Treating with Vitamin C

[Pufferpunk]

Please be sure to read the link above. In there, it says using a skimmer is fine but you must remove any carbon or similar product.

 

[TexasTodd]

O.K., I've had some polyps that have been on the edge for a while.

Two small colonies/frags that were rescued from a LFS due to no light, algae, etc. One is actually 5 polyps that were loose and rolling around on the bottom of a tank that hadn't had ANY light in over 2 weeks.

They were getting better in my system, but a few of the polyps were definately on their way out.

This is in a small 24g NanoCube I picked up. I started for 4 days with a single 500mg tablet in the overflow/surface skimmer area in the evening. I thought I could see a little improvement, but not for sure.

I started yesterday with a 500mg morning and evening. I see DEFINATE improvement this morning.

I'll try to get some pics later this week. I did take the "before".

TT

 

[Jeff]

That is a big dose to start with Todd but it sounds like it is working

 

[TexasTodd]

I guess it is a little high, but not too much. I was more worried about not too slow of a ramp up.

Puffer is using 4000mg on a roughly 130g system-not worrying about rocks sand etc. So about 31mg per day per gallon.

That would put me at 739mg/day. It's too easy to use 2x500mg

Todd

 

[Pufferpunk]

I did not start out using that much. I started with 1000.

It is VERY important for everyone to read the linked article, especially about ramping up the dosing.

 

[Jeff]

Man, i think i have been under dosing. I am up to 2000 mg a day on my 220 gallon reef. i have been dosing vitamin C for 3-4 weeks now. I think I need to keep going up in dose. I have seen improvements though.

 

[rsteagall]

http://www.athiel.com/lib2/pguide/vitami1.html#dose

How to achieve the correct concentration?

Achieving the correct concentration is really very simple and is explained below. Follow the steps one by one and you will now exactly how much milligrams of Vitamin C you need to add to your tank.

* Determine the gallon content of your tank.
* Deduct 15 % for rock in the tank, more if you have a real large amount of live rock.
* Add the content of your sump (if you are using one).
* This will give you a net gallonage you need to treat.
* Multiply that gallonage by the concentration you need to achieve.
* The number you come up with equals the number of milligrams of vitamin C you need to add to the tank.
* Add the powder or tablets to the tank or the sump (if you have one).
* The tablets should not be diluted in hot water first because heat degrades Vitamin C.

Let me give you an example:

* You determine that the gallonage you need to treat is 90 gallons
* The concentration you want to achieve is 30 ppm.
* This means that you need to add 90 times 30 or 2700 mg of Vitamin C.

For a 220G tank achieving 50ppm you would need to dose 11,000 mg




My question is now often do you dose 50ppm? SO... what is the frequency?

I'm on my 2nd day of dosing and this morning I put 2x500mg into my overflow of about 50G-55G total water volume which would make it around 20ppm.

 

[Jeff]

WOW! I just need to dose for Prophylactic use which would be 5 ppm concentration. Luckily I dont NEED the vitamin C I just am seeing positive results dosing it.

 

[PaintGuru]

Anyone picked up Vit C powder from somewhere other then GNC? My pills must have too much binder in them because they make my skimmer go crazy. I've found a few places online that has powder for a reasonable price....plus it would be easier to put into my topoff water this way.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Vit C only lasts for 8 hours so I suggest dosing 2x/day. I dose once in the morning with my alk & once at night, with my Ca. I am finally noticing some pH drop, from 8.3 down to 8 so I will be adding buffer, as soon as I get some. In the meantime, I will stop dosing for a week & see what happens to my tank. Obviously, they were correct--adding Sodiuum bicarbonate, isn't enough to raise the pH. My Alk has remained steady at 9.

I'm sure you can order Vit C powder online somewhere. I'm gonna try toy find some that is buffered.

 

[Runfrumu]

Vitamin world has KAL C-Crystals which contains nothing but asorbic acid, in powder form. 1/4 teaspoon has 1250mg of vitamin C, and contains 180 servings for around 14 bucks.

This stuff here:

http://www.luckyvitamin.com/021245103196.html

 

[Pufferpunk]

Thanks but I'd still like to find a buffered form.

 

[Runfrumu]

http://www.smartbodyz.com/Vitamin-C-Buffered(ester)Powder-benefits-deficiency-Dose.htm

alot of the other one's I've seen have sugars in them, that one is just the stuff that buffers and the asorbic acid

 

[rsteagall]

There is a guy in our reef club that doses Zeo amino acids (AA) or Microbe-Lift all in one:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4680+18488&pcatid=18488


I think he use to dose Vitamin C, but it would appear these products definitely give you a more well rounded dosing of Vitamins.

 

[ridinfast03]

Tagging along but wow what a great article!

 

[angry.clownfish]

55 gallon with 10 gallon sump... 500mg in the AM, 500mg in the Pm, on day 5 now, can't say I see a change yet. will post after 10 days

 

[TexasTodd]

AC, are you going to work up to around 2000mg total per day?

Todd

 

[rsteagall]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11596073#post11596073 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by angry.clownfish
55 gallon with 10 gallon sump... 500mg in the AM, 500mg in the Pm, on day 5 now, can't say I see a change yet. will post after 10 days

What changes are you looking for and what are your symptoms?

Also.. you should be dosing more by now. You should be up to 3250mg now at day 5.... according to:

http://www.athiel.com/lib2/pguide/vitami1.html

Someone correct me if I'm reading all that wrong or if a different set of directions is supposed to be followed.

 

[d0cdave]

Folks,

I dont know if anyone's posted this yet, but I scored a 1lb bottle of Vitamin C "Crystals" (Ascorbic Acid) from Trader Joes. It's a powder that has no other ingredients other than ascorbic acid.

1000mg per 1/4 teaspoon... $10 a bottle.

Just thought I would share. Will be dosing in my nano for a controlled test.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Be sure to keep a close eye on pH, if you're not using buffered C.