Nitrates phosphates and dosing question(s).
- Thread starter kissman
- Start date
kissman
Active member
I have a much better skimmer, I have a Warner marine MF 181 on a 55g so I have plenty of skimmer and its pulling about an 5/8 of a cup a day. I am going to start vinegar dosing tonight. I think I am going to start with 8ml since it seems its 8x weaker than vodka from what I have read. I will ramp up 2ml a week till cyano is gone, nitrates and phosphates are 0. How does that sound Randy? I will keep up with the GFO and will probably start cutting back on that amount in a few weeks as the vinegar gets going. Thanks for the link to recharging GFO.
That sounds reasonable. If the cyano gets worse, I'd stop dosing. 
I use the tubing that came with the BRS 1.1 ml per minute doser, and I dose straight from the vinegar jug with no apparent issues. The tubing has become a bit cloudy, but still works fine.
kissman
Active member
kissman
Active member
I use the tubing that came with the BRS 1.1 ml per minute doser, and I dose straight from the vinegar jug with no apparent issues. The tubing has become a bit cloudy, but still works fine.
Sweet, i know they are great pump i have one on each calcium and alk. I was thinking of getting two more one for mag and one for dosing!
After two weeks I'd suggest being at about 12 mL, then assess how things are going.
kissman
Active member
Ok i am dosing 8 now i will raise to 10 on wed and then friday raise to 12. Dose 12 over the weekend snd see how cyano is, nitrates and phosphate test kit will be here Wed not that it really matters since the cyano is using it up. I am not able to check nitrates till then my kit is done but i will test Wed and post results. Thank you Randy for helping me, i really wanna get my tank ready for some sps soon
OK, good luck.
If the cyano gets worse, I'd stop the vinegar.
If the cyano gets worse, I'd stop the vinegar.
I'd monitor the nitrate as you begin dosing and see what happens over the next couple of weeks.
kissman
Active member
I'd monitor the nitrate as you begin dosing and see what happens over the next couple of weeks.
Will the vinegar help with phosphates? Thats the biggest issue i am trying to bring down. I am already using 2 cups on a 55g of gfo should i goto 2 1/2?
kissman
Active member
I think another thing i am gonna do is buy 2 mesh or felt filter bags with draw strings and tie them on my pvc just when i blow the detritus off of rock when i do my water change twice a week. Just leave them on for like an hour or two. I dont have room to install filter socks. Might could make it work if i added a pump and just pumped water into sock all the time
Vinegar will probably help both decline, but usually nitrate substantially more than phosphate.
kissman
Active member
Randy first off thanks for taking the time and helping me get my tank SPS ready and get rid of the cyano.
should I switch and try NO
OX by Red Sea claims it does both, or just stay with vinegar? I was cutting the grass this evening and was brainstorming about phosphates I was thinking about testing my water coming out of the GFO reactor, and not worry about the GFO boiling as much as trying to get it set to where 0 phosphates are coming out. Test it turn it down wait an hour or so and test and adjust again.
should I switch and try NO
OX by Red Sea claims it does both, or just stay with vinegar? I was cutting the grass this evening and was brainstorming about phosphates I was thinking about testing my water coming out of the GFO reactor, and not worry about the GFO boiling as much as trying to get it set to where 0 phosphates are coming out. Test it turn it down wait an hour or so and test and adjust again.
