NEW Vodka and Vinegar Dosing Charts

[Steve2020]

Perhaps dose about 30-50mL per day of vinegar in your tank. Adjust as needed. Good luck.

Vinegar is something good to dose in a reef tank. Loads of organisms can consume it. It is one of the most highly processed organic in the oceans.

Is dosing via the drip I mention ok? I was thinking doing the drip will have less PH drop vice a one shot dose.

 

[Miami Reef]

Is dosing via the drip I mention ok? I was thinking doing the drip will have less PH drop vice a one shot dose.

Yes. That’s a good idea. I’m assuming you will refill it everyday, right? There’s not much risk for bacterial growth if you dose it like that.

You can eventually switch to a dosing pump which will spread the straight vinegar without needing to dilute it.

However, at your current maintenance dose, I see no issues with once a day dosages (undiluted).

I’ve dosed higher without diluting with an insignificant pH drop. 30-50mL in an almost 300 gallon is fine. That’s a drop in a bucket.

 

[Steve2020]

Yes. That’s a good idea. I’m assuming you will refill it everyday, right? There’s not much risk for bacterial growth if you dose it like that.

You can eventually switch to a dosing pump which will spread the straight vinegar without needing to dilute it.

However, at your current maintenance dose, I see no issues with once a day dosages (undiluted).

I’ve dosed higher without diluting with an insignificant pH drop. 30-50mL in an almost 300 gallon is fine. That’s a drop in a bucket.

Appreciate the info. I think I will first try the one shot dose and see what happens with PH if anything. If it drops by more than 0.05-0.10 then I will give the drip a try and yes it would be refilled daily. I have a very stable PH that is electronically controlled and I prefer not to induce a PH drop. I do have an extra dosing head that I may use at a later date once I see the results from manual dosing.
Thanks for your help and recommendations.

 

[Miami Reef]

Appreciate the info. I think I will first try the one shot dose and see what happens with PH if anything. If it drops by more than 0.05-0.10 then I will give the drip a try and yes it would be refilled daily. I have a very stable PH that is electronically controlled and I prefer not to induce a PH drop. I do have an extra dosing head that I may use at a later date once I see the results from manual dosing.
Thanks for your help and recommendations.

Sure thing.

If you dose it right next to the pH probe, it will read much lower. But if you give it a few minutes to fix in with the system you’ll see a true pH. I believe it’s only 0.01-0.02 drop.

 

[doubleshot00]

I was right there with you. Fear not, carbon dosing is generally safe for many people. Just follow the chart and observe the tank.

Most likely the tank will chug on just the same as it did prior. Keep us posted. Some people note happier corals, likely from the increased bacterial growth.

Im stopping today to get a fith.

 

[bzb]

Wow this chart was super helpful, thank you! I was dosing very intermittently before last week. Read the thread and figured, why not.

90G with 29G sump, approx 110G total water volume. Generally run pH 7.8-8.1 throughout the day, but never focus on that number too much. Alk 8.8, Ca 400, Mg 1300. Phosphates always undetectable, but I've battled hair algae for freaking ever. Been growing out corals to crowd it out lol.

I've been dosing 25mL per day in 4-5 doses throughout the day when I work from home, and 2-3 doses when I have to go to the office. I have a Hanna pH checker, and no noticeable drop doing 5-6mL at a time in one shot.

In exactly one week, I've seen a drop from ~100 N03 to it measuring around ~20 today using a new NYOS checker. No noticeable effects on any fish, BTA, or any of my corals (yet). Brilliant!

Wondering if I should even increase the dosage for this next week, or just maintain the 25mL/day until I see nitrates below 10? I'm planning on grabbing another BRS doser to go along with my 2-part dose and dial that in later... but hoping this will help knock out my GHA issue.

 

[Reefering1]

Wow this chart was super helpful, thank you! I was dosing very intermittently before last week. Read the thread and figured, why not.

90G with 29G sump, approx 110G total water volume. Generally run pH 7.8-8.1 throughout the day, but never focus on that number too much. Alk 8.8, Ca 400, Mg 1300. Phosphates always undetectable, but I've battled hair algae for freaking ever. Been growing out corals to crowd it out lol.
I've been dosing 25mL per day in 4-5 doses throughout the day when I work from home, and 2-3 doses when I have to go to the office. I have a Hanna pH checker, and no noticeable drop doing 5-6mL at a time in one shot.

In exactly one week, I've seen a drop from ~100 N03 to it measuring around ~20 today using a new NYOS checker. No noticeable effects on any fish, BTA, or any of my corals (yet). Brilliant!

Wondering if I should even increase the dosage for this next week, or just maintain the 25mL/day until I see nitrates below 10? I'm planning on grabbing another BRS doser to go along with my 2-part dose and dial that in later... but hoping this will help knock out my GHA issue.

If you went from 100 to 20 in a week with 25mL/day, I would drop the dose to 10ml immediately (maybe less). Slow the drop and find fine control to get where you want to be. DONT BOTTOM OUT!!

 

[bzb]

Appreciate the gut check! That's kind of where I was leaning, but wasn't sure how much lower I wanted to go. I don't think I have the discipline to not overfeed these chunkers, so definitely not ultra low nutrient!

I'll crank it down to 10mL and start doing daily testing over the weekend. Thanks!

 

[Miami Reef]

Agreed.

