Vodka dosing - again

[MadTownMax]

the lastest reefkeeping magazine is loaded with great articles - including a scientific study that re-visits carbon-limited vs phosphate-limited bacteria - in other words - you can give your tank a little vodka in order for bacteria to use that, instead of phosphate - and the phosphate can then be skimmed out.... at least that's what I got from it.

I know a few club members have tried the vodka thing in their tanks (self-dosing is not recommended unless under adult supervision ) and thought you'all would be interested.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/snn/index.php

 

[mbbuna]

ive been reading through a bunch of the old vodka threads lately. i wish someone would break it down(read dumb it down)to a ruff starting dose, how much to increase, what to look for to indicate that you are doing it right/wrong, and how to ween the tank off of it if you want/ need to.

also from what ive seen in those old threads, most of the people that used to do it don't anymore.

 

[mbbuna]

i just found this thread. the concept of this line of products is the same as vodka dosing. im going to follow it and see how it turns out.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=817441

 

[bloopbloop]

<--Did NOT have adult supervision!

Adopt me.

P.S. Just read the link that you posted MTM. I heard adult Peanuts' voices. Perhaps you can invite me to story time in the future and 'splain it to me in visuals. I do so like a nice picture!

P.P.S. Mbuna, Just looked at the pics of that system on the stuff, nicey!

 

[MadTownMax]

well, beyond what I said above - I don't know if I can simplify it much more - basically the bacteria eats the "clean carbon source" of ethanol, instead of *trying* to eat organic phosphates - when they *try* to eat phosphates, they hold onto them, but cannot digest them - so they stay in the tank, instead of becoming clumps of orgainic matter that can be removed by a skimmer.

From the german chart provided, I think a key to this is extremely small amounts of ethanol added infrequently, so that you don't remove everything too quickly.


This is not something that I'll try as I'm pretty sure that by dripping Kalk directly to my tank, that it is directly precipitating my phosphates out of solution for removal by my skimmer - or just to the substrate - in either case, I can't get hair algae to grow no matter how hard I try

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7116399#post7116399 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MadTownMax
I can't get hair algae to grow no matter how hard I try

i can learn you how to do that:lol:

 

[wds21921]

Hair I've not yet mastered, now hair algae?

I've got megajungelous bunchificus going on .

 

[Tbor]

so they stay in the tank, instead of becoming clumps of orgainic matter that can be removed by a skimmer.

Hey MTM, when did you go back to using a skimmer??? Wus.... JK

 

[MadTownMax]

:lol: when I switched from the 24-gallon to the 65-gallon and started feeding my fish like little pigs - no worries, I only run it occasionally.

 

[Tbor]

Ohhhhhhhhh yeah......... Fish............. I forgot what those are!!

 

[wds21921]

In light of some of the things I've heard and or seen with this treatment(?) wouldn't it be safer to use something like biozyme to get the same effect?