Who's dosing vodka? And why?
- Thread starter spleify
- Start date
Since , you said you don't have I skimmer or I think that's what you said, I'd pay attention to aeration via extra flow at the surface of the water to insure the larger number of fish have enough oxygen particularly given the likely increase in bacterial activity.
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Hummmmm Yes
Hummmmm Yes
I have a dump bucket so there is a lot of splashing and bubbling. In the old days, my newly re-started ATS, kept the dissolved oxygen near the saturation point. You can see it operate here.
Quickie Video of the Dump Bucket Working.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jscZipWbxxI&feature=channel_page
Never the less, my test kit tells me that your comment is something that I should give some more though to. There isn’t as much dissolved oxygen as I would like. I think that is because the scrubber is starved and therefore growth and respiration is suppressed.
Hummmmm Yes
I have a dump bucket so there is a lot of splashing and bubbling. In the old days, my newly re-started ATS, kept the dissolved oxygen near the saturation point. You can see it operate here.
Quickie Video of the Dump Bucket Working.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jscZipWbxxI&feature=channel_page
Never the less, my test kit tells me that your comment is something that I should give some more though to. There isn’t as much dissolved oxygen as I would like. I think that is because the scrubber is starved and therefore growth and respiration is suppressed.
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herring_fish
Crazy Designer
MarineGirl411, that’s Ok in my book. It might be best to keep Marc on your good side.
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Plans
Plans
Thanks …no, strike that. I don’t want the dancing banana coming after me.
I guess that you didn’t get a chance to see my web site to check out the photo realistic renderings that we talked about. Website Anyway
It can be noisy (I’m not talking about the TV that’s in the back ground). I didn’t like the anemic splash that it made when it was sitting right on top of my old tank so I jacked it up and down until I got the best trade off of noise to visual interest. I find that when the doors are closed, the sound is soothing but it is just a matter of personal taste.
My next step is to re-shape the down spout so that the water goes across the top of my tank. That’s why I was bugging you about how close I should put the stonies to the splash.
Plans
Thanks …no, strike that. I don’t want the dancing banana coming after me.
I guess that you didn’t get a chance to see my web site to check out the photo realistic renderings that we talked about. Website Anyway
It can be noisy (I’m not talking about the TV that’s in the back ground). I didn’t like the anemic splash that it made when it was sitting right on top of my old tank so I jacked it up and down until I got the best trade off of noise to visual interest. I find that when the doors are closed, the sound is soothing but it is just a matter of personal taste.
My next step is to re-shape the down spout so that the water goes across the top of my tank. That’s why I was bugging you about how close I should put the stonies to the splash.
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herring_fish
Crazy Designer
I didn't mean kill the thread.
herring_fish
Crazy Designer
Oups
Oups
Can't delete
Oups
Can't delete
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MarineGirl411
New member
lol, I'm not sucking up
MarineGirl411
New member
lol you're bad! If I do ever try dosing my tank with vodka, I may give that a try.OK, I've been battling cyano after setting up my 125 a few months ago. I've been chocking it up to new tank syndrome - BUT - the thing is all livestock, and rock were moved over from a fully established 90 gallon - except for the sand (which was added new). The cyano started in the sand (which is why I was thinking NTS with bacteria cultivating the sand) but it's much worse. I feel I'm in the same boat with MarineGirl as I siphon it out and it laughs at you and gets nastier. I have absolutely no HA, bryopsis or anything else.
My trates are around 15 which I've been trying to pull down with water changes, running carbon and GFO (No fuge yet - only LR in the sump). PO4 is undetectable.
I started using Microbacter7 in an attempt to outcompete the bacteria but I dunno - it's too early to tell if it's really working or not.
I've used Chemi-Clean in the past with extremely bad results (loss of several corals) and am hesitant to try it again - BUT I've seen others use it with great results, so I've been thinking about another dose to kill it off, then try to knock the trates down with vodka or a VSV combination.
My plan is this:
1.) Dose with a slime remover / killer.
2.) Continue to dose with the Microbacter7
3.) Start a vodka - VSV regimen (leaning toward the VSV more than the vodka by itself)
4.) Waterchanges (of course)
Any feedback - or do's and don'ts??
