Who vodka doses?

[BuschWacker]

I was also having issues with hair algae. I've had issues with nitrates and phosphates since I started my tank a few years ago. Nothing I've done has really brought my numbers down to an acceptable level. Not sure if it was just a crappy batch of rocks or what. But looked into some kind of carbon dosing and came across red sea's 'nopox'. Been using it not quite 2 months now, and my levels are now near 0. My hair algae thinned down to the point where a turkey baster can blow it off the rocks. I do that once a week and catch the floaters with a fish net. It's more expensive than vodka or vinegar, but has worked awesome in my tank.

[mikellini]

Vinegar does not encourage cyanobacteria growth and may in fact inhibit it; vodka has been shown to encourage growth of cyano, at least in the short term.

I've been dosing vinegar for a couple of months, keeping nitrates and phosphates stable but I'd like to reduce them; since vinegar can have a pH reducing effect at larger doses (more than 1mL per 10 gallons), I've just started to add kalk to the vinegar so I can dose larger boluses. No dosing pump ATM so this is the easiest for me. Gives the added bonus of a little supplementation. Just started today so we shall see...

[reefwars]

have dosed vinegar in our zoanthid beds for a long time , works great

[Aquattro]

I've been using VSV, no adverse affects. NO3 is 0, PO4 near 0. Overall happy with the approach.

[smokinreefer]

Brad, whats VSV?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by smokinreefer

Brad, whats VSV?

Vodka/Sugar/Vinegar mix

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by smokinreefer

Brad, whats VSV?

Vodka/sugar/vinegar

I think the idea is that strains of bacteria can become dominant and out compete other Bacteria in a closed system , certain bacteria use certain carbon sources so when one is plentiful often the other gets starved out So to say. By adding these carbon sources you'll hit a larger target audience and offer them equal chances to compete.

I think so anyways I've never really dabbled in vsv but mixing carbon sources and playing with the ratios is something alot of people are doing now adays and vsv or carbon dosing period is Def not new

[smokinreefer]

Originally Posted by reefwars

have dosed vinegar in our zoanthid beds for a long time , works great

Denny, so you keep your zs & ps in a low nutrient environment?

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by smokinreefer

Denny, so you keep your zs & ps in a low nutrient environment?

Yes I do , I've tried it all and at the end of the day the same conditions we would keep acros is the same for zoanthids

Too low isn't good , too high isn't good

[FishyFishy!]

Im dosing vinegar now. On about 200 net gallons, ive been upping the dose 5mL every week. Im currently at 40mL per day, and its working awesome. I started with loads of hair algae due to a new tank with completely dead rock (acid and bleach bath). I now have almost no algae whatsoever. All corals seem super happy. So far im extremely happy with the results.