Treating with Vitamin C
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Pufferpunk
New member
No need to bother with cheato then. Be sure to follow my instructions on dosing.
mceribas, you have a fully stocked zoanthid tank that you are using vitamin c (ascorbic acid) on?
Can't wait to see some pictures!
Pufferpunk
New member
With English probably not being that poster's main language, I'm not sure I understand his post. I have known folks (for example Geoxman), who have had gorgeous zoa-filled systems, dosing VC successfully.
mceribas
New member
Very few pure vitamin C every six months I'm using.
I'm up to 3/4 tsp 2x/day in my 120 net gallon system (started 2 weeks ago). NO3 is ~20ppm by API kit, any guess as to when I'll see a drop? Getting the white stringy snot at the moment, so I'm not increasing the dosage until it's gone.
I know every tank is different, just looking for an estimate. Got a big jump in zoa health from 1/2 tsp to 3/4 teaspoon - had some zoos open that haven't opened in months and all others are open fully now and the colors have appreciably deepened.
I know every tank is different, just looking for an estimate. Got a big jump in zoa health from 1/2 tsp to 3/4 teaspoon - had some zoos open that haven't opened in months and all others are open fully now and the colors have appreciably deepened.
Jeff
Premium Member
Sounds like things are going well then except for the white stuff. I would stop VC for a day or two until it goes away. it's either die-off of undesirable algae or a bacterial bloom. Either way, it indicates you may be using too much at the moment.
Pufferpunk
New member
How's your skimmer output?
Pufferpunk
New member
Bump
Skipped a dose on Saturday morning since I was out of town, things look 100% improved so I think it's caught up - I'm going to hold this dose for a few days yet.
VERY slimy.. I normally have a solid layer of brown goo in the neck that I clean weekly, this is much lighter but I've cleaned the skimmer almost daily. The skimmate is much foamier than before.
Apparently, in my tank 3/4tsp is enough as a carbon source. My NO3 dropped from 20 to 5 in about a week along with a few small water changes. My tank hasn't been this happy in years. 
Most of the goo is gone, just a few strands here and there in the sump.
Most of the goo is gone, just a few strands here and there in the sump.
Pufferpunk
New member
Yippee!!!
khennig
New member
Skimmate
Skimmate
Ms. Puffer,
I have noticed while dosing the iHerb product, my skimmate is very gray in color and has a very strong "rotten egg" smell. I did find the happy medium of how much to dose, by dosing until the white film appeared, and I have backed off slightly. Then tank looks great and everything is growing. My RO filters and membrane are old but my makeup water does not smell bad or test positive for phosphates, etc.
Is it normal for the skimmate to smell so bad?
Skimmate
Ms. Puffer,
I have noticed while dosing the iHerb product, my skimmate is very gray in color and has a very strong "rotten egg" smell. I did find the happy medium of how much to dose, by dosing until the white film appeared, and I have backed off slightly. Then tank looks great and everything is growing. My RO filters and membrane are old but my makeup water does not smell bad or test positive for phosphates, etc.
Is it normal for the skimmate to smell so bad?
Pufferpunk
New member
Yes, skimmate is supposed to be nasty stuff! If your RO membranes are old, you need to be testing for TDS. Are you having any issues with algae/cyano?
khennig
New member
I am having a problem with some kind of algae.
It looks like black dust forming on the rocks. It does not look like the red or black cyano, and cannot be blown off the rock easily. It starts as little black spots and spreads as more little black spots as opposed to the carpet like spread of red cyano.
Looks like time to buy a TDS meter and then some new cartridges.
My skimmate is usually pretty "normal" looking, but this is gray and the smell could knock you over....
Thanks
It looks like black dust forming on the rocks. It does not look like the red or black cyano, and cannot be blown off the rock easily. It starts as little black spots and spreads as more little black spots as opposed to the carpet like spread of red cyano.
Looks like time to buy a TDS meter and then some new cartridges.
My skimmate is usually pretty "normal" looking, but this is gray and the smell could knock you over....
Thanks
Jeff
Premium Member
Pufferpunk
New member
The original code is still good.
