vodka, has any one tried?
- Thread starter lawboy888
- Start date
djc1026
New member
Here's a a thread on the topic:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=288714&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
Dave
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=288714&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
Dave
Pamela
New member
I can tell you that just a tiny bit of a spilled bloody mary in a 240 can kill every fish in it overnite. I will never, never, never, forgive myself for that one. I just couldn't imagine that such a small amount in so much water would hurt anything so I didn't do anything with the water and the next morning all my fish were dead. I would never risk getting alcohol anywhere near your tank. It tears me up to this day just thinking about it. Don't do it, Pamela
Travis L. Stevens
New member
I've done the whole vodka/simple sugar thing. Personally, I feel it is like rock cooking. People do this at the wrong time to mask a larger problem. If you can know when to do this and make sure that it works with your husbandry techniques and not against it, it will be effective. The largest problem with simple sugar dosing I found is you have to be extremely careful about the bacteria population boom won't take up all the available oxygen. This was actually even more difficult to do then I expected when I did mine. I can tell you if done properly, it works. But it does stress out a lot of animals. Almost all of my soft corals showed outward physical signs of stress and a couple LPS did as well. They recovered to their fullest and did well, but it was tough at first to make sure that I'm adding a balanced amount to not harm the animals in my tank. In short, if you try it be VERY careful. It's a good way to crash an entire system.
ouspeedbump
New member
I prefer vanilla in a pepsi.... mmmmm
ouspeedbump
New member
not a problem, glad to help. And since I made it home with a piece of your mom's amazing ham, I think I made out on the big end of the stick! Congrats again!
Wildstar1063
New member
Has anyone tried dosing sugar, instead of Vodka? I was going to
try the Vodka, but decided to try sugar instead, as it's cheaper.
I have a little 1/8 teaspoon measure, and I have been dosing three
of those per day of common table sugar. since november 2nd
At first I noticed very little difference, but one day I came home
and the water was just slightly milky/cloudy then the next day
the water was amazingly clear, and has stayed that way ever since.
From what I've read, wheather it's Vodka or Sugar, it's all just a
carbon source to enhance the bacteria growth in your tank. The
bacteria then eat the excess nutrients and phospates in the
water column, and they get skimmed out. That's the other
thing, the protein skimmer went nuts for a while.
One draw back I read about is that if you dose too much too fast
the bacteria population explosion will reduce the available
dissolved O2 in the water and could suffocate your fish. So if you
try either method start with just a little and make sure your water
is well oxygenated.
At the moment I'm also noticing a reduction in the hair algae that
was growing on some of my rocks.
In the coming days I may up the dose to 1/2 teaspoon per day and
see how that does.
Chuck E.
try the Vodka, but decided to try sugar instead, as it's cheaper.
I have a little 1/8 teaspoon measure, and I have been dosing three
of those per day of common table sugar. since november 2nd
At first I noticed very little difference, but one day I came home
and the water was just slightly milky/cloudy then the next day
the water was amazingly clear, and has stayed that way ever since.
From what I've read, wheather it's Vodka or Sugar, it's all just a
carbon source to enhance the bacteria growth in your tank. The
bacteria then eat the excess nutrients and phospates in the
water column, and they get skimmed out. That's the other
thing, the protein skimmer went nuts for a while.
One draw back I read about is that if you dose too much too fast
the bacteria population explosion will reduce the available
dissolved O2 in the water and could suffocate your fish. So if you
try either method start with just a little and make sure your water
is well oxygenated.
At the moment I'm also noticing a reduction in the hair algae that
was growing on some of my rocks.
In the coming days I may up the dose to 1/2 teaspoon per day and
see how that does.
Chuck E.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
Chuck, I dosed sugar as well. I didn't enjoy the over all effects, but I may have added too much at once. I think that dosing a carbon source is a viable and effective method, but very risky and not an exact science yet.
papagimp
COMAS Rocks!
When I gave the vodka dosing a try i didn't do it for very long, a couple weeks at the most and never saw anything special. I may not have been dosing enough though, I was a little apprehensive towards my fishies having a drunk fest.
Does anybody know if this type of treatments will work on a freshwater tank? I've got oodles of phosphate and nitrate problems in the 55g Planted Discus tank, due mostly towards the amount of water changes required and the amount of water changes I can afford (have to buy DI water for that tank too)
Does anybody know if this type of treatments will work on a freshwater tank? I've got oodles of phosphate and nitrate problems in the 55g Planted Discus tank, due mostly towards the amount of water changes required and the amount of water changes I can afford (have to buy DI water for that tank too)
Travis L. Stevens
New member
I don't see why it wouldn't work. You are providing a food source that is needed by all bacteria/life. *In a "Field of Dreams" voice* ....If you dose it, they will grow....
papagimp
COMAS Rocks!
LOL, my concern was the absence of a skimmer to remove excess bacteria from the water column after their purpose was done, or if their would be any negative effects on the livestock. I realize that marine fish and freshwater have different anatomy components when it comes to liquid retention. Don't want to come home and find a bunch of Discus Strippers in the tank with a keg all because I gave em vodka. or worse, a dead discus stripper.
