OK, so I reviewed the info in the new Delbeek and Sprung book, ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œThe Reef Aquarium Vol. IIIââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ This book is worth every penny and I highly recommend it! This book addresses all the complex issues of how to run and build a successful reef. It is like no other starters book out there.
The info on the Vodka method may be found on pg 274-276.
It describes that a carbon source (specifically vodka) is valuable for stimulating growth of heterotrophic bacteria. It does not say anything in regards to colonizing monocultures. The following comment posted earlier from ReeFresh seems to be a bit bias and may be nothing more than a selling tactic:
"Some European methods use vodka as a carbon source. Vodka is a terribly stupid thing to use as a carbon source in aquariums since it encourages the wrong types of bacteria to grow (Mostly autotrophic as opposed to heterotrophic). It also rapidly results in monocultures of that species and over time you end up with aquariums filled with bacteria that do not provide any real nutrient export."
Unless supportive studies have been conducted, I am timid to believe these claims, when a reputable author states the exact opposite.
So the book describes that bacteria work in this fashion: Bacteria assimilate phosphate and nitrate from the water column. The biomass is then removed by protein skimming. When phosphate and nitrates are in abundance in the aquarium, a carbon source becomes the limiting agent necessary for the bacteria to grow. Therefore, providing a carbon source like vodka will permit the bacteria to multiply. The recommended dosage rate is 5ml-10ml per day per 1000L (260gallons). It is also discussed that forced biomass production reduces the incidence of bacterial infections that cause RTN disease. Dosing should start gradually and increased in slow steps. Furthermore, overdosing may be associated with algal blooms.
My new 110tall tank was setup on 5-17-06. I have been waiting patiently to get the Prodibio products but, have begun dosing Salifertââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s All-in-One, Natural Iodine, Amino Acids and generic vodka since day one. I moved in a bunch of sps corals and had some issues with RTN and poor PE in the first week. The RTN quickly resolved with better temp control, but STN persisted to a few corals on the left side of the tank. Week two proved to be ugly with a cyano bloom covering the sandbed and bi-daily biofilms that coated the glass. I limited the lighting times to MH only on a schedule of 8hrs. The tank is now on week three of life and the biofilms have been minimized. I clean the glass about every other day. The RTN and STN has stopped. I have a few corals that are still bleached. I also have a few with poor PE, but more than half the corals have shown good PE and coloration. The most noticeable are an orange digi that went pink!, a green pocillipora that looks fuzzy all over, and a purple tip tri-color nana that displays a deep purple color.
My 110gallon total system water should get 2-4ml of vodka per day. I am at 3ml per day and have seen excellent PE the last couple days. I will go up to 4ml per day and hold there.
I hope these observations prove helpful for someone. I will try to post pics tomorrow.
