Reef Central Online Community - View Single Post - Randy's vinegar dosing limit. I found it!

rsucre · 12/29/2017, 08:04 PM

I'm currently dosing about 20ml of vinegar daily (distributed in many small doses during daylight period using dosing pump) to my 20 gallon tank (with 5 gallon sump). I was previously dosing NOPOX, then DIY NOPOX (vodka + vinegar mix) and switched to vinegar about 4 months ago in order to use the dosing pump.

The thing is that I'm not being able to find the balance. Here are my parameters:

Phosphate: 0.02ppm (Hanna ULR Phosphorus Checker)
Nitrate: 5+ ppm
KH: 8.2 dKH

Algae seems to be very controlled, still some growing on the back glass, overflow box, return nozzle and some little on rock. Mostly taken care by a sea urchin.

Issues:
1. Getting cyanobacteria on sandbed and glass.

2. KH Related: I have noticed that if I let it raise above 9.5 - 10 dKH, then my SPS coral, specially Mystic Sunset does not like it. It starts to burn or die (white spots). A little birds nest frag died. Once I get the KH back down to 8.2, most SPS recovers. Montipora Capricornis is also affected, but not as much as the Mystic Sunset and birds nest.

3. Overall, coral are not growing. Some LPS are even shrinking a bit.

I feed every other day some little bit of Reef Roids and once a week a couple cc of Red Sea Reef Energy A & B mix. Also, I have Kalkwasser in my ATO water. pH is monitored constantly via Apex.

Any thoughts?

12/29/2017, 08:04 PM	#256
rsucre Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 169	I'm currently dosing about 20ml of vinegar daily (distributed in many small doses during daylight period using dosing pump) to my 20 gallon tank (with 5 gallon sump). I was previously dosing NOPOX, then DIY NOPOX (vodka + vinegar mix) and switched to vinegar about 4 months ago in order to use the dosing pump. The thing is that I'm not being able to find the balance. Here are my parameters: Phosphate: 0.02ppm (Hanna ULR Phosphorus Checker) Nitrate: 5+ ppm KH: 8.2 dKH Algae seems to be very controlled, still some growing on the back glass, overflow box, return nozzle and some little on rock. Mostly taken care by a sea urchin. Issues: 1. Getting cyanobacteria on sandbed and glass. 2. KH Related: I have noticed that if I let it raise above 9.5 - 10 dKH, then my SPS coral, specially Mystic Sunset does not like it. It starts to burn or die (white spots). A little birds nest frag died. Once I get the KH back down to 8.2, most SPS recovers. Montipora Capricornis is also affected, but not as much as the Mystic Sunset and birds nest. 3. Overall, coral are not growing. Some LPS are even shrinking a bit. I feed every other day some little bit of Reef Roids and once a week a couple cc of Red Sea Reef Energy A & B mix. Also, I have Kalkwasser in my ATO water. pH is monitored constantly via Apex. Any thoughts? Last edited by rsucre; 12/29/2017 at 08:09 PM.