Vodka with no results...

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ecomdesign

New member
I've been dosing a mixture of vodka and vinegar for months now. I'm up to 13ml a day (spread over 2 doses per day) on my 80 gallon tank with 40 gallon breeder sump. I also do a weekly maintenance dose of mb7. I have yet to see any drop in no3. I'm getting a little restless. Any advice?

I'm thinking of coming off the vodka/vinegar and giving the IO nitrate reducer a shot. I few local buddies are using it with great results after just a week or 2.
 
Are all the plumbing, filters and pumps clean? Did you pull all algae out of the tanks? you are doing weekly water changes, right?
 
I haven't taken the plumbing (return and durso) off and cleaned it if that's what you mean? It was all replaced 1.5 years ago. I've never heard of cleaning it.

The pumps are all clean, with the exception of 1 Tunze that could use a bath. :)

I never had algae to remove in the beginning. But the Dosing has cause a little cyno and peach fuzz looking algae that I suck out during water changes.
 
I have limited experience with vodka dosing but that may help here.

I found that if I am running GFO, the nitrates do not lower as fast or as well. This is because the bacteria need both to do their thing. I also found that because I started with Stability and Dr, Tims not MB7, 1/16 tsp sugar for a 60 gal system capacity creates better results for me. I started with a sterile tank. I have read in multiple places that different bacteria react differently to different carbon sources. I also read that folks are using all three sources VSV to promote diversity. So, now I dose Vodka and Sugar w/ great results.

HTH
 
I agree that testing some RO/DI water will tell you whether the kit has failed. I'd check that, since kits are a constant source of problems.
 
I checked my kit (salifert) a few months back to a buddies kit but I will recheck tonite against some rodi. I'll post results after.

I haven't Dosing vit C yet.
 
Personally, I would not dose vitamin C or sugar. Too many reports and personal experiences of coral troubles with them and glucose in general. There is nothing to support the notion that diversity in bacterial activity related to varied carbon sources is helpful.

How much vodka and how much vinegar is in the 13 ml dose?
 
tmz said:
Personally, I would not dose vitamin C or sugar. Too many reports and personal experiences of coral troubles with them and glucose in general. There is nothing to support the notion that diversity in bacterial activity related to varied carbon sources is helpful.

How much vodka and how much vinegar is in the 13 ml dose?
Click to expand...

I was going to start vitamin C when I first started vodka but I was given the same advice which is why I didn't use it.

I premix my vodka/vinegar and keep it in a closed container. The ratio I mix it at is 26 ml vodka and 64 ml vinegar. I always preshake before Dosing. So out of the 13ml, roughly 9.21ml is vinegar and 3.75ml is vodka.
 
Okay, well, the test kit is okay. I'm not sure what's happening with the nitrate level. I might be tempted to stop all feeding for a bit, to see what happens.

The IO product should be fine, too, though. It's one of the biodegradable plastics, if my memory is correct.
 
Each system is different . FWIW I dose a mix of vodka and vinegar which in terms of carbon content would equal abut 18ml of your mix for a system your size. Many dose more. I've used it for 2.5 yrs with good results(nitrate around 0.2 to 0.5ppm, PO4 >.05ppm even though the system gets a lot of food for 40 fish and lots of corals.

Some times it takes months for it to lower moderate to high levels of nitrate according to some reports; mine worked in weeks but I started with low nitrate( after reduction via a sulfur reactor) and some PO4. I have never used a bacterial supplement;there are plenty of bacteria in the aquarium. I also use gfo.
What is your nitrate level,btw?
 
Thanks for your reaponses guys!

My nitrates are 25ppm. I've was increasing my dose by the recommended dose, but increased it to a jump of 1ml per week. Can I increase it by a larger number to speed this process a little. Maybe a 2ml increase per week? (it's not like I'm using straight vodka)
 
You are welcome,

Well. 25ppm isn't high enough to cause damage.ime, so you can play it out for a while. I don't for see any harm in bumping it 2ml per week. In my case nitrates hovered around 10ppm for a month or so then to 5ppm for several months and then one day it was less than 1ppm which is where it has stayed. The bacteria involved are consuming it for the N and some are also rducing it through anaerobic respiration for the oxygen. It just may take longer for the later activity to get going depending on the dynamics of your aquarium.

Keep us posted.
 
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