vodka dosing 101

[floridian reefer]

okay these are a bunch of questions i had at the beginning and after i started dosing. i never really found good info so im trying to create a info filled thread for anyone that has questions. hopefully this helps.

this is not a how to or i am not telling you to do this, if you have questions you might find an opinionated answer here. this is just information from people here at nano-reef and from other sites that will be posted through out the thread. It is not my fault if you turn you fish into alcoholics!

 

1) do people see a lot more growth out of there coral because of the cleaner water or is the bacteria actually a food for them?

cleaner water, (nutrient poor) less no3 and po4 promotes better calcification and growth of sps, lps like a little dirtier water

 

2)if you have high n03 but not p04 will it not work or vice versa? does it need to be equal to get a bloom? does it use the nitrate to use the phosphates or vise versa?

 

3)and thats what the point is, is to feed and encourage reproduction of the n03 and p04 eating bacteria?

the point is to feed the bacteria that rid your tank of the nitrates and phosphates by encouraging growth and reproduction

 

4)do nuisance algae benefit from extra carbon in the water column?

no, it removes there food

 

5)how does it affect a deep sand bed?

the only thing have read is that the sand bed will still give of nitrates because it is so deep and it may take a while for the bacteria to fully cycle through it, sound right?

6)is it a necessity to add amino acids?

There has been people that have done vodka dosing and never added any just over fed there fish

 

7)does it reduce oxygen enough to have to use ozone or is a refuge on opposite light cycle and skimmer adding enough?

People have been okay with a skimmer, still unsure on how to tell though

 

8)do clams benefit from the bacteria?

not that i understand

 

9)is isopropanol better than vodka? sugar?

vodka is a safer addition than other carbon source by eliminating the possibility of adding other organic molecules that may act negatively within the reef environment. isopropanol is not safe for human consumption but vodka is, that should say it all.

 

10) how much and how often?

i would definitely stick with a low dose once of even cut it in half and do it twice daily. dosing a large amount once a week seems a little unsafe to me but it has been done. once you hit 0 i would definitely reduce by 50% and go from there. you got it to zero now you don't need the same amount to keep it there right? this is what i follow and its working for me.

good informational site on how much and how often.

 

11) is a skimmer necessary?

yes, dosing vodka can seriously depress oxygen level and the skimmer help to add it back to the water, the skimmate get thicker likely with the bacteria holding the nitrates and phosphates, it will also produce more skimmate.

 

please feel free to correct me if anything doesn't seem right, this is just what ive read or been told so far. please forgive my grammar and punctuation also for i know its not the best.

 

 

good information

microbacter7/vodka dosing guide

good artical

in the trenches

[floridian reefer]

anybody? This seems to be a swore subject here on nano reef, all the threads I've read were only about a page and no good info was posted, hoping to make a info filled thread to inlighten the folks that would like to vodka dose or at least consider doing it

[eternal]

Here is a link that I read before vodka dosing.

 

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

[floridian reefer]

Read that one already and bunch more still have all these questions maybe I miss read something or didn't Understand but still have questions. Thanks though

[eternal]

The point of dosing vodka is provide food for your biological filter, and to increase the amount of nitrifying bacteria.

 

Nuisance algae do not benefit.

 

It can make the sand bed hard so either stir the sand bed by hand or have cuc members that do it.

 

It can lower the ph just dose right in front of your skimmer intake.

 

I have seen no effect on clams nor have I had to dose amino acids.

 

You can use vodka or isopropanol just make sure what ever alcohol content (ie. 80 Proof) you start with stick with it.

 

The only draw back I have read is that it can increase the chances of getting cyano.

 

Go slow with dosing dont over do it to fast.

 

Hope this helps

[floridian reefer]

Helps yes thanks, how long have you been dosing? What size tank and how much? Do you just do vodka or other carbon sources? Would dosimg sugar also help? Do they target different types of bacteria or is it they same?

