Who's dosing vodka? And why?
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Hucklebery
Premium Member
GFO was my 2nd choice, so I guess GFO it is. Thanks guys.
Brad Rogers
Member
I would like to post an update on my tank if you don't mind. I had asked before if vodka dosing could help with bubble algae (BA). I have been told it would and have been told it wouldn't. Well, I'm happy to report, after a week I think I am seeing improvments. I still have BA, but its growth seems to have been hampered a lot. I have been doing 20-25% water changes weekly for several months, while siphoning out BA, removing badly infested rocks, had even added a couple of emarld crabs... Nothing seemed to slow it down, but vodka dosing really seems to be helping!!!
trueblackpercula
New member
I had the same problem with bubble algea. This was one of the main reasons I started to dose it. After dosing and emrald crabs my BA is going away.
Michael Anthony
Michael Anthony
My take on vodka and algae is that you can severely reduce growth with dosing. However, you will not eliminate it and it will return upon lowering doses or increased nutrients within the tank. For bubble algae I noticed it would not grow when N/P were low but would pick up growth if I was unable to dose for a few days.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15483666#post15483666 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xtm
Just to give you guys an update:
This is my 4th day of dosing. My water is SUPER crystal clear today. I've never seen my water so polished like this before.
My skimmer is also pulling more gunk than normal. This is ONE DAY's worth of skimmate:
All that happiness came to a screeching halt when I saw this:
Unfortunately, I think something has gone terribly wrong. My alk has been steady at 8 dKH (API), stable temp, stable salinity, but I might have pulled the nutrients out of the water too fast that it (possibly) triggered an RTN event for a couple of colonies and some frags.This A. Formosa (pic above) has been with me for more than a year and it RTN'ed all of a sudden! I had to frag it and try to save the rest of the colony.
Also this birdsnest that I literally couldn't kill with dirty water - all of a sudden it's starting to RTN:
All my Montiporas (Digitata, Confusa, etc) have developed some kind of a white stringy stuff. Otherwise they are fine. (any clues on what they are or what they might be?)
I've decided to temporarily STOP dosing until I get to the bottom of this. I did a 5g water change last night and the water I pulled was crystal clear. Normally this water would be dark brown. Anyways, could vodka trigger an RTN? I haven't changed anything in my system in months, and this is the only "out of the ordinary" routine I have performed in a long time.
I need to stop dosing for now and get to the bottom of this issue. I'll keep you guys posted. Right now I'm just really exhausted.
Did you get to the bottom of this xtm, was it the dosing that screwed things up?
I would like to see other peoples tanks that have been dosing long term, it all sounds very interesting, but the proof is in the pudding, please show your tanks you Vodka dosers.
Last edited:
coral_lagoon
Pushrod Powered
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15483666#post15483666 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xtm
Just to give you guys an update:
This is my 4th day of dosing. My water is SUPER crystal clear today. I've never seen my water so polished like this before.
My skimmer is also pulling more gunk than normal. This is ONE DAY's worth of skimmate:
All that happiness came to a screeching halt when I saw this:
Unfortunately, I think something has gone terribly wrong. My alk has been steady at 8 dKH (API), stable temp, stable salinity, but I might have pulled the nutrients out of the water too fast that it (possibly) triggered an RTN event for a couple of colonies and some frags.
Also this birdsnest that I literally couldn't kill with dirty water - all of a sudden it's starting to RTN:
All my Montiporas (Digitata, Confusa, etc) have developed some kind of a white stringy stuff. Otherwise they are fine. (any clues on what they are or what they might be?)
I've decided to temporarily STOP dosing until I get to the bottom of this. I did a 5g water change last night and the water I pulled was crystal clear. Normally this water would be dark brown. Anyways, could vodka trigger an RTN? I haven't changed anything in my system in months, and this is the only "out of the ordinary" routine I have performed in a long time.
I need to stop dosing for now and get to the bottom of this issue. I'll keep you guys posted. Right now I'm just really exhausted.
Woah that sucks..
You see thats what I was saying on my other thread. How dosing vodka, vinegar, sugar can work for some tanks, but yet crash others..
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1683591&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15544167#post15544167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Here's one from a week ago. Ignore that arctic coral in the back.
And a FTS, taken 8/06/09:
I've been dosing for 13 months.
Thats nice!
What sort of system are you running? I ask as I am running Live rock, skimmer and good water flow, trying to keep it simple. I wonder if the guys doing the Vodka are the same guys doing the Zoe system?