Thanks!!
My trates are around 15 which I've been trying to pull down with water changes, running carbon and GFO (No fuge yet - only LR in the sump). PO4 is undetectable.
I started using Microbacter7 in an attempt to outcompete the bacteria but I dunno - it's too early to tell if it's really working or not.
I've used Chemi-Clean in the past with extremely bad results (loss of several corals) and am hesitant to try it again - BUT I've seen others use it with great results, so I've been thinking about another dose to kill it off, then try to knock the trates down with vodka or a VSV combination.
My plan is this:
1.) Dose with a slime remover / killer.
2.) Continue to dose with the Microbacter7
3.) Start a vodka - VSV regimen (leaning toward the VSV more than the vodka by itself)
4.) Waterchanges (of course)
Any feedback - or do's and don'ts??
Thanks!!
spleify
Premium Member
Well I'm glad your considering trying VSV, just make sure you have read up on it before starting dosing.
As for the cyano, the VSV most likely will not help out with that and in some cases folks have seen increases in cyano when dosing VSV. IMO cyano is an entirely different subject than what we are trying to dicsuss in this thread, so I do not want to completely derail it. There are a ton of threads out there on how to over come cyanobacteria.
Here are a couple of suggestions though. Cyano is, in most cases an indication of high nutrients. I would cut back on feeding, increase flow, especially where the worst spots are growing, increase the size and frequency of water changes, and manually suck out as much as you can.
HTH
Good luck
As for the cyano, the VSV most likely will not help out with that and in some cases folks have seen increases in cyano when dosing VSV. IMO cyano is an entirely different subject than what we are trying to dicsuss in this thread, so I do not want to completely derail it. There are a ton of threads out there on how to over come cyanobacteria.
Here are a couple of suggestions though. Cyano is, in most cases an indication of high nutrients. I would cut back on feeding, increase flow, especially where the worst spots are growing, increase the size and frequency of water changes, and manually suck out as much as you can.
HTH
Good luck
It takes a while for the new sand to be fully colonized. In my experience, new sand usually shows some diatoms and/or cyano for at least a month or two. I just keep siphoning it out and puffing the sand with a turkey baster until it stops showing up. Of course maintaining low phosphate and nitrate helps too.
Yes, I think vsv dosing can enhance cyano growth. Wether cyanobacteria just feast a bit on the extra carbon or it's related to some other microbial interaction is unknown. Cyano seems to be more associated with the sugar dosing in particular as far as I can tell from the anecdotal information out there.
You didn't note phosphate on your list. It might be worth a look. If its high I'd try gfo before considering a cyano killer such as red slime remover or chemiclean.
I don't think the microbacter can hurt anything but I don't think you need it either.
Yes, I think vsv dosing can enhance cyano growth. Wether cyanobacteria just feast a bit on the extra carbon or it's related to some other microbial interaction is unknown. Cyano seems to be more associated with the sugar dosing in particular as far as I can tell from the anecdotal information out there.
You didn't note phosphate on your list. It might be worth a look. If its high I'd try gfo before considering a cyano killer such as red slime remover or chemiclean.
I don't think the microbacter can hurt anything but I don't think you need it either.
Great thread! I have been lurking for some time, but now I would like some input from you guys. What are people using for nutrient addition while dosing vodka?
I have been dosing vodka for just over 6 months now on my 180 gallon mostly SPS tank with a light to moderate fish load. I have been very pleased with the results. Before starting my nitrates and PO4 where out of control. I followed the advice from the previous thread and went up to 40 ml/day before my nutrients started decreasing. I have been giving a maintenance dose of 20 ml/day for several months now.
I believe that I have achieved an ULNS with PO4 varying between 0.01 and 0.00 (hanna) and nitrates <2 (salifert). I have observed great improvements in coloration and growth in my SPS. In short, very happy with the vodka.
However, lately I have seen some adverse and unsightly effects. My coraline first stopped growing and now has almost completely died out. My zoanthids have stopped growing, shrunk, and two varieties have even disappeared.
I have also seen an increase in cyano and an absurd proliferation of asterina stars. I literally scrape a hundred or more off my glass on a weekly basis (anyone else seen this asterina proliferation with vodka?). Moreover, some of my SPS are too pale for my liking and the purples will not hold color. I have concluded that my system is nutrient starved.
