Vodka Dosing (with Horned Cowfish)

[Canoe]

I house-sit for friends that have a 180G marine setup. I get to learn by doing various maintenance they don't have time to get to. On a prior session, after getting the tank cleaned up and the skimmer tuned, there was still a lot of particulate and a dingy yellow colour to the water. Some vodka dosing cleared both up in three days!!!

They have a Horned Cowfish, that appears to be conditioned to feed from the surface - and now recognizes me and follows me across the front of the tank, paying particular attention when it sees me pickup the food. When I use the HOB skimmer return to take the food down into the tank the Cowfish still looks to the surface for food, shortly starting its forage around the tank for the fresh food.

When this Cowfish sees me pickup the dosing bottle (vodka diluted to around 7% to 8% alcohol), he stays glued to me - way more attentive than when I have merely food! As I move the bottle forward, the Cowfish eagerly hovers right under the bottle. I have to quickly move it back and forth until I can give a 1oz shot into the tank without dumping it onto the Cowfish. He rushes right in there anyway. There's no salt in this dosing solution, just RO water and vodka (although it's super smooth vodka, the stuff that makes it harsh is filtered out). Why is this Cowfish going for this stuff and not getting "stung" by this solution?

p.s. The cowfish doesn't like me standing at the far side of the room. It goes and hides behind a dark rock in shadow while staring at me. Too much dosing fluid?     

[Hookup]

I've no idea, but I can say I'd have put a serious hurt on anyone if they started dosing anything when I was away and thought they were just doing "maintenance and feeding".  Man, your friends are far more forgiving than I would ever be...

Maybe the fish is Russian?

[QueensU]

Why not dose the vodka into the sump or something? rather than the display, it will make it into the water either way. I take it they left you their dosing schedule while away?

[Canoe]

I've no idea, but I can say I'd have put a serious hurt on anyone if they started dosing anything when I was away and thought they were just doing "maintenance and feeding". ...

What makes you think that is the case?

[Canoe]

Why not dose the vodka into the sump or something? rather than the display, it will make it into the water either way. I take it they left you their dosing schedule while away?

No sump. Just the display. They didn't want the hassle of a sump (!?).
Surprisingly, only very little occasional small pieces of scum on top, that quickly disappear. Haven't figured out where to. Still, I don't like seeing such a large tank without any surface skimming.
The (tiny to me) HOB skimmer sure works its butt off after a vodka dose. Instead of empty once a week, it's empty two or three times a day.

Strangely, no dosing schedule, although I suggested that at the same time I originally suggested vodka dosing to them and we discussed it in detail when he again encountered it in his research. They do ad hoc as they feel it needs it.
Partly why it's diluted so much. They figure it can't do harm that way as they add so little at a time. The vodka is also filtered prior to dilution with RO water. Actually, he does that with all his vodka as apparently there's something in the bulk commercial vodka (but not the expensive "organic" or niche vodkas) that makes it harsh to drink.

Maybe the Cowfish is one of his drinking buddies? "One for you, one for me. One for you, two for me. ..." 

[fishsticks]

What makes you think that is the case?

Iagree with you canoe i'm sure you would not just dump anything in some ones tank,people should learn better to ask than judge....

[Hookup]

What makes you think that is the case?

I house-sit for friends that have a 180G marine setup. I get to learn by doing various maintenance they don't have time to get to. On a prior session, after getting the tank cleaned up and the skimmer tuned, there was still a lot of particulate and a dingy yellow colour to the water. Some vodka dosing cleared both up in three days!!! [/b]

Here's how it reads to me, and btw, to my wife who also got a shocked chuckle.  You say that you house-sit their tank and you learn by doing things they do not.  When you say "On a prior session" it refers to the house-sitting.  Conclusion is that you've been experimenting on their tank when they are not at home, albeit with good results. 


I guess this is not the case, and even if it was I certainly wasn't attacking you and what you do with your friends systems.  I was commenting that if someone did things to my tank without asking/discussing with me first I'd be PO'd even more so if it was something like taking alcohol and dosing it into my tank, which is a somewhat common but "experimental" procedure at best. 

Since this is not what you are doing, nor is it my tank in the first-place, it's and always was just a comment. 

I agree with dosing in the sump to solve the problem, in fact it's pretty obvious and I wish I thought of that... 

Iagree with you canoe i'm sure you would not just dump anything in some ones tank,people should learn better to ask than judge....

Fishsticks, if you've got a problem with something I post then be a man and ask me about it.  The last thing this thread needs is more vague/open comments that can get misinterpreted.  Maybe you were having a bad day?    As explained above, for myself and mostly likely others who read what was written it is pretty clear that what was written implies something different than what is actually happening.

[fishsticks]

"I've no idea, but I can say I'd have put a serious hurt on anyone if they started dosing anything when I was away and thought they were just doing "maintenance and feeding".  Man, your friends are far more forgiving than I would ever be..." Be a man are you serious?? read what you wrote I just stated my opnion I do not think it's vauge or open at all so relax pal....

[Hookup]

...Be a man are you serious?? read what you wrote I just stated my opnion I do not think it's vauge or open at all so relax pal....

Yeah, I am serious.

You did not state an opinion, you were attacking. Unless you are now trying to tell me that what QueensU posted was also judgmental, it was an attack / flame directed at me.  Your statement; "people should learn ..." was hiding behind words which offended me, so I let you know.

