"One" by polyp labs

Cory · Jan 14, 2016

That turns out to be cheaper. Why dont you dose that in your tank?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 15, 2016

Cory said:
That turns out to be cheaper. Why dont you dose that in your tank?

I use calcium hydroxide in my ATO and vinegar via direct dosing for organic carbon.

So effectively I do use these, but I control them independently. As noted above, if I dosed all of my calcium and alkalinity via calcium acetate, it could be more organic carbon than I would want to use.

Myka · Jan 15, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Yes. That is what I did when I was dosing vinegar saturated with calcium hydroxide.

Regarding the vinegar and it's organic carbon and how little can cause issue, here's some anecdotal evidence:

Last August I was dosing my new SPS tank with kalk+vinegar. I used 3 tsp Calcium hydroxide mixed into 45 mL 5% vinegar (fwiw, it doesn't fizz), I then added enough RO/DI water to make 3.8 liters of solution. That was all well and good, but my tank was nutrient-poor (getting zeros on ULR Phosphorus checker and nitrate kits), so I decided to remove the vinegar to see if I could get some nutrients in the tank. Six weeks later I added the vinegar back in even though there still was not any nutrients in the tank. I was dosing enough kalk+vinegar to equal about 12 mL vinegar per day into an 80-gallon system (net). This was enough to start a STN epidemic in this nutrient-poor tank.

Cory · Jan 16, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I use calcium hydroxide in my ATO and vinegar via direct dosing for organic carbon.

So effectively I do use these, but I control them independently. As noted above, if I dosed all of my calcium and alkalinity via calcium acetate, it could be more organic carbon than I would want to use.

Good to know. I dont suppose it would drop it instantly with a skimmer and photosynthesis going.

Cory · Jan 16, 2016

Myka said:
Regarding the vinegar and it's organic carbon and how little can cause issue, here's some anecdotal evidence:

Last August I was dosing my new SPS tank with kalk+vinegar. I used 3 tsp Calcium hydroxide mixed into 45 mL 5% vinegar (fwiw, it doesn't fizz), I then added enough RO/DI water to make 3.8 liters of solution. That was all well and good, but my tank was nutrient-poor (getting zeros on ULR Phosphorus checker and nitrate kits), so I decided to remove the vinegar to see if I could get some nutrients in the tank. Six weeks later I added the vinegar back in even though there still was not any nutrients in the tank. I was dosing enough kalk+vinegar to equal about 12 mL vinegar per day into an 80-gallon system (net). This was enough to start a STN epidemic in this nutrient-poor tank.

Wow such a low dose did that. I wonder if the bacteria sucked down the alk too fast.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 16, 2016

Myka said:
Regarding the vinegar and it's organic carbon and how little can cause issue, here's some anecdotal evidence:

Last August I was dosing my new SPS tank with kalk+vinegar. I used 3 tsp Calcium hydroxide mixed into 45 mL 5% vinegar (fwiw, it doesn't fizz), I then added enough RO/DI water to make 3.8 liters of solution. That was all well and good, but my tank was nutrient-poor (getting zeros on ULR Phosphorus checker and nitrate kits), so I decided to remove the vinegar to see if I could get some nutrients in the tank. Six weeks later I added the vinegar back in even though there still was not any nutrients in the tank. I was dosing enough kalk+vinegar to equal about 12 mL vinegar per day into an 80-gallon system (net). This was enough to start a STN epidemic in this nutrient-poor tank.

How high was the alkalinity?

Myka · Jan 16, 2016

Cory said:
Wow such a low dose did that. I wonder if the bacteria sucked down the alk too fast.

I said "Wow!" too.

It's a good thing I keep a detailed log, or I would not have questioned the vinegar. The STN started 3 days after the reintroduction of the vinegar. My testing did not show a decrease in alkalinity. In a super low nutrient tank, I'd be more concerned with an increase in alkalinity.