 

[Mako199]

So I think I'm having issues with carbon dosing vinegar or just impatient I don't know. I have a 120g Reef 150g water volume. I have always fought high nitrate ...has gotten to 75ppm. I brought it down to 37ppm with water changes and started carbon dosing vinegar with dosing pump 37.5ml over 12hrs light cycle. On 1/20/24
Nitrate 37ppm
phosphate .23 ppm.
1/30/24 nitrate 41.7ppm
Phosphate .16ppm (had phosguard in sump)
Raised vinegar dose to 75ml over 12hrs.
2/11/24
Nitrate 45.3ppm
Phosphate .15ppm removed phosguard...aluminum rising on icp
Raised vinegar dose to 100ml over 12hrs
2/17/24
Nitrate 48.1
Phosphate .20ppm
Raised vinegar to 125ml over 24hrs

Does this look right should I continue doing what I'm doing or make changes or just be more patient?

Tank has 50w pentair uv running 24/7
Reef octopus 300s
Dual clarisea sk5000 gen3 filter rollers

 

[Mako199]

So I think I'm having issues with carbon dosing vinegar or just impatient I don't know. I have a 120g Reef 150g water volume. I have always fought high nitrate ...has gotten to 75ppm. I brought it down to 37ppm with water changes and started carbon dosing vinegar with dosing pump 37.5ml over 12hrs light cycle. On 1/20/24
Nitrate 37ppm
phosphate .23 ppm.
1/30/24 nitrate 41.7ppm
Phosphate .16ppm (had phosguard in sump)
Raised vinegar dose to 75ml over 12hrs.
2/11/24
Nitrate 45.3ppm
Phosphate .15ppm removed phosguard...aluminum rising on icp
Raised vinegar dose to 100ml over 12hrs
2/17/24
Nitrate 48.1
Phosphate .20ppm
Raised vinegar to 125ml over 24hrs

Does this look right should I continue doing what I'm doing or make changes or just be more patient?

Tank has 50w pentair uv running 24/7
Reef octopus 300s
Dual clarisea sk5000 gen3 filter rollers

Parameters....

 

[Miami Reef]

Any issues with 125mL per day? Do you see bacteria strings or any negative consequences?

If everything seems happy, try maintaining 125mL per day and see if nitrates start coming down.

Do you feed a lot?

 

[Mako199]

Any issues with 125mL per day? Do you see bacteria strings or any negative consequences?

If everything seems happy, try maintaining 125mL per day and see if nitrates start coming down.

Do you feed a lot?

Ever since starting vinegar I've had a brown slime film on glass but doesn't seem to be causing any issues. Sps are still growing. I feed a sheet of nori and a 1x1" chunk of rods every day. Every other day I switch out rods for 3 cubes of hikari mysis and Squid. That's 3 Cubs all together not of each.
Fish list
6" purple tang
5" powder blue
4" yellow tang
4" Copperband butterfly
3" file fish
2.5" royal gramma
1.5" azure damsel
2- 1.5" tailspot blenny
1.5" six line wrasse

 

[Aquachristik]

The major downside of vodka is that it has the highest likelihood of fueling cyano. If you aren’t seeing a Cyano increase, I’d keep using vodka. It is less likely to fuel dinos.

Carbon dosing with vinegar or vodka is ineffective for phosphates. You’ll most likely bottom out nitrates long before phosphates reduce.

What would be effective ways to reduce phosphates without the use of GFO? Lanthanum dosing alongside vodka/vinegar dosing?

 

[Aquachristik]

well, I don’t understand the point of your post either!
How about: thank you for the valuable update on vinegar dosing but as noted, there can be issues with vinegar or sugar dosing and I believe those negatives may be less so, using prepared formulas and as such, I use the prepared formulas, which I do not find to be overly expensive.
Is that comment more acceptable to you?

With the use of "Polyalcohols" you're saying that the TM Elimi-NP would be safer or more effective than vodka/vinegar dosing?

Edit: found your response to this, thanks.

 

[I never finish anythi]

What about elimi N/P by tropic marin to lower nitrate. The np bacto balance ain't recommended for lowering the nitrate it's more for when you have nutrients in check .

 

[I never finish anythi]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

With the use of "Polyalcohols" you're saying that the TM Elimi-NP would be safer or more effective than vodka/vinegar dosing?

FWIW, IMO that is a manufacturer claim that is not backed by evidence one way or the other.

 

[Kactai]

I primarily use Fauna Marin Bacto Energy and they say don’t exceed 5ml daily. I dose 15ml with no adverse effect. I have better results than when I used nopox.

Are you still using bacto energy? I’m considering it as carbon dosing source for my 180g reef but can’t seem to find many reviews or testimonials. I’m on the fauna Marin salt and love their products so far. Let me know what your experience has been like if you get a chance. Thanks

 

[schooncw]

Are you still using bacto energy? I’m considering it as carbon dosing source for my 180g reef but can’t seem to find many reviews or testimonials. I’m on the fauna Marin salt and love their products so far. Let me know what your experience has been like if you get a chance. Thanks

So far, so good. I don’t know if there are any “real differences” in the various products but I do recall not being pleased with nopox and I’m no scientist but am more comfortable using a prepared product, rather than vinegar. I did try Tropic Marin’s Elimi NP but am comfortable with the FM line.
My corals are certainly responding well and I will continue to use the product.