PDA

View Full Version : Vinegar in ATO


reefgeezer
12/10/2011, 01:32 PM
Dave, Droth335, linked one of Randy's articles about vinegar and kalk. After reading it, I'm considering adding vinegar to my kalk filled ATO. Thanks Dave... and Randy. Can anyone tell me if adding vinegar in this manner would also dose some carbon?

HighlandReefer
12/10/2011, 03:51 PM
Yes, adding vinegar to kalk water will add carbon to your water column which will increase bacterial growth. ;)

This is what Randy was saying by this statement in his article:

"When vinegar is added directly to aquarium water, the active ingredient is acetic acid. The first thing it does is ionize into acetate and H+:

6. CH3COOH � CH3COO- + H+

Bacteria can then metabolize the acetate to gain energy in the reaction shown below:

7. CH3COO- + 2O2 � 2CO2 + H2O + OH-

On balance, the H+ released in (6) and the OH- released in (7) offset each other, and the net addition is simply carbon dioxide:

8. H+ + OH- � H2O

9. CH3COOH + 2O2 � 2CO2 + 2 H2O

One of the potential side effects of this metabolism is that the bacteria performing the transformation may grow faster because of it. This growth may have positive or negative outcomes. One potentially positive outcome is that as they grow, they will necessarily consume nitrogen and phosphorus, possibly lowering nitrate and phosphate levels in the aquarium. Another is that the bacteria may be a suitable food source for other organisms."

reefgeezer
12/10/2011, 04:28 PM
Thanks Cliff. I never trust my understanding of Randy's formulas.

reefergeorge
12/10/2011, 04:38 PM
I'm not on that level, but wouldn't that just lower your PH? Why not just dose sugar, or vodka like everyone last year?

HighlandReefer
12/10/2011, 04:51 PM
When dosing both vinegar and vodka the final end is the production of CO2 which will lower the tank pH level, until the CO2 escapes from the tank water by aeration. Vinegar does this quicker though. When you add vinegar to kalk water, keep in mind the pH of saturated kalk water is around 12.5 (very high) and vinegar will reduce the pH a bit, but the kalk water will still be high and will increase the tank pH.

If you dose vinegar directly to your tank (not in kalk water), then you would want to spread the doses out, to reduce the pH lowering effect. ;)

HighlandReefer
12/10/2011, 04:53 PM
This thread may provide some reasons for using vinegar vs vodka. ;)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2101969