sillygoose
New member
Who does it and how does it work? I still seem to be struggling with NO3.
vodka dosing
- Thread starter sillygoose
- Start date
galkito
New member
hi there.
I am using vodka for the past 3 and a half weeks. I have a total of 120g tank and my nitrates were about 25ppm. Now after this time nitrates are about 10ppm and I am using 2.3ml per day vodka 80%. I guess it will take another week or so to get them to zero. There is a great article about vodka. Just google it. It takes time though. Do not overdose! Just follow the instructions and you'll be fine. if you have cyano it will only gets worst because vodka is carbon wich is food for cyano as it is bacteria. So if the only problem is NO3 just go with it and you'll have some great results.
Mario
I am using vodka for the past 3 and a half weeks. I have a total of 120g tank and my nitrates were about 25ppm. Now after this time nitrates are about 10ppm and I am using 2.3ml per day vodka 80%. I guess it will take another week or so to get them to zero. There is a great article about vodka. Just google it. It takes time though. Do not overdose! Just follow the instructions and you'll be fine. if you have cyano it will only gets worst because vodka is carbon wich is food for cyano as it is bacteria. So if the only problem is NO3 just go with it and you'll have some great results.
Mario
brettinteriors
New member
Could also go to brightwell biofuel, safer but weaker and more $$$. I use it because I don't keep vodka in the house. Keep in mind that heavy carbon dosing will create a ultra low nutrient system. I lightly carbon dose. Depending on what you keep it could be good or bad to heavy carbon dose. I have always had what I consider nitrate issues, 10-25ppm(no3 tests are crap to read correctly). I keep my po4 very lown and this I think is much more important. Lfs kept telling me if everything doing well don't worry. My slimmer grew a half inch last month, all my sps grows well and polyp extension is great. My Lps grows well, my softies grow well, so I said screw it. I can tell if my po4 climbs at all because my sps polyps don't extend as much. Time to change the Gfo. I have the hanna checker for po4 too.
You run a skimmer right.
You run a skimmer right.
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sillygoose
New member
Thanks everyone.
Yeah I do run a skimmer and have cheato in my fuge. My NO3 just recently went through the roof so I feel I'm not doing something I should. I have been overfeeding I think so I will cut back on that but this goes beyond that. My NO3 is 40+ - just because I can't decipher the color change above that!
Some of you know my sad story about the temporary "fuge" we have set up due to the fuge tank springing a leak. Right now (the last 5+ months) we have a big plastic container in front of the DT and the skimmer just doesn't seem to be working that well. Hmmm - I wonder if the plastic is supporting some sort of community that wouldn't adhere to glass that could be screwing with me???? Anyway, the current configuration makes it almost impossible to gravel vac. We really need our 180 set up (have had that coming up on a year)! Geez life gets crazy.
In the mean time, I've got to do something.
Yeah I do run a skimmer and have cheato in my fuge. My NO3 just recently went through the roof so I feel I'm not doing something I should. I have been overfeeding I think so I will cut back on that but this goes beyond that. My NO3 is 40+ - just because I can't decipher the color change above that!
Some of you know my sad story about the temporary "fuge" we have set up due to the fuge tank springing a leak. Right now (the last 5+ months) we have a big plastic container in front of the DT and the skimmer just doesn't seem to be working that well. Hmmm - I wonder if the plastic is supporting some sort of community that wouldn't adhere to glass that could be screwing with me???? Anyway, the current configuration makes it almost impossible to gravel vac. We really need our 180 set up (have had that coming up on a year)! Geez life gets crazy.
In the mean time, I've got to do something.
brettinteriors
New member
Carbon and mb7should work great. just be slow and cautious if you go vodka instead of bio fuel.
To my recollection carbon is a food source for bacteria. This bacteria also uses the nitrate a a food source of some sort thus consuming nitrate. Your skimmer skims the bacteria out of the water.
Too much bacteria all at once can use up too much oxygen so slow and steady wins the race. You need to grow the bacteria and if you do it too fast you will get other bacterial blooms in a bad way. Cyano, brown, ect
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To my recollection carbon is a food source for bacteria. This bacteria also uses the nitrate a a food source of some sort thus consuming nitrate. Your skimmer skims the bacteria out of the water.
