Diluting vodka

[121]

I'm thinking of a way to drip vodka into my tank at a controlled rate of 0.1ml to 0.2ml every hour.

Could I mix 24hrs worth of vodka with 2ltrs of RO water and drip the solution into my tank (with an air line tube) or will this make the ethanol less effective than dosing it directly?

[HighlandReefer]

You could get problems with bacteria growing if vodka is diluted too much.

[121]

I'm not good at chemistry so I'm hoping someone can clear this up for me.

IIRC (and I'm probably way off here) hobbyists added white vinegar to their kalk before mixing it with RO water to make the kalk dissolve better into a usable solution. They reported low P04 because of the addition of vinegar with the idea that the vinegar helped bind it (so it could be exported by skimming), when actually they were inadvertently carbon dosing (before the redfield ratio came to light for the majority).

So if the vodka was added to RO water which is P04 and nitrate limited, I'm assuming that the ethanol would not be utilized by bacteria until it is dosed to the aquarium.

[bertoni]

Limewater is high enough in pH that little can happen bacterially until it's dosed into the tank. Vodka should be okay, as is vinegar.

[121]

Ok, thanks.

So lets say I added 2 ml of vodka to 2 ltrs of RO water and feed it into my tank via a drip over a 24hr period.

Would I administer the same amount of ethanol compared to dosing 2ml of vodka directly to the tank?

The idea is to add a steady dose of ethanol so that bacteria can have time to utilize it at a controlled rate, rather than dumping the dose at one time.

[Genetics]

121, yes as long as you add the entire two liters and I think you'll be happy with doing it that way. At least I was.

[121]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15552243#post15552243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Genetics
At least I was.

Hi Genetics, how are you carbon dosing atm?

[BrassMonkey]

at 20% alcohol your not going to have any problems with bacteria.

[tmz]

I like the idea of adding it to the limewater. Since I dose that 24/7 at 14 liters per day, I could just add 24 ml(80 proof vodka) , my daily dose, for every 14 liters limewater in the 32 gallon reservoir and replenish at that rate when I refill the reservoir . Correct?
Is there any chemical interaction between ethanol and calcium hydroxide I should worry about?

[kaskiles]

I don't think there is a reaction between the calcium hydroxide and ethanol, but I think you need a sealed container so the ethanol doesn't (preferentially) evaporate out of the solution.

[bertoni]

Hmm, evaporation might be an issue. I'd cap the container loosely, or use a bag, if that's easier.

[Genetics]

121, I had to take down my tank when I moved so ATM I am not dosing anything. I did dose through my autotop off without issue.

TMZ, adding vodka to your autotop off with calcium hydroxide does not result in any issues. There are not chemical reactions.

[tmz]

Thanks Jon , Nate and Kaskiles. I do keep a lid on the can so I don't get a lot of evaporation in a week which is about how long it takes before a refill. . This will make things easier.

[bertoni]

You're welcome! Good luck!