 

Oh and you said you sand bed will get hard? I have a 6" sand bed in a little refuge. And I heard it's better to not disturb the sand bed

 

I've been using everclear and using the charts from the site you recomended for about 3 weeks now

[eternal]

I have been dosing for about 3 months in a 100 gallon tank + 30 gallon sump. I am only dosing 3 mils right now.

 

I would stick with one liquid carbon source. From what I have read they all target the same bacteria.

 

Sand bed can get hard just check it from time to time

[floridian reefer]

have a 36 with about 15+ fuge and 2 gallon hang on fuge with deep sand bed. Week 3 doing .5, going slower than the reccomended. Did .1 first week, .2 second.

 

What do you mean hard? Just compact, dose that block water circulation?

 

Have read people doing because they got cyano

[eternal]

Hard as in it turns into a huge rock. I have not experienced this it is just something to watch for.

[eternal]

Maybe this link will help as well

 

http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/general-sp...sing-guide.html

[floridian reefer]

Okay thanks will do

[floridian reefer]

Maybe this link will help as well

 

http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/general-sp...sing-guide.html

 

thanks for these I haven't seen them before

 

 

Any other opinions?

[bird]

I have been dosing for about 3 months in a 100 gallon tank + 30 gallon sump. I am only dosing 3 mils right now.

 

I would stick with one liquid carbon source. From what I have read they all target the same bacteria.

 

Sand bed can get hard just check it from time to time

I think that sand bed clumping/hardening has more to do with unbalanced magnesium to calcium levels.

[kthehun89]

check out my thread for a write up on my dosing

[floridian reefer]

I think that sand bed clumping/hardening has more to do with unbalanced magnesium to calcium levels.

 

really, as far as too much calcium not enough magnesium?

[floridian reefer]

check out my thread for a write up on my dosing

 

how long have you been doing it and how much? And what size tank? Any ill effects?

[floridian reefer]

There is no good vodka dosing thread on nano-reef so I'd like to make this full of info and experiences so feel free to contribute.

[kthehun89]

how long have you been doing it and how much? And what size tank? Any ill effects?

 

it all depends on your specific system. if you have done your reading, you would know that you test parameters to determine dose. its all about building up to a maintenance dose. I dose 3.5ml 40% every week in my 34g. only ill effects come from a cold turkey stop

[floridian reefer]

it all depends on your specific system. if you have done your reading, you would know that you test parameters to determine dose. its all about building up to a maintenance dose. I dose 3.5ml 40% every week in my 34g. only ill effects come from a cold turkey stop

 

3.5 a week? You only do it once a week or .5 daily? How long have you been dosing?

What I've got out of reading is you start low no matter what you parameters are. It depends of size of tank. Your not going to start with 1ml in a 30 just because your no3 and p04 are outragoues

 

Ill effects when stopping cold turkey as in??

[bird]

really, as far as too much calcium not enough magnesium?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

 

sorry to the thread starter about seeming to get off subject, but in a way carbon dosing, magnesium, alk and calcium levels all play hand in hand.

[William]

I dont know if i would use isopropanol, it has a higher toxicity than ethanol, plus most isopropanol you buy in a drug store is not 100%

 

I know ethanol is not either, but it is at least safe for human consumption.

[kthehun89]

No, I dose that once a week. I have been dosing for several months so I dose little compared to at one point. And cold turkey as in if you stop dosing all together, the bacteria populations will decline drastically...

[bird]

I dont know if i would use isopropanol, it has a higher toxicity than ethanol, plus most isopropanol you buy in a drug store is not 100%

 

I know ethanol is not either, but it is at least safe for human consumption.

Agree. I use isopropyl at work. Would not recommend putting it in a reef tank.

MSDS

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924412

[floridian reefer]

No, I dose that once a week. I have been dosing for several months so I dose little compared to at one point. And cold turkey as in if you stop dosing all together, the bacteria populations will decline drastically...

 

 

i know what cold turkey is, im talking about what ill effects are you speaking of?

[kthehun89]

i know what cold turkey is, im talking about what ill effects are you speaking of?

 

cyano, other algae, color loss of my sps...basically a drastic rise in no3 and po4