Vitamin "c" dosing Calling the experts...
- Thread starter RBU1
- Start date
Pufferpunk
New member
Did a full battery of water tests last night:
Mg 1400
Ca 400
dKH 10.6
Phos 0.3
pH 8.3
NO3 0
Mg 1400
Ca 400
dKH 10.6
Phos 0.3
pH 8.3
NO3 0
Wow, phosphate is .3?? VC doesn't quite work like other carbon sources in bringing both nitrate and phosphate down? I wonder why? That just seems odd to me. After reading this thread I had been wondering about what peoples phosphate actually was since most people only mentioned nitrate. Very interesting.
Janna
Janna
Pretty sure your bubble issue is O2 bubbles from photosynthesis LCDRDATA. You are seeing it because nothing is pushing the water around so you have a high O2 level right at the surface. Not a big issue, but it does show you have plenty of nutrients.
Pufferpunk, how long have you been dosing your tank with vitC?
Pufferpunk, how long have you been dosing your tank with vitC?
The REeFFers
New member
ya i did a full test on friday
amo 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ph 8.3
phos 0
alk 9.9
cal 450
mag 1200
so only my mag was a little low and this was 2 days after i stop adding my alk/ph buffer
last nigh they read
amo 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ph 7.8
phos 0
alk 9.9
cal 440
mag 1400
all i have changes is added some mag on sat. and then have had 2 doses, so one day of Vc 1/2 tps total. ( 28 gallon tank, so this was my starting out amount i want to dose 1/2tps X2 later on)
last night i added some buffer along with my VC so in about 5 hours i will test my alk and ph since that seams to be the only 2 that are being affected.
correct me if im wrong here but doesnt a high alk help keep your ph locked in ? and then why was it that my alk dropped while useing vc is that just caz im not using high amounts ? just thinking that maybe once i start doesing more that i could stop adding the buffer caz the VC will keep my alk up witch will keep my ph locked in.???
amo 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ph 8.3
phos 0
alk 9.9
cal 450
mag 1200
so only my mag was a little low and this was 2 days after i stop adding my alk/ph buffer
last nigh they read
amo 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ph 7.8
phos 0
alk 9.9
cal 440
mag 1400
all i have changes is added some mag on sat. and then have had 2 doses, so one day of Vc 1/2 tps total. ( 28 gallon tank, so this was my starting out amount i want to dose 1/2tps X2 later on)
last night i added some buffer along with my VC so in about 5 hours i will test my alk and ph since that seams to be the only 2 that are being affected.
correct me if im wrong here but doesnt a high alk help keep your ph locked in ? and then why was it that my alk dropped while useing vc is that just caz im not using high amounts ? just thinking that maybe once i start doesing more that i could stop adding the buffer caz the VC will keep my alk up witch will keep my ph locked in.???
Pufferpunk
New member
I feed my tank extremely heavily, so I'm not surprised about the phos. I'd imagine it to be much higher, with the amts I feed that tank.
I have been dosing VC for 18+ months, at 15-25ppm, 2x/day.
I have been dosing VC for 18+ months, at 15-25ppm, 2x/day.
LCDRDATA
New member
What kind of algae? And does it grow everywhere including the sand?
I'm not ruling that out, but is seems odd in that I've never seen it like this before. Certainly I've had some level of bubbles before, and they're more noticeable without any water movement. However, I shut down my flow 2-3 times a week for about an hour to spot-feed all my sessile inverts, and I've never seen bubbles anywhere near as dense or ubiquitous as when I posted the question. I guess I'll keep my eyes peeled the next time I feed them and see if there's any difference with the bubbles.
BTW, here are my parameters from that night (nitrate & phosphate in ranges due to color vision problems interpolating tests):
pH 8.3
alk 2.5 meq (7 dKH)
ammo 0
nitrate 0 < NO3 < 2.5
phos 0 < PO4 < 0.03
calc 390
mag 1260
I've dosed alk buffer, calcium and magnesium since then but not retested except for pH, which is unchanged.
Changing subjects, I'm still wondering if anyone has observations or other information on if/how VC affects clams. Thanks!
Pufferpunk
New member
My clam was doing fantastic, until I started using AlgaeX. Killed it... 
cybrsufr
In Memoriam
I would be more inclined to conclude that the bubbles are N2 being released by the nitrifying bacteria doing their job. I have see it a couple times in my 180, usually after a heavy feeding or spot feeding the corals. If I shut off my pumps to spot feed I can see this start to happen. Remember the end result of the nitrogen cycly in our systems is the release of N2 gas back into the atmosphere.
started dosing vitamin
started dosing vitamin
I also test every week and my results on the alk and cal are always around 13dkh and 440ppm. Now here is the weird part I recently started dosing vitamin "c" This week when I tested my DKH I was at 17dkh...HUM!!!!!!!! Why the increase in Alk from dosing "c"? Just for the heck of it I tested the vitamin "c" in some RO water with the API kit I use and the ALK level in the "c" was off the chart. My question why does "c" test high in ALK
started dosing vitamin
I also test every week and my results on the alk and cal are always around 13dkh and 440ppm. Now here is the weird part I recently started dosing vitamin "c" This week when I tested my DKH I was at 17dkh...HUM!!!!!!!! Why the increase in Alk from dosing "c"? Just for the heck of it I tested the vitamin "c" in some RO water with the API kit I use and the ALK level in the "c" was off the chart. My question why does "c" test high in ALK
Pufferpunk
New member
Have you guys tried totally discontinuing your alk dosing & readjusting it after a week?
cybrsufr
In Memoriam
Re: started dosing vitamin
Re: started dosing vitamin
I would suggest that you go back and read this thread from the beginning as this question has been answered several times from the Chemistry Guru's. I am not meaning to sound dismissing, but that is the reason for the threads, read from the beginning and a lot of your questions will already be answered.
Re: started dosing vitamin
I would suggest that you go back and read this thread from the beginning as this question has been answered several times from the Chemistry Guru's. I am not meaning to sound dismissing, but that is the reason for the threads, read from the beginning and a lot of your questions will already be answered.
The REeFFers
New member
i think ur right puffer it seams like when u add VC it jolks ur system and u need to adjust ur chemicals. it seams like my tank will be fine in a few days my ph is back up to 8.0 and im hoping once i dose more VC it will keep my alk around 8 sice i dont dose for it at all
akash:
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>
Yes, adding buffered vitamin C or other sodium salts of organic anions, like sodium acetate, will boost alkalinity. The size of the boost is, of course, related to the amount you add.
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>
Yes, adding buffered vitamin C or other sodium salts of organic anions, like sodium acetate, will boost alkalinity. The size of the boost is, of course, related to the amount you add.
Last edited:
Jeff
Premium Member
I just googled it. Here is a good review of it: http://glassbox-design.com/2008/korallen-zucht-zeozym/
The REeFFers
New member
ok my alk is sky high again DAMMMMM VC its stressing everything out, but there growing lolol i think im going to get my ph and alk back in check and then only dose VERY small amounts like 1/4 a tsp twice a day for a 28 gallon or should i dose even less ? VC works but is to mush just as bad as it is good ?
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