Dosing vinegar

[alexmara76]

Hi reefers, I’ve started dosing vinegar 2 weeks ago to reduce my 40ppm nitrates (150 gallons tank + sump ) , following the dosing chart found on the forum , I’m putting directly the vinegar mixed with water in the return pump section , 3 times a day 10 ml , 10 ml and 5 ml . The nitrates doesn’t looks are going down , do I’m doing something wrong ? The vinegar would go in the skimmer sections ? I have this doubt or it doesn’t really matter ?
Any advice is really helpful

 

[Borat]

Dosing vinegar is a lot more responsible than dosing vodka. If someone in Kazakistan hears that you pour vodka into a fish tank - you may get into all sorts of troubles (provided you don't consider torture a trouble)!

 

[Saltyreef]

The premise for this is carbon dosing to increase bacterial growth to consume the excess nutrients.

The excess bacteria is then skimmed out to keep the water clear.

Reefkeeping Magazine - Vinegar Dosing Methodology for the Marine Aquarium

Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for the marine aquarist.

reefkeeping.com

 

[alexmara76]

Dosing vinegar is a lot more responsible than dosing vodka. If someone in Kazakistan hears that you pour vodka into a fish tank - you may get into all sorts of troubles (provided you don't consider torture a trouble)!

I’m tryin with vinegar because vodka it looks more for experts (in my opinion ) and easier to get problems, but I think I’m doing something wrong ,but I can not understand where . Specially because some corals looks irritating ,now I don’t know if it’s for the high nitrates or because I’m dosing the vinegar directly in the return pump section

 

[alexmara76]

The premise for this is carbon dosing to increase bacterial growth to consume the excess nutrients.

The excess bacteria is then skimmed out to keep the water clear.

Reefkeeping Magazine - Vinegar Dosing Methodology for the Marine Aquarium

Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for the marine aquarist.

reefkeeping.com

Where I have to dose the vinegar ? Where I have the skimmer ? I’m putting too much each time ? Something is wrong of what I’m doing

 

[Reefer Matt]

Hi reefers, I’ve started dosing vinegar 2 weeks ago to reduce my 40ppm nitrates (150 gallons tank + sump ) , following the dosing chart found on the forum , I’m putting directly the vinegar mixed with water in the return pump section , 3 times a day 10 ml , 10 ml and 5 ml . The nitrates doesn’t looks are going down , do I’m doing something wrong ? The vinegar would go in the skimmer sections ? I have this doubt or it doesn’t really matter ?
Any advice is really helpful

Hey there! Were there any specific problems with the tank at 40 nitrate before dosing?

 

[Saltyreef]

Where I have to dose the vinegar ? Where I have the skimmer ? I’m putting too much each time ? Something is wrong of what I’m doing

THe vinegar you can dose anywhere theres high flow.
Skimmer goes where there is space.

Read the directions in the link i sent.

 

[Borat]

OK jokes apart, a month or so ago I tried carbon dosing (I had to reduce accidentally dosed 100ppm nitrates) - and it didn't quite work for me... So don't worry - either continue dosing and hope it will work one day (nothing to worry about where you are dosing it into) or just don't do it!

 

[Forty-Two]

You have to be patient with carbon dosing. It can take quite a while for it to start to work- and if you’re not really careful it’ll work too well all at once, and then you’ll have a disaster on your hands

 

[alexmara76]

Hey there! Were there any specific problems with the tank at 40 nitrate before dosing?

I had 80/100 ppm I don’t know why ,for adding moving rocks ,and moving sand or too much feeding. Before these high values everything was fine ,after adding two fishing ,increase the feeding ,and moving rocks and sand I had this problem . I did multiple water changes in one week but the nitrates didn’t lower than 40 so I started to dose vinegar

 

[alexmara76]

THe vinegar you can dose anywhere theres high flow.
Skimmer goes where there is space.

Read the directions in the link i sent.

Thank you , where did you send me the link ?

 

[Dan_P]

Hi reefers, I’ve started dosing vinegar 2 weeks ago to reduce my 40ppm nitrates (150 gallons tank + sump ) , following the dosing chart found on the forum , I’m putting directly the vinegar mixed with water in the return pump section , 3 times a day 10 ml , 10 ml and 5 ml . The nitrates doesn’t looks are going down , do I’m doing something wrong ? The vinegar would go in the skimmer sections ? I have this doubt or it doesn’t really matter ?
Any advice is really helpful

1 mL / gallon is the dose to shoot for. This amount is roughly what you need to obtain a strong bacteria bloom and reduction in nitrate. The strong bacteria growth might happen at a lower dose. @Wildreefs is also currently having troubles with carbon dosing, though Wildreefs’ dose of vodka seems to be at the target dose o1/8 mL per gallon.