Too much bacteria all at once can use up too much oxygen so slow and steady wins the race. You need to grow the bacteria and if you do it too fast you will get other bacterial blooms in a bad way. Cyano, brown, ect
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Last edited:
brettinteriors
New member
What are your thoughts on the vinegar. I have constipated switching but didn't due to ph concerns ect.
aquaph8
Love The Fish
Lelani, Im gonna post some reading for you to do so you can decide for yourself if its for you or not. If you have any questions post them up and Ill do my best to answer them for you.
This is the article I started with a long time ago.
vodka dosing by Genetics
Here is pretty much the same thing in my words with some of my thoughts.
Why dose Vodka/Vinegar
Vodka/Vinegar(Carbon) dosing has been reported to fuel increased bacteria populations. These bacteria in turn consume NO3(Nitrate) and Po4(phosphate) in a reef tank. These increased populations of bacteria are then skimmed out via protein skimming resulting in increased skimmate and lower NO3 and PO4. The lower nitrates and phosphates can also be a great way to fight certain types of algae in your tank.
Another reason to dose, is that as No3 and Po4 come down, your feeding levels can be increased. This works great for tanks with fish that require multiple feeding or for people who just like to keep their fish on the plump side .
Read before you dose:
1. Make sure you have test kits for NO3(nitrates) and PO4(phosphates). Its very important you know what these levels are before you attempt any form of carbon dosing.
2. Only dose carbon if you have a strong skimmer. The increase in bacteria also uses oxygen and a strong skimmer is needed to increase oxygenation. The use of activated carbon can also help and is encouraged.
3. Carbon dosing is not recommended for people with established deep sand beds. Negative effects have been reported.
4. Your Alk should be maintained at 7-8 dkh during vodka dosing. Any higher than 8 people have reported burnt tips on their SPS.
5. Some have reported bleaching in sps. If your corals start looking light, stop dosing right away.
How to dose: (Vodka) For Vinegar use 8 times the dosage
1. Starting dose is .01ml per 25 gallons of tank water. This is total system gallons including sumps and after displacement of rocks and sand. Keep this dose for one week. (so if your dosing 100 gallons your dose would be 0.4 ml.
2. You dose will increase 0.5 ml each following week. (so your dose for 100 gallons would be 0.9 for week 2.)
3.Test your NO3 and PO4 often and when your levels start to drop hold your dose where its at. Continue this dose.
4. When your tests read 0 cut that dose in half and this is your maintenance dosage you will continue to dose daily.
Other tips:
- Ive noticed that dosing Vinegar with my usual vodka dosage has helped to keep any cyano bateria caused by the vodka in check. Some have also expressed postive results from bacterial products like Microbe Lift's special blend and KZ's coral snow.
-Vinegar is also 8 times weaker than Vodka for anyone that wants to increase there levels at a slow rate. There is nothing wrong with taking it slower, infact I incourage it.
-Some people choose to dose bacterial supplements with their carbon source. Some examples include Brightwells Micro Bacter 7, Probido and im sure theres a hundred others.
-Repeat- An alk of 8dkh or lower is recommended do to many experiencing burnt tips on thier SPS.
-Some have also reported bacterial blooms and hardening of the sand to be side effects. Taking things slowly and stiring/vacuuming of the sand seem to help.
-Remember that observation is your best test kit. In time you should be able to tell when something isnt right with your tank. Take it slow and be patient, vodka dosing is not meant to show results over night. For some people it can take many months. I currently only dose a small ammount of Vodka and vinegar on a somewhat new tank but Ive seen some people dose up to multiple hundreds of ml to their tank to keep their NO3 and PO4 at 0. Just keep in mind they did it over years at a slow rate. Everybody's tank has different needs and carbon dosing is not for everybody. Feel free to ask any questions and Ill do my best to answer them all.
This is the article I started with a long time ago.
vodka dosing by Genetics
Here is pretty much the same thing in my words with some of my thoughts.
Why dose Vodka/Vinegar
Vodka/Vinegar(Carbon) dosing has been reported to fuel increased bacteria populations. These bacteria in turn consume NO3(Nitrate) and Po4(phosphate) in a reef tank. These increased populations of bacteria are then skimmed out via protein skimming resulting in increased skimmate and lower NO3 and PO4. The lower nitrates and phosphates can also be a great way to fight certain types of algae in your tank.
Another reason to dose, is that as No3 and Po4 come down, your feeding levels can be increased. This works great for tanks with fish that require multiple feeding or for people who just like to keep their fish on the plump side .
