Started Vodka Dosing

[Maverick2009]

After months of reading i finally decided to start dosing the vodka. Im starting out slow with only .4ml for my 130 gal system, im anxious to see how it goes, i figure that with that little amount i will be able to see any potential problems. After 3 days i will be upping the dose to .8ml per day. Any tips would be great. I will be doing this until I get my reactor built for the N/P reducing pellets. Hopefully that will be within the next couple weeks. Hopefully this combined with the Red demon impeller will return my tank to greatness.

[rbnice1]

How do you like that new impeller?

[Maverick2009]

It should be here tomorrow, i cant wait and my mail man doesnt show up until 3pm, i was a little disappointed with PA. I ordered it Monday and it just shipped out today. I guess it was a coincidence that as soon as i called and check on it, I got a confirmation that it shipped. I thought this was unusual b/c there service is ussually top notch.

[rbnice1]

PA ships UPS ground. I dont think they deliver on Sat.

[Maverick2009]

Bummer. I was really looking forward to getting that. The guy at PA said the differnce in huge. Ill post pics when I get it going.

[logiktest]

Hi Mav, I've been giving quite a bit of consideration to the new BP product myself... (A quick solution to your maladies always spells trouble)... never the less...

I would really like to track your progress with this. However, I believe it may be difficult to quantify the effect on your tank due to the fact that your making so many changes to your system at once...skimmer(demon impeller), vodka (.4-.8)... and then BioPellets to top it off. All the same, I'm very interested to see how it goes for you. :) I'll be charting my progress as well as soon as I get this new untried, unproven product.

Cant wait. :D

Again, cant wait to see it, but please keep us apprised of the situation after your changes.

I hope to start BP in the next few weeks.

[Maverick2009]

There is defiinetly an element of uncertainty here, but sometimes more is lost by indecision than the wrong decision. It will be a few weeks on the bio pellets also, I will keep track of how the progress is going and fill you guys in on it.

[Maverick2009]

Im on day three of the dosing, and it seems to be going pretty good. My skimmer is pulling some nasty stuff and my corals look like they are opening more. Im noticing it most with the LPS and leathers, the couple SPS frags i have, ive noticed very little to no change yet. It would probably help if i had an SPS with bigger polyps to see. Tomorrow the dose goes to .8ml. Also performed a 15 gal weekly water change.

[rbnice1]

really leathers like dirty water. I wouldnt think carbon dosing would help them. I would think you would see growth slow on them.

[Nanook]

How high was your nitrate and phosphate?

[Maverick2009]

Nitrates are 5-10 and posphates are running around .03. Im looking to zap that little bit and get my system perfect. I upped the dose to .8 ml today. Also, no needle wheel today. Im getting ****ed at PA.

[Maverick2009]

Oh yeah, the leathers could stand to slow a little in growth for now.

[rbnice1]

IMO .03 phosphates on a low range hanna meter is fine. And I actually like to run my trates around 5. corals seem to pale a bit when your below that.

[Nanook]

With those numbers, I probably wouldn't dose vodka.

[Maverick2009]

That was after a substantial water change. Ill see how it goes from here. The absense of my foxface should help with the nitrates also.

[Nanook]

There are some things with vodka that are hard to pinpoint, but I believe that dosing it killed a few of my anemones that were in captivity for years. It is definitely a good way to bring nitrates down.

[Maverick2009]

I'm taking it very slow and keeping a journal of the results. It has made my skimmer put out some nasty skimmate though.

[Maverick2009]

Day 5, skimmer is putting out some nasty junk. Water is crystal clear and there is no film algae on the glass. Things seem to be going well with it so far.