My Vodka Results

[reeftard73]

Ok, I got sick of my tank (frag rack especially) looking like someone laid red and green Muppet pelts all over it. I decided to try dosing Vodka. I began tonight, and decided to keep track of my results here.

I am in no way condoning this method for anyone out there, I just thought I'd share my results.

First, a bit about my system...
I have a 150g tub with a 100g tub as the sump. I figure, with water displacement and all, I'm close to 200g (maybe more, but for the sake of this experiemnt, I'll say 200g).

Skimmer is a LifeReef VS3-36 powered by a Mag12.

I do run GAC and carbon, and I don't plan on removing either of them, unless I begin to see issues with my SPS.

Fish:
Humma-humma trigger(banned to sump for relocating frags), foxface, maroon clown, 2 x cinammon clowns, blue banded goby, lunar wrasse, kole tang and a scopa's tang.

Corals:
Assorted SPS frags with the occasional smittering of zoas from TurboNegro's tank (when we move his tank and stuff breaks, I get to take the broken stuff home. By the way TN, wanna move your tank again?????)


09/30/2008:
Phosphate: 0.0 - 0.5 (I use a color change kit and stare at a computer all day, so I can't come up with an exact number)

Nitrate: 30 (I feed the fish heavily to keep them pooping)

Ok, so after reading a bit, I decided days 1-4 will be 0.8ml. I dosed tonight and that's it.

Also, I don't plan on doing any water changes during this time, as I want to see the N &P come down as a result of the vodka and not water changes.

Stick around for updates, I'll post them as I see any progress.

 

[2turtles]

I saw your post and I thought "you know that is a good idea", I'm going to go make a martini!

Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[trippkid]

Tagging along, interested in seeing what happens. How are the frags doing? Just asking because I have been having problems with the A. plana. I recently found my temp. was not really what I was seeing on the display, about 10-11 degrees too much. So the tank was basically running at about 89-91 for a month or more. Everything else seems to be OK(knock wood), I did lose the A. suharsonoi(cry) I got from Jason. The rainbow monti you gave me is doing well, starting to encrust the area that was bad now and the cap is doing well also. I am just going to keep up what I'm doing and let things work themselves out or not, hopefully I won't lose any more. I should have reduced the temp more slowly, but I kind of rushed it over 3 days. Good luck with your experiment, let us know how it is going. I will be signing up for the frag swap this week, are we still planning to go? Have a good one.
Matt

 

[turbonegro]

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[turbonegro]

Matt Do you have a ranco controller on your system? You got a pm

 

[trippkid]

No I don't. I didn't even run a heater or chiller on the tank either. I did start to run a heater to bump my temp up a little so I thought, so between a bad heater and a bad thermometer(cheap Coralife unit) it kept getting warmer and warmer. I was wondering why, when I opened my canopy it felt really hot in there, didn't dawn on me to verify the temp until I was reading a thread on here about the same thing happening to another guy. I just keep my room's ambient temp either a little warmer or cooler to keep the tank running between 76-79, I guess I was not thinking when I added the heater to double check the temp then. Also, I should have reduced the temp over more like 2wks to a month, I just paniked like most people and got it down in about 2 or 3 days. Hopefully all will adjust back to where they used to be, a couple have been stressing, other's seem fine like nothing was wrong. I read the PM, and yeah I'll try to make it down on Sat. after the BB game.
Matt

 

[turbonegro]

Update?

 

[trippkid]

I was just thinking that not but about 15min ago.
Matt

 

[reeftard73]

Blah, blah blah....."I want an update." "How about an update?" Ok you two, here it goes. I haven't checked the phos, but the nitrates are down to 1.5 - 2.0 That's incredible. My water is crystal clear (much like when folks do ozone). And my skimmer is skimming out some nasty dark sludge. I'll test everything this weekend and give a full update.

 

[NCNBilly]

...and??