Vitamin C dosing for zoanthids (I am clueless)

Pufferpunk · Mar 31, 2008

I don't think there would be any negative effect from discontinuing dosing. I just don't want to lose all the great benefits I have been getting, so I don't plan on stopping. I just got back from a week's vacation (someone else was dosing for me daily) & I can't believe the growth I see in the week I've been gone!

The skimmer doesn NOT remove VC. Only carbon, Purigen & the likes, can. It is difficult for me to explain the increase in skimmate but it is explained in the RC thread. I lowered the output tube on my ASM G-2 & I'm getting tons of bubbles in the cup, with nice, dark skimmate. Before this, I was getting ready to do a mesh mod--not anymore!

I have concerns about the people who are slowly dripping the VC. I do not believe you are getting the dosage up to where it needs to be for any kind of positive treatment. Are you noticing any results from doing it this way? If I usually dose 1tsp (around 4500mg) of VC all at once, to get a ppm of around 12, how can you be sure your ppm has built up to that point by dosing so slowly?

For more info: http://www.livingreefs.com/forums/miscellaneous/590-use-vitamin-c.html

reefpeeper · Apr 1, 2008

Should I Discountinue Running Carbon When Dosing?

fragjunkie · Apr 2, 2008

so far no noted change

Pufferpunk · Apr 2, 2008

fragjunkie, How long & how much are you dosing? Give it at least a month, before you give up.

It is recommended to remove carbon/Purigen & the likes when dosing VC. I use 1/2 the recommended amount of Purigen & put my dose after where I have the bag of Purigen, so the vitamin goes directly into the tank, from the sump. Hopefully, the VC is getting into the corals, before it goes back thru the overflow & past the Purigen. Not all the water is going to get filtered by 1 little bag of it anyway. It would be helpful for you to read the article I linked again, on the previous page.

peterink · Apr 2, 2008

"I have concerns about the people who are slowly dripping the VC. I do not believe you are getting the dosage up to where it needs to be for any kind of positive treatment. Are you noticing any results from doing it this way? If I usually dose 1tsp (around 4500mg) of VC all at once, to get a ppm of around 12, how can you be sure your ppm has built up to that point by dosing so slowly?"

Pufferpunk,
May I now how many liters is your total volume? Mine is about 600liters and I am dosing 2000mg VC (drip within 2 hours). I tried pour VC into sump but, I noticed that some of my corals shrank when the VC hit them so I decide to drip instead. Maybe I can quick drip within half hour for better effect.

reefpeeper · Apr 2, 2008

Im Going To Be Dosing For A Long Time. It Is Ok To Remove The Carbon For That Period Of Time? Should I Use Anything In Place Of It?

Pufferpunk · Apr 3, 2008

I roughly estimate my total volume to be around 100 gallons. (90g tank, very full with rock, 20g refugium, 20g sump.)

I removed the Purigen for a short while but I put it back & add the VC in the last chamber of my sump, after where the Purigen is placed. This may be why I need to dose so much though.

peterink · Apr 16, 2008

Last week I had a 22hours power outage. Most of my big fishes died, some of my SPS died too, surprisingly, all my zoas are still alive. But some zoas developed some white spots or patches on its face, but, I think the VC had helped strengthen their immunity sp far.

I have stopped dosing the VC in capsule form and got a friend to help purchase Kent marine's marine VC. Will start dosing again after water parameters stabilizes again.

Pufferpunk · Apr 17, 2008

I'm glad your zoas survived. IMO, Kent's VC will not bring your treatment up to the doses recommended. I am dosing close to 9,000mg, 2x/day on my 100g system right now, which is around 23ppm (theraputic dose).

Kate · Apr 17, 2008

Hi! I too have been dosing with vitamin C for about a month now, in my eight gallon nano! I use 125 milligrams in the morning, and 125 in the evening! I did get it in tablet form, that is bonded together with plant byproducts at Walmart! Natures Bounty Pure vitamin C 250. I split them in half, and put them into the back chamber. Here are some before and afters that I have, of one of my zoos that was just plain tan or brown to start. The first picture, is after three days.Notice the edge is getting purple. After a month, the centers have gotten a beautiful gold color! I'm impressed! Everything seems to like it!

peterink · Apr 17, 2008

Pufferpunk said:
I'm glad your zoas survived. IMO, Kent's VC will not bring your treatment up to the doses recommended. I am dosing close to 9,000mg, 2x/day on my 100g system right now, which is around 23ppm (theraputic dose).

9000mg x 2times a day. That is a lot. Is there a reason you push it to 23ppm? Is it cost effective coz I can feel the pinch just dosing VC at a high rate.

I will finish the Kent Marine's VC and observe any difference for the time being and continue with the capsule form then.

Pufferpunk · Apr 17, 2008

I have had a serious problem with my zoas closing & melting. They all look fantastic now but I do occasionally add new ones. I pretty much lost about 90% of the new ones I added before VC. I do not want that to happen again. I may drop down to 1tsp but I don't think I'll be going any lower.

ZOABOY · Apr 17, 2008

I started doesing vit C like a week ago 500Mg per day on my 75G will see what happens...

Pufferpunk · Apr 17, 2008

That's a good start... Are you dosing for all around coral improvement or for problems with your zoas? Try to get the crystal, buffered form, if you plan on dosing more than a month. If you're using pills, expect your skimmer to go crazy. Keep a close eye on your pH too.