I do not wish to stop dosing vodka because I am convinced that it has yielded the incredible growth rate and coloration shift I have seen. But, I need to mitigate the side effects to some degree. I have decreased the vodka dose to 10 ml/day (even skipping a few days) for one month now, but the side effects are all still present. Nutrient additions are the next solution I wish to try (unless anyone has a better idea). I may or may not concurrently decrease the vodka dose even further. Here are the products I have considered:
Concentrated amino acids (Zeo, elos, brightwell aquatics, etc)
Reef Booster (Prodibio)
Heavier, more frequent feedings, possibly including: Oyster feast, roti feast, Rod's, homemade blend, papone type blend (maybe not good choice b/c of the sugar), mysis, cyclopes
?Other
I am at a lose on where to start. What have you tried with or without success? Is there any consensus on the best nutrient additive to use with vodka?
I have been dosing vodka for just over 6 months now on my 180 gallon mostly SPS tank with a light to moderate fish load. I have been very pleased with the results. Before starting my nitrates and PO4 where out of control. I followed the advice from the previous thread and went up to 40 ml/day before my nutrients started decreasing. I have been giving a maintenance dose of 20 ml/day for several months now.
I believe that I have achieved an ULNS with PO4 varying between 0.01 and 0.00 (hanna) and nitrates <2 (salifert). I have observed great improvements in coloration and growth in my SPS. In short, very happy with the vodka.
However, lately I have seen some adverse and unsightly effects. My coraline first stopped growing and now has almost completely died out. My zoanthids have stopped growing, shrunk, and two varieties have even disappeared.
I have also seen an increase in cyano and an absurd proliferation of asterina stars. I literally scrape a hundred or more off my glass on a weekly basis (anyone else seen this asterina proliferation with vodka?). Moreover, some of my SPS are too pale for my liking and the purples will not hold color. I have concluded that my system is nutrient starved.I do not wish to stop dosing vodka because I am convinced that it has yielded the incredible growth rate and coloration shift I have seen. But, I need to mitigate the side effects to some degree. I have decreased the vodka dose to 10 ml/day (even skipping a few days) for one month now, but the side effects are all still present. Nutrient additions are the next solution I wish to try (unless anyone has a better idea).
I may or may not concurrently decrease the vodka dose even further. Here are the products I have considered:Concentrated amino acids (Zeo, elos, brightwell aquatics, etc)
Reef Booster (Prodibio)
Heavier, more frequent feedings, possibly including: Oyster feast, roti feast, Rod's, homemade blend, papone type blend (maybe not good choice b/c of the sugar), mysis, cyclopes
?Other
I am at a lose on where to start. What have you tried with or without success? Is there any consensus on the best nutrient additive to use with vodka?
I've not had the same experience but I'm on day 100 with a lower dose 16ml per day plus 2 ml vinegar and 1/4 tsp of sugar on 550gallons. I also run gfo and rox8 carbon Nitrates hold at abut 2.5ppm Salifert and PO4 is .04 to .06ppm (hanah)
I stopped the sugar today to see what happens.Since I have seen a bit of cyano in two frag tanks.
I do feed my fish well and add cyclopeeze to their food 2x daily. I also use coral frenzy 1x per week or so.
Wish I could be of more help on your question and look forward to others experiences.
I stopped the sugar today to see what happens.Since I have seen a bit of cyano in two frag tanks.
I do feed my fish well and add cyclopeeze to their food 2x daily. I also use coral frenzy 1x per week or so.
Wish I could be of more help on your question and look forward to others experiences.
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
^^^ I'm curious of some answers/experiences to kmckay problems as well.
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
Double post
Interesting. My maintenance dose does seem higher than others, including yours. It was determined based on the accepted methodology. Perhaps my nutrient problems were due to a one time spike and decreased nutrient input over time has led to a lower requirement than the model would predict. In any case, dosing nutrients into an ULNS should have benefits that lowering the vodka dose would not achieve alone. Any experiences would still be appreciated.
I am intrigued by the VSV method that seems to be popular. What advantage does this offer over just vodka?
