Vodka dosing on a 10gal nano

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It's like living on the razors edge with nuisance algae. Some periods of perfection, then suddenly wham! cyano

lol

Or something worse than cyano. [emoji23]

 

[NS Mike D]

I agree with you that his corals or his tank doesn't seem to be suffering from high nitrate issues. But he is doing 40% water changes twice weekly to keep his nitrates at 5ppm and was considering carbon dosing as a way of lessening this large water change.

Also carbon dosing is just another method of denitrifying same as having a refugium, a dsb and live rock. I wouldn't really consider it a solution to a problem more so an alternative to other methods.

thanks, I had to read it a few time to notice it in the last sentence. I'm just having a hard time accepting that 2 clowns are producing that much waste with all those healthy soft corals, a skimmer and 40% weekly water changes.

I do 5 gal weekly water changes for my 29 gal with 5 gallon jugs and a bucket. I would be annoyed if I had to do close to that for a 10 gallon nano.


@Tomeck you have a very lush looking nano BTW

 

[Luno]

Hi Luno,
Talk about bio load! haha. And yes it is 8X that of vodka dose. What is your water change schedule and amount? btw, I chose to dose vodka because I like to take a quick swig after each dose!

Haha vodka for tank, vodka for you. I do 2 water changes a week varies depending on but usually a smaller 5% water change mid week and a larger day 15% at the weekend the larger water change is simply because I will vacuum the sand stir something up by cleaning and remove more water to remove what I have unsettled.

I like to keep my nutrients low, higher removal higher feedings. My nano's just hit 6 months old. But right at this moment I would call mature and super stable, I don't even think I have to do water changes for nutrient export (I like to vacuum sand though) I do more so to keep trace elements being supplied into the tank.

 

[Luno]

thanks, I had to read it a few time to notice it in the last sentence. I'm just having a hard time accepting that 2 clowns are producing that much waste with all those healthy soft corals, a skimmer and 40% weekly water changes.

I do 5 gal weekly water changes for my 29 gal with 5 gallon jugs and a bucket. I would be annoyed if I had to do close to that for a 10 gallon nano.


@Tomeck you have a very lush looking nano BTW

There's just always more than one way to achieve what everyone is after in this hobby.

I'm definitely not a no water change person, I think it's important to replace trace elements. I guess everyone is after different parameters aswell. If I have nitrates above 2 I get cranky where as I'm reading a lot of people now are having moderately high nitrates and not noticing issues at all.

The key is always stability and some reefers can do it with water changes and big fuges and simple easy measures, and carbon dosing isn't everyone's cup of tea. But it's definitely a useful tool and done correctly can help keep stability.