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Enjoy
10/09/2009, 04:22 PM
So my cupboard is full of all kinds of different additives and supplements I have aquired over the last year. Am I dosing anything I dont need to dose or anything I should be that im not?

Parameters:

Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite- 0
Phosphate - 0
Calcium - 460
Alk - 11
Mag - 1460
Salinity - 1.025
Temp - 79.0 - 81.0


I want to lower my alkalinity so I can start to slowly dose vodka. I really dont want my SPS tips to bleach.

I dose in very small amounts daily:

ReefPure Amino Acids
ReefPure Magnesium
ReefPure Iodide
Reefpure Strontium
ReefPure Potassium
Warner Marine CalxMAXCalcium
'Reef Snow' transporting Vitamen/HUFA Suppplement

Daily Feedings:

Phyto feast live
Roti Feast
Arcti Pods
Oyster Feast
(50/50) Mysis/coral food to SunCorals before lights out.

My system (TWV = 45g) has been stable with all of these additives for a good 6 months now. I am upgrading a little to a TWV of 75g and I wanted to through some vodka into the mix. Anyone have any thoughts on when I start dosing Vodka I should stop dosing something or, dose more of something. Either stuff to change now, or stuff to look for in the future.

Please have crontructive critisicm. All help and comments are appreciated.

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/09/2009, 04:49 PM
I want to lower my alkalinity so I can start to slowly dose vodka.

Vodka won't impact alkalinity.

I'd personally stop nearly all of the additives. Iodine and strontium are probably not doing anything useful. You are probably not adding enough magnesium or potassium to be useful since when it is needed, the doses are large. Since magnesium is on the high side, it clearly is not necessary now anyway.

This may help:

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 1: The Salt Water Itself
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

The "How To" Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 3: pH
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners,
Part 4: What Chemicals May Detrimentally Accumulate
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/rhf/index.php

Enjoy
10/09/2009, 05:09 PM
I know Vodka will not lower my alk, i was stating that I need to lower my alk before i start to dose vodka because i heard that it causes sps to bleach/have tissue recession. I know I do need to dose mag, because the wholee reason I started dosing was to raise my low mag levels.

I should stop dosing Vitamen/HUFA supplements, and marine snow as well?
Are there good potassium, strontium, iodine, test kits available?

I wish I wasnt such a hands on kind of person. I read through these huge articles and then look at my computer for about 30 mins going uhhhhh........

Thanks again Chemist Master Randy! I really appreciate it.

Billybeau1
10/09/2009, 10:58 PM
Yes, you should stop dosing all of that stuff. It is not needed as long as you are doing regular water changes to replenish your trace elements.

It might help if you tell us why you want to dose vodka in the first place.

Also Potassium, Strontium and iodine test kits are iffy at best. No recommendations here. :)

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/10/2009, 06:44 AM
I should stop dosing Vitamen/HUFA supplements

Like Selcon? I use it to soak foods, especially seaweed sheets once a week or so, but I wouldn't bother adding it by itself.

Enjoy
10/10/2009, 11:24 AM
This (http://www.warnermarine.com/Product6-HUFA.html) is what I use.


What do you think?

Enjoy
10/10/2009, 11:28 AM
Billybeau1 - thanks for the advice, I want to dose vodka because I feel like my tank is doing good, but I would love for some poppin' colors, and a clearer water column. From what I have read it interests me so I thought i would check into it. Have any advice on that topic?

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/10/2009, 12:03 PM
That product looks to be the same as Selcon, and is fine as best I can tell. :)

Billybeau1
10/11/2009, 07:12 PM
Billybeau1 - thanks for the advice, I want to dose vodka because I feel like my tank is doing good, but I would love for some poppin' colors, and a clearer water column. From what I have read it interests me so I thought i would check into it. Have any advice on that topic?

I have no advice on vodka dosing as I just re-started myself. From what I've read, you will get clearer water. But popping colors may be another story. Some have experienced popping colors with potassium additions. Not sure why just yet but just following the trend. :D