vodka dosing

[bizzleb01]

I've been doing a little research on dosing vodka. Although my nitrates and phosphates are undetectable I still get the maroon debris on my sand and have to scrape my glass daily, sometimes twice a day. Would dosing vodka help this? I like the idea of clearer water and brighter SPS.

I don't think I would need to dose daily out that much but I really don't know. Has anyone done a modified dosing schedule with success?

 

[Webmanny]

It helped me to eradicate algae from my tank, but you need to start real slow and monitor your sump socks to determine when you have reached the optimal point. Also, you must have a good skimmer. Otherwise, you have wasted your time.

 

[Webmanny]

I forgot to mention. I dose about 2.5ML per day and I have 40 gallons of water volume.

 

[bizzleb01]

The only algae I see in my tank is on the glass. I would just like clearer water and colorful corals. Would .5 ml a day or every other day do anything? I probably have 65g of water volume or so.

 

[oldsaint]

The only algae I see in my tank is on the glass. I would just like clearer water and colorful corals. Would .5 ml a day or every other day do anything? I probably have 65g of water volume or so.

Are you using GFO and GAC?

 

[CuzzA]

I've been doing a little research on dosing vodka. Although my nitrates and phosphates are undetectable I still get the maroon debris on my sand and have to scrape my glass daily, sometimes twice a day. Would dosing vodka help this? I like the idea of clearer water and brighter SPS.

I don't think I would need to dose daily out that much but I really don't know. Has anyone done a modified dosing schedule with success?

If you don't maintain a scheduled dosing system I think you probably won't have any results and actually may cause more harm by fluctuations in your water chemistry. I would look at dosing vinegar rather than vodka. While vodka does work there are a few draw backs. 1) It's pretty harsh and some corals simply don't tolerate it very well. Chalices and favias are known to not fair well with vodka and this was my experience as well. 2) An accidental overdose can be lethal 3) You have to be very cautious and exact with your measurements and daily dosing. 4) It's been reported that vodka increases the possibility of cyanobacteria outbreaks. If you already have cyanobacteria which I'm assuming the "maroon debris" is, then it could get worse.

Vinegar on the other hand is much more forgiving, does not need to be as accurate when dosed and is just as effective. However, the reduction in ph is a concern and therefore should not be dosed all at once. I add mine to my lime water drip which serves two purposes. 1) It allows me to dose the carbon for more nutrient exportation throughout a long period of time so that it has very little effect on my tanks ph and 2) It allows me to increase the strength of my calcium hydroxide dose to 3 teaspoons/ gallon of RO/DI water.


Hope this helps.

 

[bizzleb01]

I am not using GFO or GAC. I will look into vinegar, thank you. I'm not sure why I'm still having problems with cyano.

 

[Webmanny]

Cuzza,

Quick question. How do you calculate the dosing when compared to Vodka? I dose vodka today at 2.5ml or so per day split into 3 or 4 dosing sessions. All handled by my doser, but I am interested in trying Vinegar. It feels like a better option based on everything I have read too.

If you don't maintain a scheduled dosing system I think you probably won't have any results and actually may cause more harm by fluctuations in your water chemistry. I would look at dosing vinegar rather than vodka. While vodka does work there are a few draw backs. 1) It's pretty harsh and some corals simply don't tolerate it very well. Chalices and favias are known to not fair well with vodka and this was my experience as well. 2) An accidental overdose can be lethal 3) You have to be very cautious and exact with your measurements and daily dosing. 4) It's been reported that vodka increases the possibility of cyanobacteria outbreaks. If you already have cyanobacteria which I'm assuming the "maroon debris" is, then it could get worse.

Vinegar on the other hand is much more forgiving, does not need to be as accurate when dosed and is just as effective. However, the reduction in ph is a concern and therefore should not be dosed all at once. I add mine to my lime water drip which serves two purposes. 1) It allows me to dose the carbon for more nutrient exportation throughout a long period of time so that it has very little effect on my tanks ph and 2) It allows me to increase the strength of my calcium hydroxide dose to 3 teaspoons/ gallon of RO/DI water.


Hope this helps.

 

[oldsaint]

I am not using GFO or GAC. I will look into vinegar, thank you. I'm not sure why I'm still having problems with cyano.

Not knocking carbon dosing as I dose vodka in my 300. But, if I was concerned about water clarity and film on the glass I would add GFO and GAC and look at increasing my snails first before starting dosing.

