My adventure into vodka dosing ...

[joelq]

Hi Shawnda -

This is unrelated to the vodka dosing per se, but since part of your goal in doing the dosing is to try and elicit a color change response from some corals, have you also thought about reducing your photoperiod? I know that many folks have noticed color improvement after reducing their photoperiod to 6 hours or less. This adds another variable to your vodka dosing experiment, but figured it was worth mentioning.

 

[Renmar]

@joelq wrote:

I have been considering it, but looks like it is going to be something I am willing to try to see if there is any difference at all. I am hoping that I do. My schedule at work has changed, and therefore, I can now enjoy my tank at night now, vs during the day.

On Wednesday, I will play with my light schedule to see what I can come upw ith. I may have 2.5 hours of actintics, 6 hours of MH, and 2.5 hours of actintics. I think that sounds good. Currently I am 2hr actintics, 8 hrs MH, 2hr actintics.

 

[bimmerzs]

@Renmar wrote:

Why not simply cut the MH hrs, one hour from each end. Just curious, don't want to take this off topic too far. [smilie=smile.gif]

Cheers

 

[Ross110]

since a Phosban reactor is no longer useful when starting vodka, can you run active carbon in it while doing vodka?
I read the threat about it and it mentioned GFO would be less effective but didn't say anything about carbon.
Anyone have any preference on one over the other?

 

[Renmar]

@bimmerzs wrote:

Why not simply cut the MH hrs, one hour from each end. Just curious, don't want to take this off topic too far. [smilie=smile.gif]

Cheers"]

I will be doing that, but I will be moving the times to do this. Right now, my tank is set to be lighting during the day due to my old work schedule so I could enjoy the tank while I was home. Now that I have changed, I am going ot have it firing later in the day and moving the schedule a couple of hours.

And you're not derailing my thread, it's brought up here regarding my coloration of the corals.

PFS - from my readings and understandings .. is that when dosing vodka, there is no need for any other carbon to be ran on the sytem at all. Now, I could be wrong on this ..

 

[bimmerzs]

@Renmar wrote:

Actually...when using vodka or other carbon sources, they have the potential to accelerate the yellowish water buildup from organics. To solve this problem, people use carbon or ozone to combat this along with regular water changes. A lot of folks still run GFO also when carbon dosing even though there are articles out there saying why you shouldn't.

Cheers,

 

[Renmar]

@bimmerzs wrote:

Actually...when using vodka or other carbon sources, they have the potential to accelerate the yellowish water buildup from organics. To solve this problem, people use carbon or ozone to combat this along with regular water changes. A lot of folks still run GFO also when carbon dosing even though there are articles out there saying why you shouldn't.

Cheers,"]

I said, I could be wrong

 

[Ross110]

Feedback from people that are using Vodka....
Would you recommend using Ozone or Carbon?
I have a reactor so carbon could be used, but no ozone.

And has anyone had any positive experience with some of the commercially available organic carbon additives being sold?

 

[Renmar]

@PFS_faceless wrote:

I may at some point add ozone, using a DIY type of set up for it. Other than that, the only carbon that I am using is just the vodka for the carbon source. I have started adding MB7 to the tank effective on Sunday, but I can't speak on it yet.

 

[bimmerzs]

@Renmar wrote:

Actually...when using vodka or other carbon sources, they have the potential to accelerate the yellowish water buildup from organics. To solve this problem, people use carbon or ozone to combat this along with regular water changes. A lot of folks still run GFO also when carbon dosing even though there are articles out there saying why you shouldn't.

Cheers,"]

I said, I could be wrong "]

You are not "wrong" in any way shape or form, the carbon dosing "thingy" is constantly evolving with folks trying new stuff everyday. It's far from a finely tuned process..... as a whole.

Regards,

 

[Renmar]

Appreciate that Ron.

PFC - I have read a lot of reports of folks that are vodka dosing are also introducing Brightwells MB7 (MicroBacter 7) to their tank. Which seems to help with a lot of the cyano being fought off that introduction to vodka can cause.

For me, I had a cyano outbreak as reported in previous posts. I don't have as much of it, as I was having previously. I have made some changes in the way I dose to help with the cyano. I was finding that the crements that I was dosing in was too much too quick. Especially for such a small tank, it was adding too much diversity in which my tank wasn't handling it properly (in my opinion). Now, I have went from 1.2ml a day down to .9ml a day and giving my tank plenty of time to get adjusted to this amount of vodka. I will go back up, but the recommended dosage that is posted everywhere online will be cut into 3rds for my size tank. I'd rather go slow vs. fast.

I have noticed quite a bit of things since I started dosing, and most of them have been really positive things. Now, somethings have me perplexed and that is my coloration on a few select corals. Which is why it is that the discussion on my lighting was had in previous posts to the thread.

 

[Ross110]

Really appreciate the feedback guys, good threat as well.

On a side note, i used MB7 and did notice a little more skimate and darker color of the sludge, but i didn't have enough SPS in the tank to really gauge its effectiveness. I also tried something called Koral Color and Reef BioFuel (organic carbon) both from Brightwell. I will hopefully be adding another 6-12 sps frags in the next month and will start with Vodka then. I will make sure to post feedback.

 

[Renmar]

@PFS_faceless wrote:

PFS - It's not required that you have an SPS dominated tank for vodka dosing. Many folks who don't have an sps dominated tank dose vodka with no problems at all. Now, my duncan is not the happiest camper right not, but I don't know if that is cause I moved it and it's not happy with that location. Or if it is because of the dosing of vodka.

Other than that - my acans are not affected by the vodka dosing ...

 

[bimmerzs]

@Renmar wrote:

Are you running your alk in the 7-8dKH range???

Cheers,

 

[Renmar]

@bimmerzs wrote:

Are you running your alk in the 7-8dKH range???

Cheers,"]

I will be able to tell you the answer to this on Wednesday. I haven't tested in like two weeks. I can tell ya on when I test on Wednesday.

 

[Renmar]

Ok, bimmerzs asked what my levels are due to my duncan not being happy right now. I decided that since today was my new day off from work, I would test my levels.

Here they are:

Am - 0
NO3 - 0
PO4 - 0
NO2 - 0
Ca - 400
Mg - 1320
Alk - 9.3 dKh
Ph 7.8

 

[hitillidie]

How often are you feeding your duncans? I've been dosing vodka in my tank since I began the cycle. I added a few LPS and since increase the the dosing steadly at the same time. I notice that if I good too long without feeding my lps they will begin to look very sad [smilie=sadsmile.gif] So now I spot feed they twice a week and they have been doing find. Are you getting much coralline algae growth? Also, do you have much algae growth on the glass?

 

[Renmar]

@hitillidie wrote:

I feed my duncans like twice a week or so. I believe they're not liking the flow, so I am going to move them. I always spot feed my acans and duncans like twice a week.

I am getting some great coralline growth going. Also, yes I am still getting a small amount of growth on the glass, but not as much as I was.

 

[hitillidie]

hmmmm.. my coralline algae is not taking off at all. My parameter are great, but no coralline growth.

 

[Renmar]

@hitillidie wrote:

What are your levels?