Vodka dosing?
- Thread starter BrianOKC
- Start date
kkdoughboy
New member
Good Luck! Keep us posted! I actually just bought a bottle of Nikolai vodka today cause I'm also just about ready to give it a go! Hope we see some positive results! Chris
kkdoughboy
New member
He must have around 300 gallons total water displacement I would think.
kkdoughboy
New member
Melevs Vodka Dosing. Google it will come up with the article
It will reduce your nitrates and phosphates by introducing a carbon source and building bacteria that eats it. Here is a more in depth article http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
Brad Rogers
Member
I believe using a skimmer is suggested. Here is another thread with a lot of comments from melev. He experimented with not performing water changes over a long time period and if I remember correctly, he had fairly decent results. He was not recommending not doing water changes, he just wanted to see what the results were while doing vodka dossing.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1589131&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1589131&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
kkdoughboy
New member
How do you use the Vitamin C? Just drop a tablet in the sump?
Be careful,
Enter into the regime very slowly and be aware that you can NOT in any way shape or form stop once you start. Essentially what you are doing is getting bacteria to grow to an excess. This results in two things happening- both of which removes nitrates.
Firstly, the aerobic bacteria will assimilate nitrates into their cells as part of the protein they contain. They will grow very rapidly and will deplete the oxygen in the water as they grow. - thats the main issue with nitrate removal via carbon dosing.
Second, the anaerobes will convert more nitrate to nitrogen and nitrous oxide, which will enter the water in the tank. Nitrogen will escape but nitrous oxide, in large quantity will begin to have a delterious effect.
this is why you have to increase slowly.
Now- as to why you can not stop.
the moment you quit all that extra bacteria will die. The result will be massive pollution of the tank and the consequences may be a total wipeout.
So, to ensure you are removing as much nitrate as possible- skim agressively. Ensure you get as much oxygenation as possible and if you do decide to stop, decrease as slowly as you increased.
its doable- and works well- but just beware.
Also- figure what the problem is in the first place if you can. Something is maing nitrtaes faster than your system can cope.
Paul.
Enter into the regime very slowly and be aware that you can NOT in any way shape or form stop once you start. Essentially what you are doing is getting bacteria to grow to an excess. This results in two things happening- both of which removes nitrates.
Firstly, the aerobic bacteria will assimilate nitrates into their cells as part of the protein they contain. They will grow very rapidly and will deplete the oxygen in the water as they grow. - thats the main issue with nitrate removal via carbon dosing.
Second, the anaerobes will convert more nitrate to nitrogen and nitrous oxide, which will enter the water in the tank. Nitrogen will escape but nitrous oxide, in large quantity will begin to have a delterious effect.
this is why you have to increase slowly.
Now- as to why you can not stop.
the moment you quit all that extra bacteria will die. The result will be massive pollution of the tank and the consequences may be a total wipeout.
So, to ensure you are removing as much nitrate as possible- skim agressively. Ensure you get as much oxygenation as possible and if you do decide to stop, decrease as slowly as you increased.
its doable- and works well- but just beware.
Also- figure what the problem is in the first place if you can. Something is maing nitrtaes faster than your system can cope.
Paul.
Nitrous oxide? Laughing fish? :lol:
LL
Paul they say this also reduces phosphate just not as aggressively as nitrates is this true in your opinion? After seeing some of the peoples tanks that are dosing this stuff I figured I'd give a try on the conservative side. My nitrates were around 15 and I can't seem to get an accurate test on phosphate but I know its playing a role in my system because when I added a GFO reactor it helped control the algae in my system within in a week.
