Can someone explain how this worked?
- Thread starter Cindarella
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Oh man. 50 ml in a 400l tank was a huge gamble. I'm glad it paid off. Reefcentral has a great article on vodka dosing from 2008. It outlines what's happening and certain things to look out for. Keep in mind that the use of a skimmer is a must.
Along other lines of carbon dosing, sugar and vinegar was others. In the early days people were trying to get the perfect combination of vsv (vodka, sugar, vinegar) to optimize nutrient export. I think in the end, it didn't have any greater impact and the choice of using vodka was preferred because it was distilled and was considered a pure form of carbon vurses the impurities that came in sugar and vinegar.
Either way, being careful is a chief concern because you can strip tour ysnk of oxygen and suffocate your tank inhabitants.
I would educate yourself before dumbing vodka in your tank.
Along other lines of carbon dosing, sugar and vinegar was others. In the early days people were trying to get the perfect combination of vsv (vodka, sugar, vinegar) to optimize nutrient export. I think in the end, it didn't have any greater impact and the choice of using vodka was preferred because it was distilled and was considered a pure form of carbon vurses the impurities that came in sugar and vinegar.
Either way, being careful is a chief concern because you can strip tour ysnk of oxygen and suffocate your tank inhabitants.
I would educate yourself before dumbing vodka in your tank.
OP
OP
Cindarella
New Member
Yes it was a real risk but i kinda had my fingers crossed and 50ml in 400l isnt really that much once its diluted in the water. But im happy i took the risk , it worked out great. And my tank is stable and my corals are loving the new vodka flavored water. And my algae is 99% gone.
LRT
10K Club member
Do you have a link to that article?
Do you know if it will help with cyano?
I have been able to get my ph up between 8 since I ran my skimmer lines outside. Should update that thread!
drmantistoboggan
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Vodka is just carbon dosing. I use NoPOX which is made by Red Sea to do the same thing. Nothing wrong with using vodka. Some people use vinegar. I just like having piece of mind knowing what I put in my tank was made for the tank and Red Sea has a good reputation
terraincognita
Valuable Member
When you want to be the first one to pipe up with “simple! its carbon dosing!” but 2,000 others beat you to it.
With my current tank, I tried really hard to stay away from dosing vodka, but with all these algae problems I decided to start and the minute i did, the tank turned the corner and started looking great. I slowly started cutting back my daily dosage to wean my tank off of it. At the peak of dosing my 300g (1100 L) it was 4 doses of 10ml a day (total of 40ml) now I'm down to 30ml a day and the tank looks really good. I upped my skimmer production to offset the less vodka and N and P are holding steady.
If you read the article you'll see that a little vodka goes a long way. At 40 ml a day in my tank I was starting to see a cyano outbreak, which is a common side effect and these days you have to be careful not to dose too much because dinos will dominate.
Now that I'm cutting back, the cyano is being out competed by other bacteria and hopefully things fall in line without needing vodka.
Carbon dosing is a great way to reduce nutrients as long as you have a well tuned skimmer as noted before. And that you don't overdose, causing a big O2 depleting bloom.
Although far safer than GFO or LC, it CAN be too effective, leaving the system nutrient depleted. This can harm corals and lead to dinoflagellates in the worst case.
You would be wise to buy a low range test kit for nitrates and phosphates. Red Sea for nitrates and Hanna ULR for phosphates are highly regarded. Just make sure you always have detectable amounts. (Yes, we've all seen gorgeous 0/0 reefs, but these are sophisticated outliers.)
Although far safer than GFO or LC, it CAN be too effective, leaving the system nutrient depleted. This can harm corals and lead to dinoflagellates in the worst case.
You would be wise to buy a low range test kit for nitrates and phosphates. Red Sea for nitrates and Hanna ULR for phosphates are highly regarded. Just make sure you always have detectable amounts. (Yes, we've all seen gorgeous 0/0 reefs, but these are sophisticated outliers.)
