Vodka dosing and GHA

[Louis1959]

Good Morning, We all know how I hate my Green Hair Algae.

I'm at 1 ml per day(Vodka Dosing), dosing in the morning. That has been the dose for the last 10 days.
With the API Test kits mind you. My last 4 readings over a period of 8 days are as follows;
SPG = 1.025,
TEMP.= 77.8-78.8,
PH = 8.0-8.2
KH = 10.5-11° IDK why this seams higher than 1st few months of tanks life.
No3 = was at 2.0-5.0ppm, now for last 3 readings, it is undetectable.
PO4 = I've been consistently reading less than 0.1.
Nitrites =0
Ammonia = 0
Calcium = ~ 400-420
Magnesium = ~1380.

So here are few questions.
Cleaned all hair algae week ago. It doesn't appear that GHA is slowing down. Grrrrrrr
Due I continue to increase vodka dose, or do I hang at 1.0 ml for awhile since my nitrate and phosphates levels are all ready low?

If i understood article and chart correctly.
I believe I should be lowering dose slightly.
See if levels hold/maintain?
If they hold that is my sweet spot?

Am I getting this correctly?

I am chicken to screw up ! lol....... You know rookie syndrome.

A little support would be greatly appreciated.

 

[gone fishin]

You can always hold there for a bit to see what happens. If you do not see a reduction in the GHA you can up the dose a bit. Don't forget Vodka dosing is a long haul game. It took me quite awhile to zero in my dose.

 

[Louis1959]

You can always hold there for a bit to see what happens. If you do not see a reduction in the GHA you can up the dose a bit. Don't forget Vodka dosing is a long haul game. It took me quite awhile to zero in my dose.

Tony,

I see you are running a 180 gal tank. if u don't mind me asking, at what dosage did you settle out at? approximately how long did it take you to get it there?

I am anxious to see results. So if i have a slight idea, i think i will be able to reign myself in to not rush the progress.....lol

 

[tmz]

Louis:
What size is your tank?
Are you using GFO or other phosaphte removers?
Do you feed the tank much?

FWIW , I've been dosing it fro 5.5 years plus; @ 36 ml 80 proof vodka and 80 ml 5% acetic acid vinegar( the 80 vinegar is equivalent to 10 ml vodka) fo a heavily fed 650 gallon system. PO4 holds 0.02 to 0.04ppm per hanah 713 colorimeter with NO3 0.02ppm to 1ppm per Salifert test kit. Most settle in with vodka in the .04 to .08 ppm per gallon range.

 

[gone fishin]

Tony,

I see you are running a 180 gal tank. if u don't mind me asking, at what dosage did you settle out at? approximately how long did it take you to get it there?

I am anxious to see results. So if i have a slight idea, i think i will be able to reign myself in to not rush the progress.....lol

I eventually settled on 8ml/day. It probably took me a good 4-6 months of tinkering slightly up and down from the 8ml point. When dosing it is better to go slow than quick. Too much at once and it is possible to create a low oxygen situation along with some other PITA problems such as bacteria blooms and skimmer upsets.

when I was having GHA I manually removed as much as possible a couple times a week. Eventually I noticed the color of the algae fading and new I was getting close, that was probably a few months in. Good luck

 

[Louis1959]

Tony,

Thank you, that is what I needed to hear. Not that I want to wait that long.....lmao. But to understand and to have a rough idea of where I am in the big scheme of it all.

It allows me to slow my thought process down. Not get over anxious about over or under dosing.

Thanks again. I see Gone fishing, what's species do u prefer. I prefer Striped Bass. 99% of the time catch & release.

 

[gone fishin]

When I lived in Connecticut I liked strippers and going out for tuna. Now that I am here in Wisconsin I am having to learn all over again. I have been trying for some walleye and would love to get some sturgeon.

 

[Louis1959]

Hi Tom,

What size is your tank? 54 gallon Bow.

Are you using GFO or other phosaphte removers?
I do not have a reactor, but I am using activated carbon and RAWA phos

Do you feed the tank much? I am not sure I understand the question.
I only have fish right now which for the most part I feed once per day due to my long work hours. I know that is not the best situation. The weekends I try to spread out the feedings.

Based on what most of u guys are telling me, I am way early in my vodka dosing progress. A long way off before I see positive results which is okay. The not having any idea of when I might see results was making me anxious.

I need to get the better test kits also once I deplete the ones I have.

 

[llebcire]

Louis:
What size is your tank?
Are you using GFO or other phosaphte removers?
Do you feed the tank much?

FWIW , I've been dosing it fro 5.5 years plus; @ 36 ml 80 proof vodka and 80 ml 5% acetic acid vinegar( the 80 vinegar is equivalent to 10 ml vodka) fo a heavily fed 650 gallon system. PO4 holds 0.02 to 0.04ppm per hanah 713 colorimeter with NO3 0.02ppm to 1ppm per Salifert test kit. Most settle in with vodka in the .04 to .08 ppm per gallon range.

