue, even pink mille) are getting green. Is this normal?
Also, I've noticed some "burnt tips". I keep my levels pretty high (ie alk at 9.6dKH). I know zeo users have to keep it lower, like 8. Does the same hold true when using vodka?
Thanks for sharing any info you've observed
This could be very good on a tank like yours-----one with lots of fish. C dosing definitely has its place in your system, however, I may back down the vodka if you are seeing "burnt tips." Either that or switch over to sugar...which FWIW seems easier on the tank and is much cheaper in the long run.
stony_corals
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Bingo! You're correct, but I think nutrient surges (P and N) like on the reef are good hence the addition of food, aminos, etc. The key is maintaining low nutrients, and a good export mechanism, with frequent nutrient additions to provide these to the coral.
I just had a revelation tonight. My skimmate has been ridiculously disgusting lately, stinking up the entire room! I thought it was from the ozone I started recently. But then it hit me, just like when I grow up bacteria at work. That smell!!!! My skimmate smells so bad from bacterial growth and collection! Anyone else experience this?
nismo driver
New member
ive been dosing for two weeks HOWEVER i also started running a phosban reactor a few days before i started dosing regimin then i added about 10 pounds of base rock that kicked off a bit of a mini cycle the second week..
its kind of difficult to say whats doing what, there was a point where my skimmer started producing more foam then ive ever seen it kick out to the point it popped the top off teh collection cup and had about four inchs of head that was the consistnacy or mirange.
soooo it this the elevated levels of bacteria reacting with the dye off from the base rock?
not sure..
other observation is that pretty much all my sps has gotten lighter and more vivid color.
i tdefinately think its something to do with the grey goose..
question, does it make a differnece if the vodka is potatoe or wheat based ?
its kind of difficult to say whats doing what, there was a point where my skimmer started producing more foam then ive ever seen it kick out to the point it popped the top off teh collection cup and had about four inchs of head that was the consistnacy or mirange.
soooo it this the elevated levels of bacteria reacting with the dye off from the base rock?
not sure..
other observation is that pretty much all my sps has gotten lighter and more vivid color.
i tdefinately think its something to do with the grey goose..
question, does it make a differnece if the vodka is potatoe or wheat based ?
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