Treating with Vitamin C
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madadi
ReefOG
regardless if the magnesium levels hint that calcium ascorbate is OK to use, i would prefer to use sodium ascorbate. if my calcium levels are already at ideal levels, how much vitamin C i can add would be limited because i don't want calcium to be raised even further.
sodium ascorbate and calcium chloride is a nice combination because its ionic balance (Na+, Cl-). salinity will rise but not enough to be noticed if your doing biweekly water changes where you adjust the salinity accordingly.
sodium ascorbate and calcium chloride is a nice combination because its ionic balance (Na+, Cl-). salinity will rise but not enough to be noticed if your doing biweekly water changes where you adjust the salinity accordingly.
jdieck
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Every 1000 mg of calcium ascorbate will increase calcium in 90 gal of system water by less than 1/3 of a ppm. Only about 10% of the amount added of calcium ascorbate is actually calcium or around 100 milligrams for each 1000 mg. that is 1 ppm in 100 liters or 1 ppm in 25 gallons or 1/4 ppm in 100 gallons.
Have any of you noticed an increase in your shrimps molting?
I added a peppermint shrimp to my tank and he molted the very next day (not too uncommon but still a little odd nonetheless.) The thing that was really odd to me was that my cleaner had molted just a few days before I started with the C and that was a week ago, and he molted again just last night!
Seems a little soon although I know shrimp will generally only molt when water conditions are good and they're happy... Interesting.
I added a peppermint shrimp to my tank and he molted the very next day (not too uncommon but still a little odd nonetheless.) The thing that was really odd to me was that my cleaner had molted just a few days before I started with the C and that was a week ago, and he molted again just last night!
Seems a little soon although I know shrimp will generally only molt when water conditions are good and they're happy... Interesting.
Pufferpunk
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Heya Randal, Welcome to the "C" side! Be sure to read this thoroughly, before dosing. Everything you need to know is in there:
http://www.livingreefs.com/forums/saltwater-aquarium-articles/590-use-vitamin-c.html
Be sure to take some "before" pictures.
http://www.livingreefs.com/forums/saltwater-aquarium-articles/590-use-vitamin-c.html
Be sure to take some "before" pictures.
Been dosing for 2 weeks now. Only 1000mg per day, 100 gal tank. All softies look good except 1 rock of hairy mushrooms are bleaching, but other hairy mushrooms that were struggling, are growing and showing better color. ONE BIG DIFFERENCE, all my algae is dying. Hair, bubble, bryopsis,(not sure if that is it) nasty stuff is going fast. What I think it is, my vit c tablets are from walgreens and they have magnesium stearate in them. My mag is now 1600. I don't want that any higher so I will have to get some pure vit c. and dose with the old when I need to raise mag.
Pufferpunk
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Says in that article, something about helping kill off algae. I wish my C would get here already!
Edit: Just checked the tracking--it's arriving tomorrow!
Edit: Just checked the tracking--it's arriving tomorrow!
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jdieck
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Can you guys test for nitrates before during and after the treatment?
I have a hunch that one of the decomposition substances from vitamin C could be some form of sugar or glucose that may increase the bacterial population (that may explain some of the blooms some of you are seeing). The end result might be something similar to adding vodka or sugar which in turn may tend to reduce nitrates.
Myrddraal
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Here's an update from me. My total system volume is about 85 gallons. After the ~20 gallons of water change and two days of not adding any Ca ascorbate my water is clear again. My red brittle star is the only definite fatality so far, and I'm worried about my montipora frag. I'm also down to 4 sad looking blue zoos, they haven't opened since I stopped dosing the vitamin C 
. The molly I'm considering as a suicide, since it was doing fine until it jumped into the overflow and found a powerhead in my sump.
I just tested Alk, Mg, and Ca, here are the levels:
Alk: 11.2 dKh, 4 meg/L, SeaChem
Ca: 400 ppm, Red Sea
Mg: 1400 ppm, Red sea
I haven't tested nitrAtes today, however when I tested them yesterday they were 0 ppm, API, and my SeaChem Ammo badge has stayed at 0 throughout this issue.
I've added 34 ml each of DIY two-part #1 and #2 today.
I'm thinking that my troubles were caused by low Alk (it was 7 dKh two days ago), and possibly enhanced by the extra Ca carbonate in the water, and not by the vitamin C. Is it possible that the Ca Carbonate caused my Alk to crash?
. The molly I'm considering as a suicide, since it was doing fine until it jumped into the overflow and found a powerhead in my sump.I just tested Alk, Mg, and Ca, here are the levels:
Alk: 11.2 dKh, 4 meg/L, SeaChem
Ca: 400 ppm, Red Sea
Mg: 1400 ppm, Red sea
I haven't tested nitrAtes today, however when I tested them yesterday they were 0 ppm, API, and my SeaChem Ammo badge has stayed at 0 throughout this issue.
I've added 34 ml each of DIY two-part #1 and #2 today.
I'm thinking that my troubles were caused by low Alk (it was 7 dKh two days ago), and possibly enhanced by the extra Ca carbonate in the water, and not by the vitamin C. Is it possible that the Ca Carbonate caused my Alk to crash?
Pufferpunk
New member
I don't use kalk. Unfortunately, the buffer also raised the alk to 15, so I did a 20% WC & am waiting for the buffered C.
Pufferpunk
New member
I was actually going to ask you all about your nitrate. Mine went down from 5 to almost undectable now.
jdieck
New member
No; calcium ascorbate does not contain calcium carbonate and as I mentioned before the amount of calcium ion it provides is neglegible (1000 mg will increase 50 gallons by only 1/2 of a ppm).
I am more inclined to think that the L-ascorbate, being a weak sugar may have fed a bacterial bloom. Excesive bacterial activity consumes alkalinity.
Fishcrazy06
New member
I am almost convinced to start doing this! However, I dose my system on a daily basis with Kalk. I use tsp per gallon of water in my ATO which is gravity fed. Anyone else use this method of dosing their tank and also use the Vit C? I am thinking of trying this but want too see if anyone else is using kalk!
Eric
Eric
madadi
ReefOG
ebrabender: i use kalk. at first alk dropped, but i started to use the buffered vitamin C and it was much better. start off slow like its recommended.
Jeni, 0 nitrates huh? thats a real nice side affect if its caused by the vitamin C. maybe due to increased bacterial growth? how long ago did you notice this?
one way to visualize increased nitrate reduction, is if you notice more bubbles forming inside your sand at the edge of the sand bed next to the glass. i think its nitrogen gas left behind by the bacteria that used up the oxygen for energy.
Jeni, 0 nitrates huh? thats a real nice side affect if its caused by the vitamin C. maybe due to increased bacterial growth? how long ago did you notice this?
one way to visualize increased nitrate reduction, is if you notice more bubbles forming inside your sand at the edge of the sand bed next to the glass. i think its nitrogen gas left behind by the bacteria that used up the oxygen for energy.
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