Questions on Vodka Dosing.

[usefulidiot213]

I have been battling cyano & Algae for a couple of months. I read all about vodka dosing and how hit helps bring down your nutrients.

Question 1.) I have been reading a couple people say that Vodka dosing increases cyano. I don't understand this. If Vodka dosing helps eliminate Nutrients, how does that increase cyano?

Question 2.) I know that part of dosing Vodka is testing your levels, but with algae issues my readings are 0, because the algae & Cyano are absorbing all the nutrients. How do you know when to stop increasing your dosing amount? Do I wait until the water gets cloudy or the algae & Cyano goes away? Or is there some other way I don't know about?

I know that a lot of people say that you should also dose MB7 with vodka, but I like to do things in a controlled manner to see their effects. So I wanted to wait on the MB7, because I want to see the effects of dosing the Vodka.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

I have been battling cyano & Algae for a couple of months. I read all about vodka dosing and how hit helps bring down your nutrients.

Question 1.) I have been reading a couple people say that Vodka dosing increases cyano. I don't understand this. If Vodka dosing helps eliminate Nutrients, how does that increase cyano?

Cyano (from what i have read) can extract nutrients in different ways than 'regular' nuisance algae. This is why carbon dosing can lead to a cyano bloom. As the nutrients are removed from the system, the cyano colonizes where the only place where nutrients are left....usually on the other algae. Think about how much detrius gets stuck in hair algae...

Question 2.) I know that part of dosing Vodka is testing your levels, but with algae issues my readings are 0, because the algae & Cyano are absorbing all the nutrients. How do you know when to stop increasing your dosing amount? Do I wait until the water gets cloudy or the algae & Cyano goes away? Or is there some other way I don't know about?

I know that a lot of people say that you should also dose MB7 with vodka, but I like to do things in a controlled manner to see their effects. So I wanted to wait on the MB7, because I want to see the effects of dosing the Vodka.

Most people that dose (myself included) stop when there nuisance algae fades into oblivion. Other go until there corals begin losing there intense coloration, then back it off until they find a happy equilibrium.

You can wait, or not use MB7. I am like you, i like to quantify results before throwing another thing into the mix.