Treating with Vitamin C

[madadi]

good advice

good advice

i agree with this post, thats how all the sodium ascorbate got started. i tested the pH of regular vitamin C and it showed a pH of 4! stay away from regular vitamin C, it will bring your alk down eventually.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11789879#post11789879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by montanabay
I found some classic Berkeley hippie stuff, natures natural crystals or something, it was ascorbic acid+calcium. I mixed a dose in RO water and ran a ph test, it was ph neutral. I suggest everyone try this first before dosing, even if you get buffered V-C.

Also, make sure your Alk is up, this will help resist possible ph drop from ascorbic acid dosing.

Cheers,

Josh

 

[mnestroy]

I've been using my Wallgreens vit C.. I want to change to something that is buffered.

I haven't been monitoring PH to often, but I suspect it is lowering my PH, and definitely my ORP... my orp drops 200points after dosing and it remains low for several hrs.

Can I get full links to the type of Vit C you are using?

 

[Pufferpunk]

www.i-herb.com. Type in a search for what you want. Sodium or Calcium ascorbate.

 

[mnestroy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11794719#post11794719 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
www.i-herb.com. Type in a search for what you want. Sodium or Calcium ascorbate.

Hehe which ones do i want? whats the difference?

 

[montanabay]

calcium ascorbate crystals (might be labeled ascorbate + calcium, pure nothing else added

i picked calcium over sodium because i you get to dose calcium at the same time.

 

[Obi-dad]

If you are dosing large amounts perhaps better to use sodium ascorbate, since the calcium in the calcium ascorbate is not balanced with alkalinity (and rely on your normal Ca/Alk maintenance system for keeping Ca and Alk levels where they should be).

 

[LiveRock27]

Today is my third day of dosing. I still haven't seen any good or bad reactions in my tank. I have tested my pH and alk everyday and my pH has gone down from 8.3 to 8.2, but alk has stayed the same, I am using the VC buffered w/calcium. I had thought I picked up the sodium buffered VC, but I was wrong, so sorry about the earlier post as to that was what I was using. My calcium levels are still the same hovering around 450ppm.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11797071#post11797071 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Obi-dad
If you are dosing large amounts perhaps better to use sodium ascorbate, since the calcium in the calcium ascorbate is not balanced with alkalinity (and rely on your normal Ca/Alk maintenance system for keeping Ca and Alk levels where they should be).

I really doubt any negative effect on the calcium ion balance to alkalinity. 1000 mf of calcium ascorbate only increases calcium by 2 ppm in 25 gals.
Same as I doubt any effect of increasing sodium on the sodium and chloride (salinity) by the sodim ascorbate.

Having say that if you are dosing heavy. Say real 30 ppm of either one I would recommend not to skip in your water changes (same as if you are dosing DIY two part)

 

[Pufferpunk]

LiveRock27, How much are you dosing? It took a good week for me to notice any significant difference.

 

[Vinnie71975]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11799435#post11799435 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
LiveRock27, How much are you dosing? It took a good week for me to notice any significant difference.

Well i broke down and ordered a UV sterilizer to deal with my green tank water problem. Im up to 4grams of Pure Absorbic acid twice a day, so far no PH issues at all or alk as a matter a fact my alk is high!

 

[montanabay]

I'm on day three also, now at 20ppm, plan to take it up to 30-40ppm over the weekend.

Corals seem to be opened a little, but nothing to write home about. The biggest and most noticeable result is how fresh smelling my tank is now! It used to alway have a stronger tidal smell, now I can barely smell the water and its crystal clear....I wonder if its just the placebo effect

Anyone else notice their tank becoming a lot less smelly?

 

[Pufferpunk]

Hmmm... haven't smelled that tank lately.

I'm wondering about the alk too. I haven't had to add a drop of alk to my tank, since using the buffered C. How does the buffering work? Is it adding alk to my tank?

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11800688#post11800688 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk

How does the buffering work? Is it adding alk to my tank?

No, it is not adding but not removing instead.

 

[Vinnie71975]

Well all i smell in my tank is Phyto i swear my tank is one HUGE green water Culture i WISH the cultures i have going were as green as my tank water!!!!Dont mind me im just frustrated that the only place i can get green water to do well is in my tank!

 

[Pufferpunk]

I assumed the acid would lower the alk but the buffer would even that out, so there would be no effect to alk at all. Curious why mine has stayed the same, when for years I've been adding 50ml/day.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11801338#post11801338 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
I assumed the acid would lower the alk but the buffer would even that out

The "buffered" forms of the vitamin are not acids and do not contain carbonate either.
The only explanation I can hypothesize to your alkalinity no longer dropping is a reduction in nirification. You could confirm this if you have measured a reduction in nitrates.

 

[Pufferpunk]

I absolutely do! From around 5 to barely detectable now. Is that why the red turf algae seems to be dying too?

 

[mnestroy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11792159#post11792159 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pufferpunk
I'm starting to notice that the scourge of my tank, red turf algae is turning brown & fluffier. Maybe dying? I can only hope the C is killing it!

This is funny you mention this, I never had much algae at all but since dosing I seen a ton of brown junk in my hose lines, etc.

I threw a filter sock in and the whole thing was bright brown in a day.

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11801710#post11801710 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mnestroy
This is funny you mention this, I never had much algae at all but since dosing I seen a ton of brown junk in my hose lines, etc.

I threw a filter sock in and the whole thing was bright brown in a day.

Could it be bacteria or dinoflagelates instead of algae?

 

[Pufferpunk]

Is that all dead algae?