Vodka Dosing - 29 Gallon Tank and How I Did It

[chrisfont23]

I started this thread because of two reasons:

- I could not find an adequate thread on this board that dealt w/ smaller tanks and a successful lowering of nitrates and phosphates through carbon dosing
- I figured more people like me, with smaller tanks, were looking for the same

Before I Began
I estimated my total tank water volume to be 25 gallons. I was generous on the low side. Although I read about the vodka method for a while, I prepped by doing about 2 solid weeks worth of research nightly regarding the positives/negatives of this. I think this is the most vital part and would recommend the same before you try it. After feeling confident, I sprinkled some holy water on my skimmer and figured it was worth a shot. Also - I would not attempt this without a good skimmer.

The Recipe
Following the link on some of the other boards, I decided a .1 ml dosage daily to start would be adequate for days 1-3 followed by .2ml for the last 4 days of week 1. I would reevaluate at the end of week 1 and decide where to go from there based on livestock response from week 1. I also decided that Grey Goose (that's all I had in the house) would be my brand of choice, since I would like to crash and burn in style if this failed. I began seeding on 5/1 and started my vodka quest on 5/15/2011. Each dose of everything was halved between morning and night. Again, while I didn't follow the "recipe" to a tee, it did work. And here is what I did.

Week 1
Starting levels: .25 ppm phosphates / 20 ppm nitrates

May 1 - May 14: Dosed Microbacter 7 according to high nutrient instructions to seed tank
May 15th-May 17th: .1 ml vodka / capful MB7
May 18th-May 21st: .2 ml vodka / capful MB7 every other day

At the end of week one there were no visible results but cyano. "Oh crap" I thought. A few folks here calmed my fears (thanks Fin and FoCo). Anyway, I started adding MB7 daily again. This continued throughout the dosage and I still add it currently.

Week 2
May 22nd-May 24th: .5 ml vodka / capful MB7
May 25th-May 28th: .6 ml vodka / capful MB7

At the end of week two, I noticed my NO3 wobbling - it was getting shaky and I felt the knockout punch was near. I saw NO3 between 10-20 ppm. Phosphates still held at .25 PPM

Week 3
May 29th: 1 ml vodka / capful MB7
May 30th: 1 ml vodka / capful MB7 (nitrates drop to 10 ppm)
May 31st: 1 ml vodka / capful MB7

At the end of the day on May 31st, my skimmer went bananas...producing more skimmate than I can handle. When the event ended, I tested my nitrates and they were down to 0 ppm. They have been this way ever since. Only today (6/5) did I see my phosphates start to "wobble" as well and I know the knockout punch is near. Will update this thread as I progress.

Some Helpful Tips
- seeding the tank w/ MB7 before dosing any vodka was done over a 2 week period per high nutrient instruction on the bottle (skimmer off, dosage etc). Would rec'mmd follwoing to a tee
- if I thought I missed an afternoon dose (because of those long work days) I just skipped it rather than risk over dosing
- when I saw cyano spreading, I figured the good bacteria was getting outcompeted...so after adding the MB7 daily, I had no issues with it going away after about 3-4 days...not sure my plan to ween this though
- always test everything daily...if you cannot measure NO3 and Phosphates, do not attempt this
- I discontinued using my GFO while dosing vodka
- I noticed (a harmless but) decreased growth of chaeto in my fuge...ironically, this is also where I noticed my cyano most predominant; wasn't hard to put two and two together here
- water changes were kept on schedule (6 gallons every 2 weeks)
- OriginalFin kind of gave me the idea to chart the whole thing; I have used Charts for Open Office (if anyone wants this chart just PM me)

Now What?
I am not out of the woods yet as the phosphates still need to come down. But I do see some noticeable improvements. I am not going to comment on coral color completely until I see this through to the end with phosphate reduction, but everything looks promising. No burnt tips on my SPS and my Ricordea are responding well. My wife actually also did notice a HUGE difference in water clarity (which is saying a lot for someone that does not study the tank as I do) and I did see a massive amount of response in my flower pot coral extension.

