More Vinegar?

[reefgeezer]

Hi all. I have an easy one... I hope. I'm currently dosing 39 ml of vinegar in my moderately loaded/very heavily fed system. I see no evidence of over dosing and have a little HA starting to show up. Does anyone see a reason I can't up the dosage some? What dosage do others use for with 75-90 gallon systems? Thanks.

 

[sirreal63]

What are the no3 and po4 readings?

 

[reefgeezer]

What are the no3 and po4 readings?

Both read 0. However, I don't have a Hanna Checker for phosphate. I do run GFO reactor that is changed regularly. I also suspect that any nitrate or phosphate is bound in the little bit of HA that is starting to appear.

I really don't want to reduce feedings or start changing the GFO more often. I'm hoping a boost in the vinegar dose will control the HA. I don't think 39 ml per day is a lot of vinegar, but I want to see what others think before I up the dose.

 

[sirreal63]

IME when nitrates get that low you will not reduce phosphates with carbon dosing without nitrates. I would check the GFO and make sure it isn't exhausted.

 

[mos90]

IME when nitrates get that low you will not reduce phosphates with carbon dosing without nitrates. I would check the GFO and make sure it isn't exhausted.

good to know.

 

[reefgeezer]

IME when nitrates get that low you will not reduce phosphates with carbon dosing without nitrates. I would check the GFO and make sure it isn't exhausted.

I agree 100%. I don't have a way to test the effluent from the reactor so I change the GFO every 30 days. However, as there may be nitrate being bound by the HA, I want to see if more carbon will solve the problem first. GFO isn't cheap.

 

[sabbath]

If no3 reads zero I would reduce the vinegar dose a little. I like no3 be .25-2ppm. Then like others say. More GFO until the algae goes away. Watch that you are not starving the corals if your not testing po4.