Why dose Vodka?

[sprinklerman500]

What is this?Ive heard of some of you doing this in the past and want to know why lol?What good do you get out of this?And what brand by the way?

 

[rdnelson]

I don't do it and I am no expert but.......I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night. LOL

It is a way of carbon dosing. Any brand will work so most use the cheapest they can get. There was a very long article I saw a while back that was above my pay grade but did do a good job of explaining it. I just can't remember where it was. LOL

 

[chefrepo]

Here is an excellent article that pretty much explains it.

 

[dme330i]

Good article. My experience mostly support its contentions. Some things I have experienced that I don't recall being mentioned in the article:

- Reduction in coralline algae
- Their recommended dosing regimen is very very conservative - I've ramped up more quickly without detrimental effect
- Don't recall any mention of running UV as being counter-productive - intuitively, it seems that it would be
- While mentioned, I would reinforce the need for increased feeding, AA's, etc. as SPS quickly fades with the reduction of NO3 and PO4's

 

[slickwill613]

I dose vodka as often as possible, but I've never put it in a fish tank, I wouldn't even let my wife have any.

 

[ralph atl]

It creates an ULNS (ultra low nutrient system) which is perfect for SPS. I've been dosing for years....

 

[edulover]

dme330i;757588 wrote: Good article. My experience mostly support its contentions. Some things I have experienced that I don't recall being mentioned in the article:

- Reduction in coralline algae
- Their recommended dosing regimen is very very conservative - I've ramped up more quickly without detrimental effect
- Don't recall any mention of running UV as being counter-productive - intuitively, it seems that it would be
- While mentioned, I would reinforce the need for increased feeding, AA's, etc. as SPS quickly fades with the reduction of NO3 and PO4's

I'm no expert but I don't think UV would have any detrimental effects. They recommend a good simmer to remove excess bacteria in the water column. Essentially this is what the UV is doing.

 

[mbachota]

I do the vodka dosing and noticed a big drop in my nitrates and phosphates. You do have to watch it Bc I did run into a cyano problem the fist time I started using it.

 

[dme330i]

Edulover;757654 wrote: I'm no expert but I don't think UV would have any detrimental effects. They recommend a good simmer to remove excess bacteria in the water column. Essentially this is what the UV is doing.

Skimmer removes the bacteria and thus the NO3 and PO4. UV kills bacteria, preventing it from "consuming" the NO3 and PO4. Seems very different to me.

 

[ralph atl]

I wouldn't run a uv.

 

[sprinklerman500]

Wow I got all the info I needed plus some.Sounds like a good idea.Plus the clarity is much better when using this method.

 

[snowmansnow]

Here it is in a NUTSHELL:

there are good bacteria and bad bacteria in your system... one bad bacteria would be cyano (for example)

The idea is to nurture "good" bacteria so that "bad" bacteria doesn't gain a foothold.

Vodka is simplay a carbon source, its a "food" for the bacteria...

That being said... it will also fuel any "bad" bacteria

For that reason most people dose a bacteria source that has been deemed "good" like ... ZeoBak or the like.

Once the beneficial bacteria is dominate in the system it should consume unwanted excess nutrients thus creating whats called a ULNS

Dosing vodka, or any other carbon source can be beneficial, but it isn't a sure fire means to nurturing "good" bacteria, ESPECIALLY in a tank that has been up for a while.

I ran the zeovit system for a while, but it took way too much tinkering to do it right, so i slowly came off of it and sold the reactor.

running a UV won't take the bacteria out of your system. This stuff lives on rocks and in the sand and such.

-B

 

[dme330i]

SnowManSnow;757928 wrote:
running a UV won't take the bacteria out of your system. This stuff lives on rocks and in the sand and such.

-B

Partially disagree. The bacteria is free-floating as well - skimmate production (more) and consistency is different due to this.

 

[snowmansnow]

You'll only pull out bacteria that hasn't gained a foothold yet.

 

[hawkfish]

I was thinking once the tank was established you could cut back on the MB7. Is that the case, or do you continue at the recommended dosage because of what bacteria you lose in the PS?

 

[hawkfish]

Sorry, yes, Protein Skimmer removes the bacteria doesn't it?

 

[dme330i]

wcwilson;771376 wrote: I was thinking once the tank was established you could cut back on the MB7. Is that the case, or do you continue at the recommended dosage because of what bacteria you lose in the PS?

My personal experience -

While the concept of seeding / diversifying bacteria seems to make sense, I've never done it in my vodka-dosed tanks and have never had slime, cyano, etc. issues. I have always experienced initial fading of colors, reduced algae (all types, including corraline), "slime" on filter socks, reduced PO4 and NO3 and significant increase in skimmate production.

 

[ddex]

Has anyone dosed while cycling?
Thanks

 

[ichthyoid]

I supplement with amino acids and vitamins, in addition to the carbon source I use (calcium acetate).

When NO3 begins to get low, adding extra nitrogen (xtra feeding others mentioned) may be required to get PO4 very low, also. This is because the tank becomes nitrogen limiting.