 

[hobbzz]

Cuzza,

Quick question. How do you calculate the dosing when compared to Vodka? I dose vodka today at 2.5ml or so per day split into 3 or 4 dosing sessions. All handled by my doser, but I am interested in trying Vinegar. It feels like a better option based on everything I have read too.

You multiply your vodka dose by 8. Vodka is 8 times stronger. The schedule you use is the same vodka one on advanced aquarist.

 

[janes_mw]

How old is set up?

 

[CuzzA]

Cuzza,

Quick question. How do you calculate the dosing when compared to Vodka? I dose vodka today at 2.5ml or so per day split into 3 or 4 dosing sessions. All handled by my doser, but I am interested in trying Vinegar. It feels like a better option based on everything I have read too.

I followed a guideline on an article. I believe it was written by Randy Holmes Farley. IIRC, it was a 5 ml/day increase every week. My maintenance dose is 60 ml/ day on my 90 gallon. Honestly, I've never had any algae since this system has been setup, but I have tinkeritis. Tank looks great so it must be helping in some way. I knew I hit my maximum dose when my sump looked like a sick whale blew his nose into it. Then I gradually backed off 5ml/ day each week.

Not knocking carbon dosing as I dose vodka in my 300. But, if I was concerned about water clarity and film on the glass I would add GFO and GAC and look at increasing my snails first before starting dosing.

I would agree with this. Although vinegar is a hell of a lot cheaper than gac and gfo and the reactors and pumps you'll need to buy.

 

[Webmanny]

You multiply your vodka dose by 8. Vodka is 8 times stronger. The schedule you use is the same vodka one on advanced aquarist.

Awesome. I read that on the link, but it sounded like too much. I'm glad you confirm and that you are getting good results. Thank you!

 

[bizzleb01]

How old is set up?

Been running for almost 7 months. About 5.5 months with livestock

 

[MJNTWise]

Dont start.....Try and find out whats causing your problem. Dosing is just a band-ad. I have found out in my little experience that the right Skimmer and filter socks will do wanders. I dose nothing and use nothing in my 180, and I have Zero nitrates and phosphates. I have a skimmer that is rated for twice my water volume or more and I change my filter socks everyday. Hope this helps.

 

[snake1]

Dont start.....Try and find out whats causing your problem. Dosing is just a band-ad. I have found out in my little experience that the right Skimmer and filter socks will do wanders. I dose nothing and use nothing in my 180, and I have Zero nitrates and phosphates. I have a skimmer that is rated for twice my water volume or more and I change my filter socks everyday. Hope this helps.

+1 nutrient exportation

 

[hobbzz]

Excess algae is an excess nutrient problem. Gac won't remove nitrates effectively, and extra cleaners (band-aids) will only starve if you end up fixing the actual issue. Carbon dosing is not a band-aid or temporary fix, it is a form of nutrient exportation like using a skimmer, only chemical instead of mechanical.

 

[bigzman]

Dosing

Dosing

Manny,

I have dosed vodka for over 5 years. First in a 90 and now my 210. Although I agree with Matt skimmer and good husbandry will go a long way I use vodka to keep it in check with a heavy bio load (aka loads of fish) One thing I started since my tank crash (3months ago)was to use both vinager and vodka. I was going to cut over to vinager alone but noticed some really good pe with both and much less replacement of vinager bottle.

Regards,
Z

Cuzza,

Quick question. How do you calculate the dosing when compared to Vodka? I dose vodka today at 2.5ml or so per day split into 3 or 4 dosing sessions. All handled by my doser, but I am interested in trying Vinegar. It feels like a better option based on everything I have read too.

 

[oldsaint]

I would agree with this. Although vinegar is a hell of a loT cheaper than gac and gfo and the reactors and pumps you'll need to buy.

Agreed, Definitely cheaper. But, if your only concern is clarity and a little dusting on the glass, I think you'll get much faster results from GAC/GFO. It may take 6-8 weeks for the bacteria to populate enough to start to notice their effect. Even then with the lop sidded ratio of N I think it's a smarter choice to target P with GFO.
But there are definitely many ways to skin that cat.

 

[bizzleb01]

So, I ordered a Hanna phosphate checker to get a second test for phosphates. My red sea comes up undetectable, but the Hanna showed .16. Is this enough phosphates to have cyano grow on the sand bed? And because of these phosphates would vodka or vinegar dosing be beneficial? I'm not sure where the phosphates are coming from. Inline TDS meter is reading 0. I do 5-10 gallon water changes weekly in my 65g