This is good info - I came across this thread searching for long-term vodka dosing and I'm reading that you've been dosing 36/80 for over 5 years without issue. Is there a reason to stop? Many feel that this is a band-aid and reefers need to get to the root cause of the nitrate issue - I don't agree as many tanks with strong growth and color seem to be dosing. I've been dosing 10 vodka/30 vinegar on a 120 for 8 months without issue and I don't know if I should decrease the dose or not as this would be .096 vodka. Color is good but I'm always looking for better.

I eventually settled on 8ml/day. It probably took me a good 4-6 months of tinkering slightly up and down from the 8ml point. When dosing it is better to go slow than quick. Too much at once and it is possible to create a low oxygen situation along with some other PITA problems such as bacteria blooms and skimmer upsets.

when I was having GHA I manually removed as much as possible a couple times a week. Eventually I noticed the color of the algae fading and new I was getting close, that was probably a few months in. Good luck

Are you dosing vodka and vinegar? When I started dosing vodka (alone) I created an outbreak of cyano and GHA that subsided shortly after adding vinegar to the dosing.

Thanks!

-Eric

 

[heathlindner25]

you cannot vodka dose properly with an API test kit. completely inaccurate for this advanced technique.lmo

 

[tmz]

API is fine for nitrate testing ,IME. Never tried their PO4 test.

 

[gone fishin]

This is good info - I came across this thread searching for long-term vodka dosing and I'm reading that you've been dosing 36/80 for over 5 years without issue. Is there a reason to stop? Many feel that this is a band-aid and reefers need to get to the root cause of the nitrate issue - I don't agree as many tanks with strong growth and color seem to be dosing. I've been dosing 10 vodka/30 vinegar on a 120 for 8 months without issue and I don't know if I should decrease the dose or not as this would be .096 vodka. Color is good but I'm always looking for better.



Are you dosing vodka and vinegar? When I started dosing vodka (alone) I created an outbreak of cyano and GHA that subsided shortly after adding vinegar to the dosing.

Thanks!

-Eric

I am just doing Vodka.

 

[tmz]

Is there a reason to stop?

I don't think there is a reason to stop if things are going well. I've thought about it several times but it's doing well interms of coral vibrancy, nuisance algae control and nutrient levels in a highly fed sytem. I di stop gfo 2years ago though. It takes a while for bacteria to establish a balance in tanks . Stopping would set that back and lower organic carbon availability would result in a change in the biology and chemistry of the tank,IMO.. I think constancy is important.


I don't know if I should decrease the dose or not as this would be .096 vodka.

For my tanks 0.06 mil per gallon ( 80 proof vodka equivalents) of water volume is best. Tanks vary ; most settle in around 0.04 to 0.08. Seems you are at about 0.115 ( 10 vodka plus 30 vinegar at 1/8th ) which anecdotally , seems high relative to the norm. You might do just as well with half of that .If you do choose to reduce it do it incrementally over a week or two.

 

[heathlindner25]

if you had a low range nitrate test kit, you would have an actual number you could work with

 

[Louis1959]

Hey Guys thanks so much for all of the great input ! ! !
I have leveled off at 4 ml / 54 gal and all is well. no vinegar.
have not seen any cyano etc.

 

[tmz]

You are welcome and good luck.

 

[garyinco]

Don't slack off for more than a few days or you'll have to start over. And as you know it takes a long time to get the bacteria colony started and providing any benefit. The only thing I add to my tanks, other than the carbon source is dosing pumping calc and alk two part and phyto/pods and occasional Red Sea essential elements (Reef Colors) is Brightwell's Microbacter7, daily at rate of 1ml/gallon. And once a month or so test magnesium and add accordingly. Have no scientific proof the MB7 helps but the only LFS I trust recommended it. Great store with beautiful tanks.

I've read/heard repeatedly that if you're carbon dosing it's a good idea to work toward a KH of 8-9. So you might want to research that. I use NoPox because it's easy and not too expensive. I have an adult son living w/ me and having vodka laying around wouldn't be a good idea.

 

[CStrickland]

I have an adult son living w/ me and having vodka laying around wouldn't be a good idea.

Vinegar is a good option for adult sons, underage reefers, and other vodka avoiders. I think it's cheaper than nopox, def easier to source. I wonder if people who mix vodka/vin combine them in advance or dose separately? That'd work too

 

[tmz]

I dose them separately. Some mix them before dosing. Either way is fine as long as you don't dose a high volume of vinegar at once since it can pike the pH down.

There is no need for the bacterial additive. Plenty will come naturally when the carbon source is provided.