Carbon Dosing without drinkable alcohol

[KilianSP]

I am currently carbon dosing with TM Bacto Balance. It is going to be empty soon but didn't lowered the nutrients as much as i wish.
Currently at No3 20, Po4 0,5
So i want to switch to more aggressiv stuff.
Red sea nopox, but it is expensive.
I saw the DIY Reciepe, but i can't buy drinkable Alcohol. So no Vodka for me.
I know we use the vodka because of the Ethanol, so the question is, can i just use pure ethanol and mixed with rodi to get 50% mixture?
I don't want to go with the DIY reciepe then, just dosing Ethanol.

 

[Outlaw Corals]

No need to load them anymore than that honestly, my phosphates are the same my nitrates a little higher

 

[KilianSP]

No need to load them anymore than that honestly, my phosphates are the same my nitrates a little higher

I did the daily waterchange Route, which did well when only the bamboo shark was in the tank and macroalgae. I added 7 silver moonies, and now the levels rise, even with the daily waterchanges. I am doing 5% daily and thats the highest i want to go, otherwise it get to expensive for my liking, 330gal System by the way.
And as i now have alot of gorgonians, some NPS ones too, i wanted to do carbon dosing so they may Profit from the extra bacterias.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Have you tried the TM minus NP? Bacto balance is supposed to be for when you get your N&P where you want it and to maintain it.

 

[Realposition]

Just use vinegar

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Back when carbon dosing was vogue, there were 3 popular ways to do it. You can use sugar, vinegar or vodka. Some people even had it down to dosing all 3 at specific ratios.

I'd say vinegar is your best alternative. Or you can give your money to the products sold for the hobby, which i guess in a way has its benefits.

 

[KilianSP]

Have you tried the TM minus NP? Bacto balance is supposed to be for when you get your N&P where you want it and to maintain it.

It's kinda pricy, same as Nopox

 

[KilianSP]

Just use vinegar

I am afraid that my PH will drop by dosing big amounts of vinegear. Is it really that Bad?
I can spread the dosings over the day by a dosing pump

 

[gbroadbridge]

I am afraid that my PH will drop by dosing big amounts of vinegear. Is it really that Bad?
I can spread the dosings over the day by a dosing pump

If you spread the dosing vinegar will probably not affect pH much at all.

 

[KilianSP]

If you spread the dosing vinegar will probably not affect pH much at all.

I now Pulle the triggern on the aquaforest NitraPhos Minus. Same dosing Regime as the RS Nopox, so probably the same, but costs only the half. If this is also going to get expensive in the long run i switch to vinegear.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am afraid that my PH will drop by dosing big amounts of vinegear. Is it really that Bad?
I can spread the dosings over the day by a dosing pump

When spread out, the pH drop from vinegar is no larger than the pH drop from ethanol or sugar, it is just that vinegar front loads the pH drop and the others do more later. All end up as CO2.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

On the original question, I expect that Red Sea uses denatured (nondrinkable and hence nontaxable) ethanol to make NOPOX, and that is why there is isopropanol and methanol in it, but I would not use random denatured ethanol since it may have different denaturing components in it that you may not want to add to a reef tank.

If you can tell what is in the alcohol you want to use, we can advise on its suitability.

 

[Doctorgori]

I am currently carbon dosing with TM Bacto Balance. It is going to be empty soon but didn't lowered the nutrients as much as i wish.
Currently at No3 20, Po4 0,5
So i want to switch to more aggressiv stuff.
Red sea nopox, but it is expensive.
I saw the DIY Reciepe, but i can't buy drinkable Alcohol. So no Vodka for me.
I know we use the vodka because of the Ethanol, so the question is, can i just use pure ethanol and mixed with rodi to get 50% mixture?
I don't want to go with the DIY reciepe then, just dosing Ethanol.

Nitrate @ 20 and Phosphate @.5 is far from panic levels IMO … I dunno, I think all this talk of the holy grail of Nitrate @ 2 and phosphate @ .03 is from stickhead youtube vids w/o any real backing other than the nice tanks … many tanks run that high w/o issue ….

I wouldn’t go looking to hard for solutions or go spending money at those levels … sure lower them if you wish, But If the tank looks nice, why?

 

[taricha]

I've used high % ethanol and methanol both. Bacteria responded as expected.
I've never looked into whether hardware store denatured alcohol has concerning ingredients in it or not.

 

[KilianSP]

Nitrate @ 20 and Phosphate @.5 is far from panic levels IMO … I dunno, I think all this talk of the holy grail of Nitrate @ 2 and phosphate @ .03 is from stickhead youtube vids w/o any real backing other than the nice tanks … many tanks run that high w/o issue ….

I wouldn’t go looking to hard for solutions or go spending money at those levels … sure lower them if you wish, But If the tank looks nice, why?

Tank looks fine, i don't have problems with the nutrient levels.

I don't want to lower it, i want to keep them there where they are at right now. And as the TM Bacto Balance also adds some nitrates and phosphates i want to get to normal carbon dosing without adding, since i add enough by myself.
I think the most nutrients come from the thick sandbed i got, 2-3 inches, for the bamboo shark.

 

[KilianSP]

On the original question, I expect that Red Sea uses denatured (nondrinkable and hence nontaxable) ethanol to make NOPOX, and that is why there is isopropanol and methanol in it, but I would not use random denatured ethanol since it may have different denaturing components in it that you may not want to add to a reef tank.

If you can tell what is in the alcohol you want to use, we can advise on its suitability.

I would have gone for med grade Ethanol.
But for now i try the aquaforest nitraphos minus, looks similar to the Nopox, but half the cost.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would have gone for med grade Ethanol.
But for now i try the aquaforest nitraphos minus, looks similar to the Nopox, but half the cost.

I'd be wary of medial ethanol grades that often mean hand sanitizer grade, such as this one, which is denatured with denatonium, a super bitter compound that I would not assume reef organisms cannot detect.

.

Belle Chemical Medical Grade Ethanol - 95% Ethyl Alcohol - for Hand Sanitizer Production

Denaturant: Denatonium Benzoate at 40 ppm

 

[KilianSP]

I'd be wary of medial ethanol grades that often mean hand sanitizer grade, such as this one, which is denatured with denatonium, a super bitter compound that I would not assume reef organisms cannot detect.

.

Belle Chemical Medical Grade Ethanol - 95% Ethyl Alcohol - for Hand Sanitizer Production

Denaturant: Denatonium Benzoate at 40 ppm

Ok, better Stick with vinegar then.
Which kinds of vinegear are safe? There are many vinegears

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok, better Stick with vinegar then.
Which kinds of vinegear are safe? There are many vinegears

Most are probably OK, but cheap distilled white vinegar is what most folks, myself included, use.

 

[Troylee]

Most are probably OK, but cheap distilled white vinegar is what most folks, myself included, use.

What’s funny is I started up zeo last week and the bacteria food “bac start” smells like straight vinegar lol.. I bet that’s all that’s in that tiny expensive bottle! Haha..