Vodka,Sugar and Viniger
- Thread starter poppie
- Start date
pledosophy
Active member
I use a packet of sugar in my 65g tank with 20g sump once a week. Works out to about a teaspoon.
MisterTang
New member
You mean the little restaurant packets? Wow, I'll have to stop making ghetto lemonade and start saving those things 
Billybeau1
Premium Member
While I do not recommend carbon dosing in reef tanks, some have had success supposedly.
What is it you are trying to accomplish with this ?
What is it you are trying to accomplish with this ?
200 ml vodka: 50 ml vinegar: 2 tsp. white sugar.
As far as dosing look back in the last 2 reef keeping magazines. There is an article discussing this.
As far as dosing look back in the last 2 reef keeping magazines. There is an article discussing this.
Henryreef
Ocean Lover
200 ml wow thats a lot, but i have heard of people doing this. http://www.melevsreef.com explains how vodka worked for him in his reef log
Aqua Keepers
New member
Henryreef, I believe that the 200 ml vodka: 50 ml vinegar: 2 tsp. white sugar is the actual recipe for VSV (vodka,sugar,vinegar), not the dosing amount. For the dosing amount of VSV you should follow the regimen in the article of reef keeping magazine.
Aqua Keepers
New member
VSV artical
http://glassbox-design.com/2008/achieved-through-observation-and-experimentation/
reef keeping magazine article
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
http://glassbox-design.com/2008/achieved-through-observation-and-experimentation/
reef keeping magazine article
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
Whalehead9
New member
I had issues with VSV, had better luck with straight vodka. Keep a serious eye on alk for any carbon dosing.
Amphiprionocellaris
New member
Dosing heavy on the vinegar will definitely lower your pH (it is acetic acid, after all, however dilute); also, be sure to keep a careful eye on alkalinity if relying heavily on vinegar. That said, when I used carbon dosing, I typically did 42 mL of white wine vinegar mixed with a gallon of saturated kalk solution (2 tsps in the gallon). The high pH of the kalk helped offset the acetic acid. That worked well in that tank, but I have not attempted any sort of carbon dosing since then.
On a related note, carbon dosing might also assist in reducing PO4 levels (assuming the nitrate to phosphate is still in the 16:1 ratio or close to...if not, then it might be more problematic). Remember, the general philosophy of carbon dosing is that NO3 and PO4 both exist in excess to carbon, relative to the ideal 106:16:1 ratio. I will freely admit that I am not totally up to date on my carbon dosing strategies, but from my marine sciences background, I can't see an obvious scientific reason to use one over the other type of carbon (they are all very soluble C sources).
Last edited:
timbojones
New member
Can I quickly thank Nathaniel A. Walton and Matt Bjornson for there great article about Vodka dosing.
I had concerns with my tank 1. nitrates at 10-15 ppm and 2. Fluctuating Ph generally down that is, from 8.2 to as low as 7.8. and of course 3. Keeping the glass clean, in a room that gets a lot of indirect sunlight.
I considered my corals health in general to be 85%. Everything else I was completely happy with.
I started Smirnoff dosing 2 weeks ago as per the article and the results are nothing short of amazing.
Nitrates dropped to undetectable after 1 week.
Note: I have not changed the water in 4 weeks. Usually 50 litres.
The most pleasing result has been in the soft and LPS corals they are all bright and extend more than ever.
Yes a 2 inch fragment of Montipora has lost a bit of color and the torch does contract after I dose (into the return chamber of the sump and at about 50% sunset).
The skimmer is producing a lot more foam but the clay is produces around the neck seems the same.
The Ph is a lot more stable hovering around 8.18 - 8.22 all this week.
And yes the glass needs less cleaning.
Overall it has been a great success this far.
I know everyone is is at different stages on this topic and I can appreciate all points of view but I just wanted to share my experience thus far with you Chris. Best of Luck.
I had concerns with my tank 1. nitrates at 10-15 ppm and 2. Fluctuating Ph generally down that is, from 8.2 to as low as 7.8. and of course 3. Keeping the glass clean, in a room that gets a lot of indirect sunlight.
I considered my corals health in general to be 85%. Everything else I was completely happy with.
I started Smirnoff dosing 2 weeks ago as per the article and the results are nothing short of amazing.
Nitrates dropped to undetectable after 1 week.
Note: I have not changed the water in 4 weeks. Usually 50 litres.
The most pleasing result has been in the soft and LPS corals they are all bright and extend more than ever.
Yes a 2 inch fragment of Montipora has lost a bit of color and the torch does contract after I dose (into the return chamber of the sump and at about 50% sunset).
The skimmer is producing a lot more foam but the clay is produces around the neck seems the same.
The Ph is a lot more stable hovering around 8.18 - 8.22 all this week.
And yes the glass needs less cleaning.
Overall it has been a great success this far.
I know everyone is is at different stages on this topic and I can appreciate all points of view but I just wanted to share my experience thus far with you Chris. Best of Luck.
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