Vodka dosing

[FocusFin]

I began dosing vodka 15 weeks ago because of rising nitrates from increased feeding. My nitrates were only 10ppm but I thought it was a good excuse to try this out. In addition, I have phosphates even though they don't register with my kit. I have hair algae on a few pieces of rock and a small patch on the back glass.

I started out very slowly with the equivalent dosing for a 100g even though my tank is a 110g with 50g sump. I figured with rock, sand, baffle height I have around 130g of volume.

Two weeks ago I noticed my nitrates had dropped from 10 to 5ppm so I continued with the same level of dosing 6.4ml and this week am showing 1-2 ppm. I have increased feeding over the past two weeks as well.

At no time did I notice any change in the tank, no algae blooms, stress on fish or damage to coral. At the same time I didn't notice any positive effects like improved water clarity (am already running carbon and filter sock with regular glass cleaning, so who knows), increased skimmate etc.., but then my bioload is not terribly high and I haven't been regularly feeding the coral.

All in all it appears to be working although there is one caveat...two weeks ago I set the tank up on an auto-water change and am presently changing 1.5 to 2 gallons per day or 20 gallons in the past two weeks. My experience with battling nitrates in the past tells me that water changes alone will not reduce nitrates longer than a few days and given how slow the changes are done I can't imagine it's having that great an effect. I have noticed an improvement in my sps but then I also had rough patch a few weeks ago with high temperatures so I'll have to wait and see.

This has been my experience and doesn't mean it will work the same for someone else. I took it very slow, was very accurate with my dosing, dosed twice daily, watched my alk and calc and had a very good skimmer, all of which are pretty important. There is a very good tutorial on Reefkeeping Magazine online re dosing with schedules etc.. for those interested.

Mike

[Darth]

I've heard of this method, as well as using sugar (both methods require you have a skimmer) I had a huge hair algae prob as well as cyano tried the sugar method, and my tank became so cloudy after 24 hrs I freaked out, then I realized it was just a bacteria bloom similar to nts that did help, but did not do it on a regular basis, also figured my tank when I had my curtains open was in direct line of the sun which also caused my green hair bloom. Do you run a phosban reactor? I have one but have not set it up yet, as I also feed more often then I should I guess

[FocusFin]

Do you run a phosban reactor? I have one but have not set it up yet, as I also feed more often then I should I guess

I took the phosban reactor offline so that I could monitor the hair algae growth. I'm keeping an eye on the h/g to see if it slows down, I'm going to miss the wonderful wavy grass look

[holachicka]

yes, the beautiful wavy grass look...who wouldn't miss it

I know someone who was doing vodka dosing and it seemed to help with the hair algea but not with the cyano...is it not effective against cyano?

[FocusFin]

I know someone who was doing vodka dosing and it seemed to help with the hair algea but not with the cyano...is it not effective against cyano?

Vodka can trigger cyano, I actually had a small outbreak while dosing but it went away within a couple of days.

[reefdava16]

Vodka is a carbon source and Cyano is a bacteria which will feed off excess carbon in the water. You have to be careful not to dose too much vodka or you will cause a Cyano bloom.

[holachicka]

thanks guys, I guess that explains the cyano - I will advise this person and I dont recall them knowing this. Sorry for the mini thread jack...back to FocusFin

[FocusFin]

It's been two weeks since my nitrates went to zero and I am finally beginning to see some changes occuring in my sps.

I am noticing polyp extension where I had none before (see photos). As well, the hair algae that I've had growing on one of the rocks appears to be dying off.

I've dropped my dose to half at 3.2ml and will keep monitoring nitrates as I begin to feed more liberally.