PO4 in Vinegar

[Dan_P]

If you are dosing vinegar to reduce the nitrate concentration in your aquarium, you might want to measure the amount of PO4 in the vinegar you are using.

I dissolved 0.04 mL of vinegar in 30 mL of freshly prepared Instant Ocean. I measured the PO4 and calculated that my vinegar has a PO4 level of about 1000 ppm. Really, 1000 ppm. A 1 mL per gallon vinegar dose can raise the system PO4 about 0.25ppm ( 1 mL x 1000 ppm / 4000 mL). I typically don’t see an elevated PO4 level probably because of aragonite adsorption and bacterial assimilation.

 

[Nano sapiens]

That's interesting! With undetectable PO4 in my system, whatever comes in with the vinegar is most welcome since it will help the denitrifying bacteria in doing their job

For those with too much PO4 in their aquariums, maybe not all that good

 

[taricha]

1mL/L kroger brand vinegar gives ~0.1 ppm PO4 so mine measures about a tenth of what @Dan_P did.
But still there are times when i've added enough that it would be a measurable PO4 increase if not for the bacterial growth.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I didn’t know there was much if any po4 in vinegar. If so that makes since why my tank dose better with vodka mixed into the vinegar so the dose is lower.

 

[taricha]

If so that makes since why my tank dose better with vodka mixed into the vinegar

Check it and see! It looks like there could be a lot of PO4, but maybe also a lot of variation between brands.
PO4 test your tank water, and then test 1mL vinegar in 1L of tank water.

 

[Nano sapiens]

That's interesting! With undetectable PO4 in my system, whatever comes in with the vinegar is most welcome since it will help the denitrifying bacteria in doing their job

For those with too much PO4 in their aquariums, maybe not all that good

On second thought, since I add vinegar into my kalk infused ATOs, PO4 likely precipitates out anyway. Would need to add vinegar separately to get the extra PO4 boost.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm somewhat skeptical of this result, though I do not know what is wrong.

What sort of vinegar?

Commercial analyses of vinegar used for nutrition labeling give a lower value, ~40 ppm P or 120 ppm phosphate, which pushes it well below daily food additions of phosphate for normal vinegar doses.

Vinegar, distilled nutrition facts and analysis.

www.nutritionvalue.org

 

[Dan_P]

I'm somewhat skeptical of this result, though I do not know what is wrong.

What sort of vinegar?

Commercial analyses of vinegar used for nutrition labeling give a lower value, ~40 ppm P or 120 ppm phosphate, which pushes it well below daily food additions of phosphate for normal vinegar doses.

Vinegar, distilled nutrition facts and analysis.

www.nutritionvalue.org

The vinegar was a store brand distilled vinegar.

... and by placing 95/3 instead of 95/31 into the spreadsheet cell accounts for the exceptionally high calculated PO4 content.

Corrected number is 126 ppm PO4.

Sorry everyone about the fake news.

Thanks Randy for being skeptical.

Dan

 

[Cory]

Do they use filtered tap water to make vinegar? A city i used to live had 2-3ppm po4 intentionally added for control of something.

 

[Rmckoy]

If you are dosing vinegar to reduce the nitrate concentration in your aquarium, you might want to measure the amount of PO4 in the vinegar you are using.

I dissolved 0.04 mL of vinegar in 30 mL of freshly prepared Instant Ocean. I measured the PO4 and calculated that my vinegar has a PO4 level of about 1000 ppm. Really, 1000 ppm. A 1 mL per gallon vinegar dose can raise the system PO4 about 0.25ppm ( 1 mL x 1000 ppm / 4000 mL). I typically don’t see an elevated PO4 level probably because of aragonite adsorption and bacterial assimilation.

Read the back of the bucket or salt .
there are phosphates in the salt mix .