suplimentation necessary with carbon dosing?

[phurst]

I posted the same question in the chemistry forum, but I'd like the input of other SPS keepers.

I'm strongly considering starting vodka dosing. I've read up on the subject, and I'm just about to pull the trigger, but I wanted to know how necessary all the extra crap people dose along with their vodka is? Bacteria, amino acids, 'coral food', etc. If anything, couldn't I just feed my fish more? I'd rather not make it any more complicated (an expensive) than it has to be. So, what's the verdict?

 

[Reeferland]

imo yes. AA, K, I, are what i dose to my tan daily and the colors reallly improved a lot.

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

feed more or stay the same and add AA and/or coral foods, but DON'T do both which is very tempting.

I feed heavily and only do oysterfeast night before a water change.

It has worked for me.

 

[zachslow]

Personally I'd use MB7 along with your vodka dosing. I've noticed a huge difference in my tank since combining the two. The AA part is a good question. I have a pretty large fish load in my tank, so I rarely add AA--maybe once a week. I also use Rod's Food to feed my fish, so there is a good amount of coral food in there as well.

If you're using pellet food, and don't have many fish, I'd definitely consider adding AA. Whatever you do, just start slow. If you notice your sand starting to turn a bit darker, or cyno, back off on the AA for a week or two.

If you want to keep is simple, my suggestion would be to use Rod's Food every other day to feed fish and corals. Then use Spectrum pellets on the opposite days.

Here are the results I have using vodka, mb7, stronium and lugols daily. I then alternate between food and spectrum pellets for feeding. I think it's a pretty simple system to manage:

 

[phurst]

So, what would happen if I didn't add AA, MB7, coral food, etc?

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

I use MB7 also....If you don't add more food or coral foods you'll run into ULNS and be close to starving your corals. I have 30 fish in my 175 and 20 in my 90...

Amazing how 50 fish disappear for a camera!!!