+brian.srock Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Picked up a 1.75L bottle of 100 proof Karkov Vodka for $13 at Specs. Decided to start vodka dosing to help with my phosphate and clean up my water. Here is the article I researched for dosing http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php For the price its a very economical fix and if it doesn't work I can always just finish the bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizardx322 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I would recommend dosing microbactor 7 for 2 weeks then start the vodka. You need the bacteria and its a good way to start it then dose the vodka once you reach ulns remember to overfeed and if you don't do water changes to add the essential elemental back into the tank if you don't overfeed and add elements your sps will start to stn and possibly rtn. Not sure what will happen to lps since I don't keep many Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaJohn Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I started vinager dosing a while back on a tank that had been up multiple years. When I added the microbactor 7 it caused a HUGE bacteria bloom that turned my tank a milky white color and lasted over a week I added less than the recomended amount for my water volume. It caused no harm to the tank but you could not see more than an inch or 2 into the tank before everything was fogged in lol. I blame the mb7 because several weeks latter I added another small dose and the same bloom happend again. I have nothing against mb7 but if you have a good amount of bacteria already it may not be needed and if your tank turns to milk dont freak like I did it will go away lol. I also run Bio Pellets soooo that could factor in also. and a gallon of vinager is 2 bucks and has less of a chance to cause cyano outbrake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannerfish Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I'm still a bit confused as to what exactly makes a tank ulns? is the sole purpose of vodka (our similar) dosing to reduce nitrate and phosphate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaJohn Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 yep its used to lower both even with heavy feeding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I'm still a bit confused as to what exactly makes a tank ulns? is the sole purpose of vodka (our similar) dosing to reduce nitrate and phosphate? Yes to the reduction of nitrate and phosphate by increasing bacteria populations that consume nitrate and phosphate. I do not know what uins is. After reading the article, it is a cause and effect to be monitored. Best I can tell, uins is not measured. Only the after effects are measured, nitrate and phosphate levels. When the target nutriant levels begin to come down, reduce the carbon source (food to bacteria) so that bacteria levels are consuming nitrate and phosphate in the tank water column. At this point, heavy feeding is desirable to keep bacteria levels high. These bacteria are another source of food for the corals. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizardx322 Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 ULNS is ultra low nutrient system. The point of carbon doing (vodka, super,vinegar, bio pellets, Zeovit ect) is to achieve the ULNS so this is mainly done in sps tanks as they do not like high nutrients ( phosphate and nitrate ). But to also allow for heavy feeding. You also need a good skimmer for this and to make sure you don't strip you tank too much ( aka making it too clean) will cause sps to stn/rtn. So when carbon doing make sure you do over feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannerfish Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 hmm. so could any tank with very low nitrate and phosphate be considered ulns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 ULNS is ultra low nutrient system. The point of carbon doing (vodka, super,vinegar, bio pellets, Zeovit ect) is to achieve the ULNS so this is mainly done in sps tanks as they do not like high nutrients ( phosphate and nitrate ). But to also allow for heavy feeding. You also need a good skimmer for this and to make sure you don't strip you tank too much ( aka making it too clean) will cause sps to stn/rtn. So when carbon doing make sure you do over feed. In reading the article, I realized that this was focused on SPS tanks and required heavy protein skimming. Twenty years ago, I used sugar as a carbon source. In that application, I used a Jaubert Plenumn with a deep sand bed. Skimmerless and heavy feeding were used in a mixed reef with superb results. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizardx322 Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 hmm. so could any tank with very low nitrate and phosphate be considered ulns? No ulns is reached beyond a normal tank with just low nutrients its get so low that your tank can become too clean. Thus why you overfeed to compensate and keep nutrients in the tank other wise you will crash the tank. As I am sure everyone knows that corals require some phosphate and nitrate. The reason why everyone does water change is to get rid of the high nutrients/ keep it in check. With bio pellets I have gone over 6 month with out doing. a water change. Carbon dosing keeps those nutrients down so no need for as many water change as long as you overfeed can dose essential elemental too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannerfish Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 ahh ok. i was just curious, thanks for the explainations. although my coral in my living room tank looks happy, grows pretty well, and i dont wanna change anything, i do like to learn about other methods people use, always good to learn new things. i set it up very much like subsea's tanks and have unreadable nutrients, but im sure its not ulns. my wc are to replace trace elements and such and not used as a nutrient export. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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