Dosing Vinegar

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 16, 2016

That a fine increase to see what happens.

numsie · Feb 16, 2016

Hi Randy, I have a heavily stocked 90g reef. I do have a bit of a cyno problem. My corals are all doing great but I wanted to get my phos (as of 02/03 was at 0.10) and nitrate down ( same date 15-20). I have been dosing a small amount of vinegar (3ml) for the last 6 months, after the 02/03 water test I kicked it up to 6ml per day. As of last Sunday the 14th my Phos was down to .003 and nitrate down to 5 but I still have the cyno patches. I aslo have a bag of GFO in my sump and run a refugium. I also do 15-20 gal water changes every other week, my question is should I dose more vinegar to help with the cyno issue?

FranklinDattein · Feb 16, 2016

@mumsie I believe Vinegar at such low dosages is doing very little to bring No3 e PO4 down. Any particular reason to not follow the recomendation to raise the dose over time as per the table?

numsie · Feb 16, 2016

None other then not wanting to over do it

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 17, 2016

Organic carbon dosing with a cyano issue can be a double edged sword, since it will reduce nutrients the cyano needs, but cyano may also feed directly on the organic carbon.

So it is a fine experiment to up the vinegar dose, but if the cyano responds negatively, I'd focus more on other methods, such as the GFO.

numsie · Feb 17, 2016

Thank you Randy

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 17, 2016

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

Congaken · Feb 17, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Organic carbon dosing with a cyano issue can be a double edged sword, since it will reduce nutrients the cyano needs, but cyano may also feed directly on the organic carbon.

So it is a fine experiment to up the vinegar dose, but if the cyano responds negatively, I'd focus more on other methods, such as the GFO.

Sorry...so what is GFO...I'm too old to know all of these initial things...

Latinreefer · Feb 17, 2016

Following along

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 17, 2016

GFO stands for granular ferric oxide. Basically, it is special chunks of rust that bind phosphate. There are many, many brands.

TexasTodd · Feb 19, 2016

What dosing pumps out there can administer these small amounts? I'm sure by hand is best but I travel.
Thanks,
Todd

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 19, 2016

I use a BRS 1.1 mL per minute doser for vinegar, although it may dose a bit faster than that according to reports.

Congaken · Feb 19, 2016

Randy...Been dosing NOPOX at 4ml in my 10 gal reef...tested NO3 which was 0 and PO4 was less than .25ppm...This seems good and the tanks is gradually looking better algaewise...more dark skimmate than ever...So, do I continue to raise the dose as per the dosage chart or should I keep my dose at the same 4ml as long as things keeping progressing?...By the way, I haven't changed water since last Saturday...so export of nutrients seems to be via the dosing...I guess...Thanks a lot for your time...Ken

dragonfish · Feb 19, 2016

Following along

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 19, 2016

Congaken said:
Randy...Been dosing NOPOX at 4ml in my 10 gal reef...tested NO3 which was 0 and PO4 was less than .25ppm...This seems good and the tanks is gradually looking better algaewise...more dark skimmate than ever...So, do I continue to raise the dose as per the dosage chart or should I keep my dose at the same 4ml as long as things keeping progressing?...By the way, I haven't changed water since last Saturday...so export of nutrients seems to be via the dosing...I guess...Thanks a lot for your time...Ken

If nitrate is undetectable, I would not up the dose. I might reduce it, and look to reduce phosphate other ways, such as with GFO or other types of binders.

Drauka99 · Feb 22, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I use a BRS 1.1 mL per minute doser for vinegar, although it may dose a bit faster than that according to reports.

I checked mine and it came out to 1.26ml/min Not a huge difference but when using a dosing program calculator its easy enough to punch in a different pump rate.

I am up to 35ml per day of Vinegar on my system volume of approximately 100 gallons, After a heater malfunction and water feed failure in the refugium and roasting the cheato and microfauna my Nitrates are at 80ppm. Measured on an API kit. What would be the fastest ramp up on the dosing you would feel comfortable recommending? I am currently dosing 35ml per day, dosing each hour now that I have an Apex. I have tried to only raise it 5ml a week but I am anxious to see that 80 decrease to a more manageable number.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 22, 2016

How many weeks have you been dosing?

Drauka99 · Feb 22, 2016

Started around the 1st of the year so 2 months. Initial was 10ml a day, upped by 5ml each week and held 20ml for several weeks. Initial Nitrates were around 40ppm, fell to 10ppm, apparently lost a snail in the rock work and they climbed back to 40ppm and then the refugium roast happened as I was ramping up at 5ml a week additional. At 30ml now. I did a ~20% water change this weekend and am still getting 80ppm on the API so that to me suggests that nitrates were even higher.

I am hoping this weekend to do a full sump vacuum to remove detritus in there.