Read before you dose:
1. Make sure you have test kits for NO3(nitrates) and PO4(phosphates). Its very important you know what these levels are before you attempt any form of carbon dosing.
2. Only dose carbon if you have a strong skimmer. The increase in bacteria also uses oxygen and a strong skimmer is needed to increase oxygenation. The use of activated carbon can also help and is encouraged.
3. Carbon dosing is not recommended for people with established deep sand beds. Negative effects have been reported.
4. Your Alk should be maintained at 7-8 dkh during vodka dosing. Any higher than 8 people have reported burnt tips on their SPS.
5. Some have reported bleaching in sps. If your corals start looking light, stop dosing right away.
How to dose: (Vodka) For Vinegar use 8 times the dosage
1. Starting dose is .01ml per 25 gallons of tank water. This is total system gallons including sumps and after displacement of rocks and sand. Keep this dose for one week. (so if your dosing 100 gallons your dose would be 0.4 ml.
2. You dose will increase 0.5 ml each following week. (so your dose for 100 gallons would be 0.9 for week 2.)
3.Test your NO3 and PO4 often and when your levels start to drop hold your dose where its at. Continue this dose.
4. When your tests read 0 cut that dose in half and this is your maintenance dosage you will continue to dose daily.
Other tips:
- Ive noticed that dosing Vinegar with my usual vodka dosage has helped to keep any cyano bateria caused by the vodka in check. Some have also expressed postive results from bacterial products like Microbe Lift's special blend and KZ's coral snow.
-Vinegar is also 8 times weaker than Vodka for anyone that wants to increase there levels at a slow rate. There is nothing wrong with taking it slower, infact I incourage it.
-Some people choose to dose bacterial supplements with their carbon source. Some examples include Brightwells Micro Bacter 7, Probido and im sure theres a hundred others.
-Repeat- An alk of 8dkh or lower is recommended do to many experiencing burnt tips on thier SPS.
-Some have also reported bacterial blooms and hardening of the sand to be side effects. Taking things slowly and stiring/vacuuming of the sand seem to help.
-Remember that observation is your best test kit. In time you should be able to tell when something isnt right with your tank. Take it slow and be patient, vodka dosing is not meant to show results over night. For some people it can take many months. I currently only dose a small ammount of Vodka and vinegar on a somewhat new tank but Ive seen some people dose up to multiple hundreds of ml to their tank to keep their NO3 and PO4 at 0. Just keep in mind they did it over years at a slow rate. Everybody's tank has different needs and carbon dosing is not for everybody. Feel free to ask any questions and Ill do my best to answer them all.
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
Will make it super quick and easy on you... These are my findings after dosing vodka for 3+ years / same exact qty and method I have recommended for many that have never had a problem.
1: Buy a bottle of smirnoff triple distilled
2: start by dosing .02ml per gallon, so for 100 gallon, dose 2ml. and pour a shot for yourself
3: over the course of a month, slowly raise the dose up to around .05ml per gallon and keep it there while drinking at least 2 shots a night. I have kept my tanks at this level for years with ZERO negative effects / perfect results
1: Buy a bottle of smirnoff triple distilled
2: start by dosing .02ml per gallon, so for 100 gallon, dose 2ml. and pour a shot for yourself
3: over the course of a month, slowly raise the dose up to around .05ml per gallon and keep it there while drinking at least 2 shots a night. I have kept my tanks at this level for years with ZERO negative effects / perfect results
Newsalth2o
New member
What about BIO Pellets in a reactor. Anyone try this yet for nitrates?
sillygoose
New member
I have a lot to read/learn/think about. I am looking for a temporary fix and don't want this to be my MO from now on - but this could be what I'm needing right now. When we had our algal turf scrubber (ATS) up and running, we didn't have trouble like this.
I did buy some Seachem de-nitrate from SEA today as an emergency plan - however I read that I should get NO3 down to around 20 before I start using it. Dang.
We are putting an ATS on the 180 - it's gonna happen.
Oh well, I have my homework cut out for me.
I did buy some Seachem de-nitrate from SEA today as an emergency plan - however I read that I should get NO3 down to around 20 before I start using it. Dang.
We are putting an ATS on the 180 - it's gonna happen.
Oh well, I have my homework cut out for me.
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