 

[alexmara76]

You have to be patient with carbon dosing. It can take quite a while for it to start to work- and if you’re not really careful it’ll work too well all at once, and then you’ll have a disaster on your hands

1 mL / gallon is the dose to shoot for. This amount is roughly what you need to obtain a strong bacteria bloom and reduction in nitrate. The strong bacteria growth might happen at a lower dose. @Wildreefs is also currently having troubles with carbon dosing, though Wildreefs’ dose of vodka seems to be at the target dose o1/8 mL per gallon.

Where is better to dose it ? Where I have the skimmer or where is the return pump ? Now I’m dosing a total of 25ml divided in 3 times a day , 10-10-5 , or is it better to drip the amount ?
I don’t remember where I red or maybe I red wrong ,that is better to dose it as far away from the return pump

 

[ReefGeezer]

I've dosed up to 49-ish ml per day of white vinegar in a heavily loaded 75 gallon. I dosed 7 ml per dose, 7X per day during the lighted portion. My nitrates were not 40 ppm... more like 15. But, the dosing worked as advertised. I dosed mine in the overflow partition so it went all the way through the sump.

I did not mix the vinegar with water, and I really don't see a need.

 

[alexmara76]

I've dosed up to 49-ish ml per day of white vinegar in a heavily loaded 75 gallon. I dosed 7 ml per dose, 7X per day during the lighted portion. My nitrates were not 40 ppm... more like 15. But, the dosing worked as advertised. I dosed mine in the overflow partition so it went all the way through the sump.

I did not mix the vinegar with water, and I really don't see a need.

Thanks for the infos , I’ve started low and I’m going to increase it little by little , Monday I will increase and other 10ml .
I like the idea to dose it in the overflow portion , maybe is better for corals , and maybe mine are suffering using the vinegar directly in the returning pump section . Ok I will not mix the vinegar with the water anymore in there is no reason . Thanks again to share your experience

 

[ReefGeezer]

Thanks for the infos , I’ve started low and I’m going to increase it little by little , Monday I will increase and other 10ml .
I like the idea to dose it in the overflow portion , maybe is better for corals , and maybe mine are suffering using the vinegar directly in the returning pump section . Ok I will not mix the vinegar with the water anymore in there is no reason . Thanks again to share your experience

Vinegar is fairly safe. You can increase the dose pretty aggressively as compared to vodka. Maybe raise it twice a week until you see the nitrate drop, then cut it in half.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

I’m tryin with vinegar because vodka it looks more for experts (in my opinion ) and easier to get problems, but I think I’m doing something wrong ,but I can not understand where . Specially because some corals looks irritating ,now I don’t know if it’s for the high nitrates or because I’m dosing the vinegar directly in the return pump section

What you do is adding pure organic carbon, the result is exactly the same considering the same quantity of carbon is added. if added too much the nitrification capacity will be reduced drastically or be removed and not be available if needed. Building up lost nitrification capacity needs time. This means once started regular dosing you have to consider how one will stop with dosing or how one will build it off.
To assimilate 1 gram nitrogen about 8 grams of bacterial protein must be produced , a lot off bacteria. are needed.
Fast growing heterotrophic bacteria use ammonia as a nitrogen source, NOT nitrate. if the nitrate level reduces this is mainly due to the limited nitrate production . Nitrate is safely stored and usable nitrogen, and is easily exported by harvesting foto-autotrophs and due to denitrification.
For heterotrophs to reduce the same amount of ammonia 40X more growth is needed as needed by autotropic nitrifiers. To grow all building materials are needed , not only organic carbon. Bacterial growth means that more bacteria are produced than are continuously dying. It has been shown a skimmer may remove about 35% of it.
Info about dosing carbohydrates, including vinegar.

What happens if a daily dose of organic carbon is added and some other essentials for growth are used up?
Dosing organic carbon based on the nitrate level is NOT safe!
After a period of daily dosing, what happens if the daily dose is reduced by 50%.?

Starting with dosing organic carbon one should be informed about the many possible side effects.

 

[nicodim55]

I’ve been dosing vodka/vinegar/ brown sugar mix in my 150g for over 2 years now and my nitrates is always between 5-10 ppm. Haven’t done a water change in 2 years either. Each of our tanks are all different animal, what works for me might not work for you. I say, just try it but go slow and see results. Happy reefing

 

[Rmckoy]

Dosing vinegar is the same as any other source including vodka , sugar , or even Nopox
One is more expensive compared to the other . And vinegar being the easiest to find along with one of the most affordable .

Keep in mind vodka is 40% ethanol compared to only 5% acidic acid ( vinegar )

Vinegar will require more but it all works the same
Just takes time for the bacteria to grow .
Once your nutrients start to drop keep an eye on nutrient levels . They will drop fast and continue to drop until they reach zero !

 

[Nano_Man]

I’ve been dosing vodka/vinegar/ brown sugar mix in my 150g for over 2 years now and my nitrates is always between 5-10 ppm. Haven’t done a water change in 2 years either. Each of our tanks are all different animal, what works for me might not work for you. I say, just try it but go slow and see results. Happy reefing

What’s your dosing of each vinegar brown sugar per litre or gallon please Thank you