LRT
10K Club member
I keep saying cyano but it's more like a brownish red thin hair algae. Its easy to vacuum out and can blow off the sand and rocks easily but its been driving me crazy as I have to vacuum daily. Its only growing on the new sand and crushed coral.
After reading the article it seems carbon dosing can lead to bacterial issues.
And it reccomends a very low dose to begin with. 1ml/25 gallons.
I know i have enough skimming. Running a curve 5 as well as eshopps 300 gallon rated skimmer. Both are working full time.
However my Nitrates haven't budged from 15-20 and phosphates have began to creep up around .2 now.
After reading the article it seems carbon dosing can lead to bacterial issues.
And it reccomends a very low dose to begin with. 1ml/25 gallons.
I know i have enough skimming. Running a curve 5 as well as eshopps 300 gallon rated skimmer. Both are working full time.
However my Nitrates haven't budged from 15-20 and phosphates have began to creep up around .2 now.
Double monti 61
Well-Known Member
Hi how about manually removing the offending algae I have removed algae from my tank and if i am diligent I keep them at bay or non existent.
@LRT from my experience, carbon dosing seems to target nitrates more than phosphates. Seems like your experience is the same.
A bit rich on the PO4 side but I would SLOWLY dial up whatever extraction methods you are most comfortable in dialing.
Cannot stress enough that going in small increments -- regardless of the lever chosen -- is better. Our systems get into these positions gradually. Course changes should be equally slow.
LRT
10K Club member
I do agree im not liking my PO4 being so high right now. Experienced a Nitrate OD and complete Phosphate depletion and tried to slowly bring the phosphates back up. Not sure of it was the colors on the salifert kit blending on me or if its like I have read that maybe my rock absorbed it and then bam I dosed when I shouldn't have or combination of both. But I am slowly trying to bring it back down.
Everything been pretty stable for few months besides PO4 trying to creep a little everyonce in awhile as i think my wife is going a little crazy with reef roids sometimes.
Any natural solutions I can perform to try and get phosphates back down a little?
Fine question. The best "natural" solution would be to add a few thousand gallons to your system volume. Or reduce nutrient input. The first is expensive and the latter is boring and has risks. An appropriately sized bag of Chemipure Elite is fairly practical. It is just GAC and some GFO. While both are manufactured, they are naturally available if that helps.
I totally get your point about natural solutions and I also strive in that direction. The practical side though leads me toward solutions that are easy to dial so I can make SLOW changes.
LRT
10K Club member
Noted and 10-4 was just looking at this yesterday when at LFS. Should i expect it to reduce both Nitrate and Phosphate or only Phosphate?
Im OK with Nitrates sitting where they are at. I feel like my shrooms like the higher N.
You nailed it. The rock and sand (aragonite) bind PO4 to a point where they saturate. Then anything else is released into the water and levels rise. This PO4 buffer is a good thing. It buys you some time when you are under feeding/dosing PO4.
This will reduce PO4. I am fine with your NO3 levels. But to reduce NO3 -- which does not bind -- is easy. If you want to lower it by 30% then do a 30% water change.
Every reefer has their own preferred levers they push/pull to control nutrients. It is preference and comfort. I am heavy in/out. Socks, skimmer, refugium, WC.
I dial up/down with food input and refugium lighting hours just because I am comfortable that I can gradually make a shift when needed. Nobody gets hurt. No dinoflagellates again. Ever.
LRT
10K Club member
Right on and thank you for clear feedback.
Simple and greatly appreciated.
Memisis
Active Member
Wouldnt a big difference between vodka and vinegar be the ph of the substance that you are adding? Vodka is between 6-7 and vinegar is totally an acid at 2.5. Do you think that choosing an acid is impacting your alk & subsequently PH? 5% vinegar will have more acidity vs 3% naturally. I can't help but think that it would bring PH down as it chews through your dKH. Maybe the dose is small enough to not matter.
Very interested in your comments as I am planning to vodka dose.
