I started dosing vodka about 4 weeks ago. I was debating on Prodibio, which seems to add its own bacteria and then feeds it, or just adding vodka and feed the bacteria I already have in my tank.
I have a 125G and a 30G sump with a total water volume of around 130G. I started by adding 1ml per day the first couple days, then I added .5ml to that the next couple days. I kept adding .5ml every couple days until I got to 6ml and then I got a bacterial bloom which lasted about 6 hours. I then halved my dosage for the next few days and then started adding an additional .25ml again.
After the bloom the water got extremely clear and I decided to add some amino acids. I got the cheap AA’s from Salifert. I don’t know if this is much different from the expensive types, such as Zeo, but my corals seem happy with them. I have been adding 25ml of AA’s every two weeks.
I do a 10% weekly water change every week and I have been also feeding a phytoplankton culture I am growing. I feed about ¼ cup every day and leave the skimmer off for about an hour. The clams and feather dusters like it and the pods have at least tripled, my green spot mandarin is fat and happy.
Results so far:
All the hair algae in my overflows have turned white and are receding. All the diatoms are gone. The macro algae in my sump are also decreasing in size, but very little.
Polyp extension is very good, I don’t know if this is from the vodka or the AA’s or a combination. I believe that my SPS corals are feeding on the bacteria as well, but again not sure, just opinion.
My phosphates are down from .25 to completely undetectable with a Salifert kit. My nitrates are down to 2.5 from almost 10.
The difference in my tank has been like night and day since I started, but I have no hard data, just what I’ve noticed. Todd noticed a huge difference from the last time he saw my tank about a month ago too. I have heard horror stories about dosing vodka so I did not say anything up until this point. So far it seems to be working for me, but I am interested in seeing the long term effects. I have read that people start to see problems after 4 months, I guess I will see.
I have a 125G and a 30G sump with a total water volume of around 130G. I started by adding 1ml per day the first couple days, then I added .5ml to that the next couple days. I kept adding .5ml every couple days until I got to 6ml and then I got a bacterial bloom which lasted about 6 hours. I then halved my dosage for the next few days and then started adding an additional .25ml again.
After the bloom the water got extremely clear and I decided to add some amino acids. I got the cheap AA’s from Salifert. I don’t know if this is much different from the expensive types, such as Zeo, but my corals seem happy with them. I have been adding 25ml of AA’s every two weeks.
I do a 10% weekly water change every week and I have been also feeding a phytoplankton culture I am growing. I feed about ¼ cup every day and leave the skimmer off for about an hour. The clams and feather dusters like it and the pods have at least tripled, my green spot mandarin is fat and happy.
Results so far:
All the hair algae in my overflows have turned white and are receding. All the diatoms are gone. The macro algae in my sump are also decreasing in size, but very little.
Polyp extension is very good, I don’t know if this is from the vodka or the AA’s or a combination. I believe that my SPS corals are feeding on the bacteria as well, but again not sure, just opinion.
My phosphates are down from .25 to completely undetectable with a Salifert kit. My nitrates are down to 2.5 from almost 10.
The difference in my tank has been like night and day since I started, but I have no hard data, just what I’ve noticed. Todd noticed a huge difference from the last time he saw my tank about a month ago too. I have heard horror stories about dosing vodka so I did not say anything up until this point. So far it seems to be working for me, but I am interested in seeing the long term effects. I have read that people start to see problems after 4 months, I guess I will see.
