Lets talk about Vodka/sugar dosing

[speedstar]

I am barebottom, and run a reeflo 250 on my system.

I also dose about an hour after the light come on.

 

[SDguy]

What were your goals with this dosing? Did you achieve them? Do you have any pics for comparison?

For anyone else as well, did you achieve the goals you were after with dosing vodka/sugar/etc. ?

 

[stony_corals]

That's some ugly looking stuff Peter! fwiw, Jorg in the original thread recommended skimming wet, though you are using ozone so that may help removal of bacteria as well.... You've really got your MRC2 dialed in nicely though!

 

[woz9683]

I'm assuming this is due to pH reduction during bacterial growth?

Yeah, I think that's probably the reason.

For anyone else as well, did you achieve the goals you were after with dosing vodka/sugar/etc. ?

Not yet, but I blame that on my skimmer not being able to keep up with the bacteria removal part of the process. I've got a new skimmer on the way, so once it gets running I expect to start seeing results.

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11121067#post11121067 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stony_corals
That's some ugly looking stuff Peter! fwiw, Jorg in the original thread recommended skimming wet, though you are using ozone so that may help removal of bacteria as well.... You've really got your MRC2 dialed in nicely though!

I almost feel guilty pouring it down the drain :eek2:

I have to say this skimmer was incredibly easy to dial in. Not sure where the stories of becketts being a pain come from in that respect. Perhpas it's the way mine is plumbed (level with the sump....constant water level in the sump)?

 

[kkris]

Is this the dosing guidelines that everyone uses:

So, e.g. for a 500 L tank:

day 1-3: 0.1 * 5 = 0.5 mL
day 4-7: 0.2 * 5 = 1 mL
2. week (day 8-14): 1 mL + 0.5 mL = 1.5 mL
3. week: 1.5 mL + 0.5 mL = 2 mL.

Is this for adjusted volume? Minus dsb rock etc.

How would vinegar and sugar factor in?

 

[stony_corals]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11121196#post11121196 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
I almost feel guilty pouring it down the drain :eek2:

I have to say this skimmer was incredibly easy to dial in. Not sure where the stories of becketts being a pain come from in that respect. Perhpas it's the way mine is plumbed (level with the sump....constant water level in the sump)?

OT: I have one as well on one system, if you don't remember you sent me pics about your water level....

 

[stony_corals]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11122221#post11122221 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kkris
Is this the dosing guidelines that everyone uses:

So, e.g. for a 500 L tank:

day 1-3: 0.1 * 5 = 0.5 mL
day 4-7: 0.2 * 5 = 1 mL
2. week (day 8-14): 1 mL + 0.5 mL = 1.5 mL
3. week: 1.5 mL + 0.5 mL = 2 mL.

Is this for adjusted volume? Minus dsb rock etc.

How would vinegar and sugar factor in?

Yes, it's net volume of water.... that is the big question, no one has proposed a vinegar or sugar alternative dosing schedule.....

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11122828#post11122828 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stony_corals
OT: I have one as well on one system, if you don't remember you sent me pics about your water level....

Well I hope it was helpful

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11122835#post11122835 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stony_corals
Yes, it's net volume of water.... that is the big question, no one has proposed a vinegar or sugar alternative dosing schedule.....

Well, as far as my calculations go, assuming we are looking at pure starting materials, and only interested in carbon...

I calculated 1 gram of sucrose = 0.42 grams of carbon

while 1 milliliter of ethanol (or 2.5mL of 80 proof) = 0.557 grams of carbon.

You should be able to cross calculate to determine what amount of sugar will replace a certain amount of vodka, give or take...

 

[stony_corals]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11123804#post11123804 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
Well, as far as my calculations go, assuming we are looking at pure starting materials, and only interested in carbon...

I calculated 1 gram of sucrose = 0.42 grams of carbon

while 1 milliliter of ethanol (or 2.5mL of 80 proof) = 0.557 grams of carbon.

You should be able to cross calculate to determine what amount of sugar will replace a certain amount of vodka, give or take...

