Vit C dosing?

[wetpets9]

Just curious if anyone does this, do you see benefits, what kind of vit C (capsules opened up, powder etc), how much to use and lastly does it throw any other parameters off?

 

[bertoni]

Vitamin C is a form of carbon dosing, so it might help reduce nitrate and phosphate levels.

 

[tmz]

There isn't a plausible benefit beyond organic carbon that I've seen or heard about . There were about all kinds of things ( like collagen production) but they haven't proved out. Some also have difficulty with it as a carbon source vs simpler sources like ethanol and/or acetic acid

 

[wetpets9]

Ok ty...there is so much out there that is supposed to be great its hard to decide what is good and what is just a current "fad".

 

[bertoni]

I think it's mostly a fad as far as being anything other than a form of carbon dosing. Carbon dosing works. Vitamin C might have some effect on diseases or pests, but that's hard to demonstrate. Generally, such an experiment takes a lot more resources than a hobbyist will have at hand, as well as a lot of time.

 

[taricha]

In addition to Carbon, Isn't vitamin C a strong anti-oxidizing agent (reducer)?
Guessing it would lower ORP of a tank. No idea if that would be or could be desirable.
I'd guess most tanks would have enough organics added, that IF a push either way on the ORP scale could be beneficial (big if) it would be better to push towards the oxidizing side than the reducer side?

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[bertoni]

It would tend to reduce the ORP, at least over the short term, but I doubt that any of the animals would care. It's not so much the ORP that is an issue in our tanks; it's the chemicals behind any changes that can cause trouble.