Question on dosing vodka

[thebradybunch]

I started dosing vodka 2 weeks ago. The reason I started was my Phosphates was at .2 on a Hanna meter, my nitrates were near 0 but I had a outbreak of HA. I was hoping the vodka would lower my phosphates and get the HA under control. The HA is still there but doen't seem to be growing, my nitrates are at 0, but I have not been able to check the Phosphates since the meter belongs to a friend. My SPS poly extension looks great. The only issue is I am now needing to clean my glass daily. I use to only clean it every 2-3 days. I am dosing using the following chart

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/images/Table3-100Proof.jpg

I am using 100 proof vodka and just worked up to 1.6ml per day.

Should I cut back on the vodka or continue at my current level and continue following the chart until the HA is gone?

Thanks

[coralmojo]

I would think about dosing Microbacter 7 or Zeobac to increase/diversify bacterial population and give the vodka some more critters to attack nitrates and phosphates with...just a thought...

DrMerle

[bertoni]

If the phosphate is still high, a GFO might be appropriate for helping with the glass cleaning. I might try it just on general principles. You also could try backing off on the the vodka and see how the nitrate reacts. That'd be a useful experiment, in my opinion.

[thebradybunch]

Thanks guys, I also need to add the reason I am at 1.6ml is my water volume is 130 gallons and I am starting my 3rd week and on the chart it only has 100 and 150 gallons so I am splitting the difference.

If the phosphate is still high, a GFO might be appropriate for helping with the glass cleaning. I might try it just on general principles

I have GFO on order and am going to start it as soon as it arrives.

[Genetics]

thebradybunch, if the hair algae is no longer dosing you can continue on that dosage for an indefinite period of time. Add the GFO slowly so you don't disturb your sps and monitor the hair algae and phosphate level from there. My guess is that you still have phosphates as vodka and other additives are not as good at controlling that.

[thebradybunch]

Thanks for the replies. Does anyone know what is causing the increase in algae on the glass?

[bertoni]

That's hard to judge. Our tanks are very complicated biological systems, and there's a lot of variables. The dosing might have eliminated a competitor to the alga on the glass, for example.