Skimmer Overflowing with Vodka and MB7 dosing????

[nanoguy]

I started dosing vodka and mb7 last week and my skimmer constantly overflows and random rates. Anyone have these issues?

[Nanook]

More specific details about your tank, vodka dose, skimmer, etc might help a bit;)

[nanoguy]

I'm running an atb small on a system with roughly 120 gallons net water volume. I'm only dosing about .5 ml right now and roughly 1ml of microbactor daily.

[nauticac4]

What type of skimmer?

[RokleM]

What type of skimmer?

I'm running an atb small on a system with roughly 120 gallons net water volume. I'm only dosing about .5 ml right now and roughly 1ml of microbactor daily.

[SHOmuchFUN]

You're supposed to shut down your skimmer when dosing MB7.
The amount your dosing seems fairly insignificant though... But regardless, read the directions on the MB7 and it'll tell you to stop your skimmer for a few hours.

[nanoguy]

I've was dosing the instructed amount for 2 weeks prior to my current vodka dosing regimen. I left my skimmer off for 4 hours+ and it would still over flow. I figured it was the mb7 that was doing this to my skimmer so I decided on small daily doses to avoid the over flowing issue....no luck.

[poidog81]

anything you add to your tank can change the surface tension of the water resulting in your skimmer acting crazy.

[mr. pluto]

i leave the skimmer running and take off the top foam collector.
i need the oxygen bubbles

[mikersx02]

what are you dosing mb7 for? I would choose either or and see if either of them delivers the desired results. I am very happy with vodka dosing. Follow the dosing instructions very closely- and keep an eye on your corals for negative changes. I didnt see any in mine- just the recession of algae.

my 75 gal cleaned up as soon as I hit 2.75ml

skimmer behaves but sometimes the bubble foam doesnt pop and condense into the liquid. Maybe I am skimming too dry.

[Stanley-Reefer]

I dosed MB7 ALOT without my Euroreefs overflowing in either tank. I'm on my 10th week of vodka and am adding gtts of MB7 now....algae is just about a memory....

[rkaires]

Are you dosing MB7 directly in your tank?

[SunnyX]

With the amount your are dosing and your system volume the dosing should have no effect on the skimmer.

I dose MB7/Vodka daily and have never had my skimmer overflow. Where are you dosing, in the sump or display? I dose in the main display, directly in front of a Vortech MP40w.

[Stanley-Reefer]

gtts in the current for me too...

[nanoguy]

I'm dosing in the return chamber of my 50 gallon / 3 section sump
(skimmer----->refugium------>return). I checked it this morning and the skimmer was running fine. By afternoon, I found it overflowing again and I didn't even dose for the day yet. I'm going to stop the MB7 for a few days and continue the vodka to see what happens.

[Reefer08]

I dose MB7 and remove the collection cup for 5 hours. This allows the skimmer to overflow into the sump, keeping the tank very oxygenated. Better alternative to turning off the skimmer for 5 hours.

I dose MB7 twice per week. I clean my skimmer twice per week also, so after I clean the skimmer cup I dose the MB7 and follow the directions I mentioned.


NO need to dose MB7 daily. Once or twice a week is enough. The purpose of dosing it is to continually seed the tank with bacteria. Carbon dosing is what must be dosed daily.

[Stanley-Reefer]

splitting it into daily doses keeps it more constant IMO...

[plyle02]

I dose 12 drops of mb7 and 2ml of vodka per day, no issue with the skimmer at all. Do you have an ATO? Just curious if the skimmer is acting up when the ATO starts to fill...
GL

[Reefer08]

splitting it into daily doses keeps it more constant IMO...

No need for daily doses of bacteria. Once a week or twice a week is good. For the first week I would do daily then switch to 1-2 times a week. Carbon dosing is what is important that needs to be dosed once or twice per day.

The purpose of the bacteria dosing is only to maintain a variety of bacteria strains within the tank and to prevent one strain from being dominant. Also the bottled bacteria dosing contains enzymes that enable the bacterial population to metabolize the carbon dosage more effectively.