Thanks Peter, best post of the thread...

 

[SDguy]

I am unsure of how pure table sugar is, and what the fillers might be. Same for vodka, besides water, if there are any significant other substances? Back to google...

 

[speedstar]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11120576#post11120576 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
What were your goals with this dosing? Did you achieve them? Do you have any pics for comparison?

For anyone else as well, did you achieve the goals you were after with dosing vodka/sugar/etc. ?

I was running a under skimmed tank and let WC slide nitrates were up to 15 and some hair algae was showing. I upgraded systems to larger tank and skimmer. The additional water brought those numbers down abit but not enough. Started to dose and now colors are returning the most noticable is my rainbow monti was browned out 100% nor is showing some colored polyps after 1 month. I'll try to put together some pics.

Sadly i lost a large table about 18X10 inch. It started to STN and i couldn;t stop it. I think the water parameters got better to quick and it didn;t handle the swing. Was able to save a 2X5inch chunck that is now coloring up well also i'll post that when i have time also.

A FTS is at www.breakabranch.com/tank102707.jpg for those that want top take a look. Also in that pic the right side in the new lumabright reflector and the left is a L3. I just added another LB this weekend.


it can make the skimmer go nuts sometimes and pull quick.

quick video of the head it usually has. May take a minute or 2 to DL

http://home.comcast.net/~murphyjjr/reeflo1.MOV

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11133035#post11133035 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by speedstar


Sadly i lost a large table about 18X10 inch. It started to STN and i couldn;t stop it. I think the water parameters got better to quick and it didn;t handle the swing. Was able to save a 2X5inch chunck that is now coloring up well also i'll post that when i have time also.

I am very interested in this aspect. I am having pretty bad STN at the bases of many corals, from my tricolors, to a mille, to even a verrucosa monti chunk. Other bases, while not STNing, are definitely not growing. I suspect your theory, or my alk too high at 9.6 dKH (I always keep it here...but that idea that zeo users have to keep it much lower keeps creeping into my head). Any other thoughts/experiences?

 

[GSMguy]

Peter i wish i understood the relationship between alk levels and carbon dosing better myself.

 

[SDguy]

I think I may turn down my ca reactor to bring my levels down slowly....I've personally never killed anything with a dKH of 8, so can't hurt to try at this point.

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11133944#post11133944 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
I am very interested in this aspect. I am having pretty bad STN at the bases of many corals, from my tricolors, to a mille, to even a verrucosa monti chunk. Other bases, while not STNing, are definitely not growing. I suspect your theory, or my alk too high at 9.6 dKH (I always keep it here...but that idea that zeo users have to keep it much lower keeps creeping into my head). Any other thoughts/experiences?

from this post and down should fill in some of the blanks

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=10661978#post10661978

 

[Dawn II]

So, for 120 gal of water(adj. from 160 gal. for rock) I would use approx. 1/4 of .5 ml? How do you measure that??

 

[stony_corals]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11133944#post11133944 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
I am very interested in this aspect. I am having pretty bad STN at the bases of many corals, from my tricolors, to a mille, to even a verrucosa monti chunk. Other bases, while not STNing, are definitely not growing. I suspect your theory, or my alk too high at 9.6 dKH (I always keep it here...but that idea that zeo users have to keep it much lower keeps creeping into my head). Any other thoughts/experiences?

I'm keeping non-zeo sys. 9-10 dkh, including vodka tanks. I'm not experiencing this. Could it be the result of decreased nutrients? Are you getting any pastel colored sps? Are you dosing any aminos, increasing feeding?

Dawn II, take a 1ml syringe or pipette from an old test kit...

 

[SDguy]

Dawn..the starting dose was 0.5ml per 500 liters, which is 130 something gallons...

Stoney - No, corals are just beginning to show some better colors. Nothing even close to pastel yet. So no extra feeding of aminos, yet. This issue may be coincidental in timing, honestly. I'll try tweaking some more variables and see what happens.

Water change this weekend will also hopefully help.