Vodka Dosers!!

[fejer]

I was unable to get a decent picture this morning. Sorry. But the vodka worked for me, Just make sure you follow the the dose instructions exactly, you dont want to dose too much or too fast. And make sure you check your water parameters often.

thats okay, iv been following the dosing instructions off the article thats on this site, but it seems alot of people are getting positive results, so im looking forward to the next month or so

 

[fejer]

I'm excited as my parameters are almost at 0 now. My Phosphates have been 0.00 with the Hanna Checker for the last few days, and my nitrates are down to 0.2 according to a SeaChem test. I have a Salifert Nitrate test on the way.

Soon I'll be moving to the maintenance dose on the vodka. Can't wait til effects start kicking in My SPS already grows decently, so I hope it accelerates it.

sounds good, so you'll have to get to the maintenance dose before real results start to show? or have you seen them before, maintenance dose is week 4 isnt it?

 

[noobtothereef]

i thought you keep increasing the dose until you see a drop and then cut the dose in half and thats the start of the maintenence dose, i could be wrong.

 

[jimmyj7090]

FWIW with carbon dosing if nitrate actually gets to zero then that will be a limiting factor for phosphate reduction. Bacteria need both to grow, without any of one or the other you're just getting your fish drunk

 

[btkrausen]

i thought you keep increasing the dose until you see a drop and then cut the dose in half and thats the start of the maintenence dose, i could be wrong.

You are correct. Dose until you start to see both drop, then maintain that dosage. When you hit 0's, then you cut in half for maintenance dose. Not sure if its week 4 or not, everyones tank is going to be different. I'm on day 31 or 32 right now, and tomorrow I'll probably cut in half if my nitrates are at the same level or below.

 

[180+55reef]

Has any measured their PH during this? I have started dosing 3 ml in my 300 gallon system...... In the am I have noticed that in the 4 days I have been doing this my ph (in the earlier morning is 7.9 ) is dropping, my low ph use to be 8.05. I measure this will a ph meter

btw how low is too low for ph?

thanks!

 

[burnah]

how big a skimmer do you use? is the room airated well? the bacterial growth uses up quite some oxygen..

 

[180+55reef]

how big a skimmer do you use? is the room airated well? the bacterial growth uses up quite some oxygen..

the skimmer is

Reeflo Orca 200 Skimmer with gold pump

I added airstone for what that is worth

even with kalk dripping my ph is below 8, this is the 4th day of adding 3x 1ml of vodka


skimmer is in basement,it has a bit of a draft.... occasionally I do run the intake of the skimmer outside, although today we are having a blizzard

I am wondering if others recorded their low PH, if if they didnt experience it

 

[Bananafish]

You should never have zeroes. Everything living organism needs both nitrates and phosphates to successfully manufacture proteins. You should have less than 10 ppm dissolved nitrates and a small but detectable amount of phosphates at all times. Every time you add a new fish, you need to adjust your filtration and your routine to bring the chemistry to where it should be.

I have been using vodka for a very long time to keep my systems in check. It takes anywhere from 4-8 weeks, depending on the size of the tank, the bio load, and the state of the nitrogen cycle when you start. Sometimes you can eventually taper off slowly and stop using vodka entirely. Helps prevent alcoholic fish

 

[180+55reef]

well given that I have algae I am guessing my test kits arent quite accurate....

thanks for all the info

 

[ati70cutlass]

i started out with a test of 60+ on my api kit. i have been dosing for a week now up to 1ml on my 150gallon setup. im down to 10 at this moment.

 

[180+55reef]

wow in 1 week and only 1 ml

 

[Haksar]

Do you think heavy feeding matters when vodka dosing.I am dosing Vodka and have a hard time bringing down my PO4 (0.19ppm)although I feed nori and pellets one time in a day for my 136gallon mixed reef tank with only 10 fishes.

 

[burnah]

it is important to feed alot because you could get almost no nutrients or lack one of the two (nitrates/phosphates) and both of them are needed to reduce them. be patient and ramp up your dose slowly, there will be a decrease.

 

[Haksar]

it is important to feed alot because you could get almost no nutrients or lack one of the two (nitrates/phosphates) and both of them are needed to reduce them. be patient and ramp up your dose slowly, there will be a decrease.

Thanks burnah,I am hoping the po4 comes down.
Will do another WC this week and see.