Frogmanx82
New member
I put the vodka in a dropper bottle. 2 drops is .1 ml. Has anyone switched to grain alcohol?
coral_lagoon
Pushrod Powered
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15544167#post15544167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Here's one from a week ago. Ignore that arctic coral in the back.
lol!!! :lmao:
trueblackpercula
New member
Wow that's not even funny the tank is insane looking. The vodka method I knew worked just not to that level though. Congrats on such an inspartional system makes me look forward to strid for that look.
How many tanks theses days you think are dosing vodka???? In any case thanks for posting pictures.
When you first started dosing vodka did you have and negative/side affects to report, I guess what I am asking is how long befor you really noticed your sps/corals gain health/color/growth.
I have only been dosing since July 28th of this year and nitrates ar at .15 to .25 something like that. But the PO4 is zero already and what has me a little confused is that I am getting red cyno again is there any relationship with zero PO4 and cyno? I am also dosing MB7 two drops per day if that means anything.
I know I need to take my time and let the carbon dosing work
Michael Anthony
many many thanks to all that have helped me on this journey
How many tanks theses days you think are dosing vodka???? In any case thanks for posting pictures.
When you first started dosing vodka did you have and negative/side affects to report, I guess what I am asking is how long befor you really noticed your sps/corals gain health/color/growth.
I have only been dosing since July 28th of this year and nitrates ar at .15 to .25 something like that. But the PO4 is zero already and what has me a little confused is that I am getting red cyno again is there any relationship with zero PO4 and cyno? I am also dosing MB7 two drops per day if that means anything.
I know I need to take my time and let the carbon dosing work
Michael Anthony
many many thanks to all that have helped me on this journey
trueblackpercula
New member
Here is a picture of what i am talking about lower left hand corner and 3/4 of the way to the right. a week ago i had none now its back again and I don't know why nothing different.
sorry for the crappy picture and I know my tank is not a work of art but someday it will get there.
Michael Anthony
picture was just taken today.
sorry for the crappy picture and I know my tank is not a work of art but someday it will get there.
Michael Anthony
picture was just taken today.
Carlos Arouche
New member
I´ve beein using vodka during the last two years in two different aquariums...
My actual 450 Gal System receives 8ml of vodka each day....
How do i found this measure ?
Simply... Each week i added 1ml plus... and observed some corals colors... I have an Electric green coral that turns white (partially) when Vodka is over added. I just reduce and in one or two days it return to the correct colour.
so 8ml is the right measure for me.
Regards.
My actual 450 Gal System receives 8ml of vodka each day....
How do i found this measure ?
Simply... Each week i added 1ml plus... and observed some corals colors... I have an Electric green coral that turns white (partially) when Vodka is over added. I just reduce and in one or two days it return to the correct colour.
so 8ml is the right measure for me.
Regards.
Mmm interesting, same setup as I, bar I dont use the deep sand bed.
Live rock
Skimmer
Requiem (mine is only 8 weeks old)
No reason I could not give this a go. From what I have gathered you basically dose till you get your PO4 to 0, is this right?
If so I guess you need a very good test kit, Salifert not being good enough as this shows 0 for my water already.
Now it also has to be said that your tank would have looked good and was doing well before you started the Vodka. So what has been the difference and did you get any nasty surprises? And one more thing, now your fully into the Vodka, can you go back to the wagon so to speak, stop dosing it to your tank. Or now your in, your in and theres no going back other wise your system will crash?
Cyano is a common finding with zero PO4 and vodka dosing. In answer to your question I don't think anyone knows for sure, but I have seen people speculate as follows: Cyano can utilize PO4 which is sequestered on substrate. Their competitors, such as true algae and some bacteria can not and must rely on PO4 from the water column. Thus, zero phosphate (as measured in the water column) promotes cyano growth by inhibiting its competitors.
trueblackpercula
New member
So us vodka dosing folks have to live with cyno or is there another magic bullet? I am very happy with vodka/carbon dosing to date and would not go back is there any other pointers that we rookies should know?
Thanks keep the information rolling.
Michael Anthony
is there any other pointers that we rookies should know?Thanks keep the information rolling.
Michael Anthony
Well if it's PO4 from the substrate that's sustaining cyano that PO4 will exhaust over a period of time if tank levels are kept low. Could be the cyano is feasting on the carbon or a by product from the additional bacterial activity. Exporting it and keeping the substrate and rock clean with heavy flow and occasional puffing with a turkey baster will help.