[salvini55]

Dont make me turn this car around...

[Canoe]

Well, as in my post, it's not "things they do not", but things "they don't have time to get to". They want, need, it done, and I'm happy to do the work as it's new to me (just got my first tank, 280G, but I won't be setting it up until the fall) and I love working with my hands (although getting the **** off of the glass is getting real old - the front is almost clear now).

Strangely enough, they gave me carte blanche to do, add or change anything in the tank (including adding inhabitants), and without prior notice or discussion, except the lighting or the rock arrangement.
Oh, and no Blue-Ringed Octopus - not even in their other predator tank.    

In spite of that, I discuss everything possible, except for addressing immediate problems that need immediate addressing.

However, this extremely generous (tolerant?) attitude toward their tank could be explained. Their enthusiasm for this tank is somewhat curbed. On a prior multi-week holiday, a neighbour was looking after the tank and they came home to tank with only half its water, algae, Aptasia, dead or dieing corals and a wall splattered from a full and now high-in-the-air HOB skimmer, with the neighbour insisting that they were "in every day" and added a whole gallon of water before they didn't know what to do. Astoundingly, the fish were all alive. When all was said and done, instead of a Reef tank they had an Aptasia tank with fish, a shrimp, a frogspawn, and some half-live-rock, with rather opaque coating on the glass. To say they were disappointed would be an understatement. And shortly afterward they had two jumpers, losing a Regal Tang and another I forget.

The only inhabitants I've added were two Peppermint shrimp (to see what they'd do with the Aptasia). One has taken residence in the far left of the tank, is very shy, and the Aptasia from the area is around 90% gone and it at least twice the size it was when introduced in the fall. The other resides near a red coloured shrimp (Scarlet?) in the middle of the tank, is slightly larger than when introduced and I've seen it carefully pick away at the occasional Aptasia.

The only negative I've seen since I started assisting with the maintenance (when I visit, I have to go and check the tank before I can relax), is that while initially the number of rock inhabitants increased, since adding the Peppermint shrimp the variety of worms has gone down (they crawl out when the fish are fed, looking for missed pieces - must smell it in the tank). The two observations are not necessarily related, but to go from worms that are pink, red, black and mixed to just pink ones suggests to me that something is not as optimum as it was.

[Hookup]

As we all already knew Canoe, you're as obsessed as the rest of us...    having to check on "their tank" when you go visit is pretty normal, for the version of normal that we Salties maintain anyhow.

So, what's the result with this clown-fish?  I bet you could get that guy hand-fed, if not already.  The way you describe him/her hiding and peaking at you is one of the biggest differences between the freshwater fish I've had and the saltwater fish.  They seem to just be "smarter" or more aware and interactive.  But I'm biased...

[Canoe]

... So, what's the result with this clown-fish?  I bet you could get that guy hand-fed, if not already...

Well, as it's a Horned Cowfish, and I believe are classed as semi-poisonous and are alleged to release toxins when stressed, I think I'll pass on the hand feeding. I'm more curious as to its tolerance of, and demonstrated affinity for, dosing solution, and if I should be taking it to AA meetings...

... The way you describe him/her hiding and peaking at you is one of the biggest differences between the freshwater fish I've had and the saltwater fish...

I had just entered the room and was standing at the back, looking around to see if I could spot the more shy tank inhabitants. The Cowfish was doing it usual foraging. After standing there for a while, I got that sixth sense triggered, rather strange when you're alone in a house and the direction isn't from a window, and my eyes snapped to the Cowfish hiding while "locked-on" to me.

[Hookup]

Pahh... Clownfish, cowfish... semi-poisonous, not poisonous, its all the same isn't it?   

I goggled this fish just now... it's pretty cool.. the one site said the skin was poisonous... so don't eat it

I think these get pretty darn big? Maybe I'm thinking of porcupine puffer fish...

[fishsticks]

Yeah, I am serious.

You did not state an opinion, you were attacking. Unless you are now trying to tell me that what QueensU posted was also judgmental, it was an attack / flame directed at me.  Your statement; "people should learn ..." was hiding behind words which offended me, so I let you know.

uh no i'm not attacking sorry you feel that way i'll look at QueensU'S post but again no attack and I do not hide i'll say what I think or feel any GOD giving time thank you very much

[93GTCANADA]

I feel the same way you do fishsticks. Hookup needs to get over himself and get off his high horse.

[Hookup]

Well, 93GTCANADA, at least you have the balls to be direct, though I have no idea what your problem is.

Arguing on the internet is like competing in the Special Olympics, even if you win, your still retarded.

[93GTCANADA]

Me I have no problem. I get along great with everyone. If someone has a problem they can come talk to me if they see me at the fish stores. I am not someone that hides behind a keyboard.

[Hookup]

Me I have no problem. I get along great with everyone. If someone has a problem they can come talk to me if they see me at the fish stores. I am not someone that hides behind a keyboard.

Arguing on the internet is like competing in the Special Olympics, even if you win, your still retarded.

But seriously.  How's your fish tank doing?

[93GTCANADA]

Doing great. Thanks for asking. Just got two little aptaisia to take care of. I do my bi-weekly water changes keeps my levels in check. Corals are growing, fish are swimming. Except my little fight with brook and losing my 2 clowns. Everything else is doing great.