Vodka dosing

[RedipsNam]

Which one should I do to lower my nitrates and phosphates? A weekly water change or dose a vodka? I breed cf but I feed twice a day now

 

[DarthChaos]

I tried carbon dosing (NoPox) did squat....for Po4. Almost bottomed out my No3 though....had to stop. Never moved my phosphates....which is what I was targeting.

Been told - Vodka is a cleaner carbon source though and tastes better than NoPox

 

[Duffer]

vodka dosing will not lower phosphates much, concur..

to lower my nitrates i did weekly water changes and vodka dosing at the same time...

just be aware any carbon dosing is going to take some time..

 

[mdb_talon]

I agree generally vodka dosing is not as effective at phosphate reduction. However I would still be a proponent of vodka dosing even if you have to use other means (gfo/lanthium chloride) to help with the phosphate reduction. Water changes are a very expensive way to control nutrients in my opinion. Personally I use vodka dosing even at the same time I am dosing nitrates directly because my coral told me it liked it!

 

[bud_rick]

If you have a smaller tank it might make more sense to do water changes instead of carbon dosing. You’ll be replenishing the minerals in the tank and won’t be risking bottoming out your nutrients which is no good. I’ve learned that lesson before unfortunately.

 

[RedipsNam]

If you have a smaller tank it might make more sense to do water changes instead of carbon dosing. You’ll be replenishing the minerals in the tank and won’t be risking bottoming out your nutrients which is no good. I’ve learned that lesson before unfortunately.

I have 20 gallon, 10 gallon and a 10 gallon sump but will upgrade it into 20 gallon and using the same water

 

[RedipsNam]

I tried carbon dosing (NoPox) did squat....for Po4. Almost bottomed out my No3 though....had to stop. Never moved my phosphates....which is what I was targeting.

Been told - Vodka is a cleaner carbon source though and tastes better than NoPox

Thanks for sharing!

 

[RedipsNam]

vodka dosing will not lower phosphates much, concur..

to lower my nitrates i did weekly water changes and vodka dosing at the same time...

just be aware any carbon dosing is going to take some time..

How much of vodka dosing for a 40 gallon? I mean 20 gallon tank, another 10 gallon tank and 10 gallon sump?

 

[RedipsNam]

If you have a smaller tank it might make more sense to do water changes instead of carbon dosing. You’ll be replenishing the minerals in the tank and won’t be risking bottoming out your nutrients which is no good. I’ve learned that lesson before unfortunately.

I was planning to have a gfo for chaeto, instead of dosing etc, and I have a skimmer too, so do you think feeding my clownfish pairs twice a day and weekly water change will work with gfo and skimmer?

 

[bud_rick]

I was planning to have a gfo for chaeto, instead of dosing etc, and I have a skimmer too, so do you think feeding my clownfish pairs twice a day and weekly water change will work with gfo and skimmer?

I don’t think you’re going to need to carbon dose. You have such low water volume it makes sense to just do water changes to keep nutrients in check (nitrate +phos) if your chaeto doesn’t do it on its own. You’re water changes will replenish some trace elements that Chaeto tends to strip out also like iron and manganese.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just as an aside, water changes are also not generally a good way to reduce phosphate due to the large fraction often reversibly bound to rock and sand. Thus even a 100% change may not lower phosphate as much as one would like.

 

[Duffer]

How much of vodka dosing for a 40 gallon? I mean 20 gallon tank, another 10 gallon tank and 10 gallon sump?

here you go...