vodka

[markie mark]

well,i started vodka dosing today....lets see how it goes....dont know why...figured maybe it will bring out some more color and i can stop running my gfo reactor.....guess it will either work or everything will die...im just glad i took the keys from my fish,because i dont want those lil guys out driving under the influence...i did hear a noice coming from my tank earlier after the first dose and when i stuck my ear to the tank i think i heard garth brooks,low places playing in the tank.....ah ha ha...i think between the blue moonlights and the vodka,i might add a goodys powder to the tank in the morning...

 

[gnoles]

I'm running GFO (probably time for a change too since I let the skimmer go nuts), but now I'm thinking about running the Warner Marine EcoBak product... I'm hearing good things about it being a replacement for vodka and GFO... at least the threads I'm reading are using it as a replacement for the other two.... I'm always looking for a way to keep it automated.

 

[markie mark]

it is funny that ive spent an amazing amount of money over the years and now we're figuring out there is simple ways to maintain a healthy reef using such cheap stuff....vodka,vinegar and sugar are way cheaper than gfo alone....im just wondering whats next.....ive always wondered about adding sugar to my tank just because i know plants use sugars for photosynthesis...ive read that people are using it for a carbon source but makes me wonder if the sps use it to boost the photo...??i dont know...i love trying new things no matter what the cost just to see....cant ever leave good enough alone....oh''rambling on aftert a few drinks....

 

[markie mark]

gary..i fall under all the above...observation,experimentation and touching the fire.....

 

[Reefhabit]

I think it is much safer to use the Brightwell Reef Biofuel. One of my clients that I service had a bad experience with vodka. He uped the dose one day and caused his Maiden's Hair macro algae to spore out in a matter of hours. Almost killed off some of corals. Now he has been using the Biofuel and thinks are much better now.

 

[markie mark]

yeah,ive tryed it in the past...didnt notice to much from it.....im gonna try the vodka for a lil while in combo with prodibio and see how it goes....

 

[usctrack]

I am trying the biopellets currently. They have been in the reactor for a few weeks but I haven't noticed too much difference yet.

 

[markie mark]

ive read some on those to nick...ive thaught of going full blown zeo,but all thst stuff is really pricey..

 

[usctrack]

I just figured id try the solid dosing since its fairly simple. Put it in a reactor and forget about it.

 

[zaozao]

I added some grape calupera to my sump Tuesday night and yesterday noticed a huge difference in my green corals. The red corals are starting to brighten up too.

 

[markie mark]

yeah,ive got a bunch in the miracle mud refuge....i dont know that my corals will color up anymore but im just tryng the vodka for the ----- and giggles......

 

[sprinklerdudes]

macro algeas in the refugium has made a difference on my end,

 

[Alabama Reefer]

So what does the vodka do?

 

[zaozao]

I think it increases the metabolism of certain bacteria, which causes the bacteria to consume things like phosphates and nitrates faster. It also shortens the life span of the bacteria. Blake do not dose your tank.

 

[markie mark]

well,no negative affects so far....3 days in and fixin to bump it up a ml....

 

[markie mark]

blake....vodka also blurs your fishes vision......

 

[jason.tammy]

Vodka can be good but it can also be bad.It all is a matter of how much risk you want to take.I thought on it for a while and fiqured I would stay on the safe side.I am now using prodibio(reefbooster,digest&bioptim).I also run a GFO,calc. and Kaklc. reactors.I also have the mineral mud and mangroves in the sump.My colors and growth are doing very well.I think my snails are already on the vodka cause they wont clean in straight lines.LOL.Siince I installed the reactors I have not had to do any dosing Calc.440 Alk.10 P.H 8.3 Mag. 1400.All the rest are at 0.Not saying the vodka is a bad idea just becareful.You have alot of nice corals and it would be a shamee to lose any.
Jason

 

[doughboy]

I think it is much safer to use the Brightwell Reef Biofuel. One of my clients that I service had a bad experience with vodka. He uped the dose one day and caused his Maiden's Hair macro algae to spore out in a matter of hours. Almost killed off some of corals. Now he has been using the Biofuel and thinks are much better now.

I agree.
I used to use mb7+biofuel with no problems. 0 nitrate and 0 phosphates. then when the bottle got used up, I got cheap and went with mb7+vodka.
well, one of the problem with using vodka is there is no exact formula to calculate how much you need to dose, you increase little by little, then scale back etc. the problem is, once you go too far, problems will start showing. in my case, hair algae and cyano outbreak. I have stopped using vodka since, and algae and cyano are gone, but likewise my nitrate and phosphates are still 0. so that tells me I did not need to dose anything after all. I think overdosing biofuel will not have as bad a side effect as overdosing vodka, and as long as you simply follow the instructions, you will not overdose. unlike vodka where you will overdose, then scale back to half the amount.

 

[markie mark]

yeah...i tried the biofuel a while back ago....might try it again....i just wanted to play with vodka for a few weeks to see what happens.....ive got my gfo reactor shut down as of now.....i also use prodibio......it works great,but did notice some red slime after the first couple of dosings.....might just stick with the prodibio and the biofuel and see what happens....just playing around with stuff......growth is no issue for me....especially on freakin stags....