2 Vodka Dosing Questions

[shornik]

My Nitrates and Phosphates have been high for a while even with weekly water changes so I'm going to try vodka dosing to help lower the levels but I have some questions:

1) Why vodka vs. any other alcohol (e.g. rum, beer, etc.)?
2) I've been using Chemi-pure to help with the Nitrates and Phosphates but I've never seen an appreciable lowering of my levels, do I stop using that type of media when I start the vodka dosing or continue?

Thanks in Advance!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I actually prefer vinegar dosing to vodka, but vodka is often a fine choice.

It was selected as being relatively pure compared to other inexpensive sources of ethanol.

But many different organic molecules give the same effect.

The idea is to drive bacterial growth, and bacteria consume all sorts of things. As the bacteria grow, they use up nutrients.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you think the Chemipure is useful for your system, I'd keep using it. It will export organic matter which is usually desirable.

 

[choff]

You are dosing carbon and the 3 most popular forms are vodka, vinegar and sugar. I prefer vinegar as vodka has a greater chance of cyano out breaks. They impact pH differently to so you need to find it which suits your needs best.

Chemipure I believe is 50/50 carbon and gfo. Gfo will remove phosphates, but not nitrate. Carbon will do neither.

You can continue to use both while vodka dosing. The point of the dosing is to make your skimmer work more efficiently. You should see increased skimmate production and the smell to be even worse.

 

[shornik]

The problem I'm having is that I don't think the Chemi-pure is doing much. It might be it's not getting enough flow in the filter sock where I have it, so I thought about Vodka. I know this is titled 2 Questions... but can I ask a third?

Why do you use Vinegar vs. Vodka?

 

[choff]

They are essentially the same. You are dosing carbon and those happen to be 2 reef safe forms of carbon. I personally use vinegar over vodka because I have read vinegar is less likely to cause cyano algae(bacteria or whatever it is) outbreaks. Either is really fine, but vinegar dosing amounts are higher than vodka. I've never done a cost analysis to determine which is cheaper, but I'm sure it's close.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There are actually several types of Chemi Pure.

The newer one, "Elite", has GFO in it.

The original doesn't. I believe.

 

[spider]

How much vodka do you put in

 

[rayn]

Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com

Here is a article on vodka dosing. I use this method on two different tanks, most likely will on my new set up as well. Make sure you have a good skimmer to pull the excess nutrients, I am surprised quite offer on the gunk I pull.

Follow the directions and you should be fine. I have yet to have a cyano outbreak by this method.

 

[spider]

Hi rayn thanks for that will try.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Dosing Vodka: Why? | Melev's Reef

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, most people ramp up the dose more slowly than I would do so.

IMO, a month is plenty of time to reach equilibrium.

 

[EW_Fish]

you can use mb7 and vodka to keep the cyano away.