Slight Disclaimer
Finally, this is not for everyone and I can't stress enough how important it is to go slow. I am not an expert by any means, but I did what I felt was right. I didn't stick to the recommended dosages because I felt going slower, at my pace at my dosage levels was cautious enough... this versus the recommended formula which would be my high end template. I also asked a ton of questions and did a lot of research on the positives and negatives. Weighing the work put in and NO3 result, I do feel it was worth it. Long term benefits TBD. So be cautious, take your time and ask questions!

Hope that makes sense and I hope this helps!

[Mad Mead]

chrisfont23
I have to say your post is GREAT! It is well put and well informing. This is my fav though. {1 and decide where to go from there based on livestock response from week 1. I also decided that Grey Goose (that's all I had in the house) would be my brand of choice, since I would like to crash and burn in style if this failed} LAUGH
I would like to know what kind of water change you did well doing these method? Other then that, like I said well informing

[chrisfont23]

I am big into crashing in style so I figured why not go all out with the vodka brand too (ha ha).

The water changes were as follows:

- end of week 1 (20% or about 6-7 gallons)
- end of week 2 (3 gallons) **
- end of week 3 (20% or about 6-7 gallons)

I usually do 20% every two weeks, which was not successful w/ NO3 until Grey Goose and his buddy MB7 came along.

** - The mini-disclaimer here is that wonderful cyano you will get from doing this. I have often syphoned off cyano, taking with me a 1/2 to a gallon of water a time in the process since it started appearing a few months ago. During the vodka dosing this occurred between weeks 2 and 3 at 1 gallon and between 1 and 2 at about 3/4 of a gallon (yes I charted everything).

The cyano was/is a pain in the butt too. I have since cut my vodka dosage in half (to gradually increase to what I was at again), dosing only at night, and hitting it w/ a capful of MB7 according to the high nutrient levels. I can honestly say, I have no freaking idea if this is right or wrong, so I will post more as I progress through this changed (trial and error) regimen.

[chrisfont23]

Just a quick update to those following this (super-awesome) thread:

- last 2 days cut vodka dose to .6 ML (down from 1.2 ML)
- cyano subsided to about 1/4 of what it was
- dosing MB7 and vodka as follows:
- capful of MB7 at 6PM; skimmer off until 10PM
- .6 ML vodka at 10PM; skimmer on

What seems to be happening here is my good bacteria (MB7) is out-competing the cyano. Update to follow

[chrisfont23]

Another update - and probably a good idea to change this to "Carbon Dosing - 29 Gallon ..." Since I last posted on 6/8, I had been battling cyano like never before but could not find a balance w/ vodka to keep nitrates down. What now!!! I concluded it was due to the vodka dosing. I have since changed to Brightwell Aquatics BioFuel in lieu of vodka. I am able to keep my nitrates down with the outbreak of cyano. I am not sure if it has to do with the organic compound found in the BioFuel or the molecular structure, but it works just as well, if not better. My glass is now crystal clear after having to clean every day w/ vodka. My sand bed is cleaner and my fish look like they are floating. My corals reacted pretty much the same - no real difference. And my nitrates are still 0.

HTH

[chrisfont23]

Day 10 of Reef Biofuel. No cyano. No nitrates. Just sayin....

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

Glad its working out for you Chris! And thanks for the posting the processes and results.

[chrisfont23]

Officially a month into Reef BioFuel now. A few things I have noticed:

- nitrates are up to 1 - 5ppm, but I do have a new fish I did not expect
- cyano is gone and remains gone
- since NO3 has risen a bit, my chaeto has taken off - seriously - it looks like I have a Chia Pet in my HOB fuge

I am continuing a drop of MB7 per day. Will continue to update...

[Reefing Madness]

Mind if I post Vodka Dosing instructions? The How to?

[chrisfont23]

Mind if I post Vodka Dosing instructions? The How to?

I thought I did above, but sure.

[Reefing Madness]

Vodka Dosing...Distilled! A Powerful Method for the Reduction of Nitrates and Phosphates within the Reef Aquaria by Nathaniel A. Walton (Genetics) and Matt Bjornson (Stony_Corals) The following information is provided for your consideration in regard to a topic that has been questioned by some of the best minds in the hobby. The goal of this column is to compact many threads interested in a particular discussion to a user friendly layout. The information contained in these articles is here to help educate and hopefully enhance the hobby, while helping you to make informed decisions on aquaria upkeep. The author(s) assumes no responsibility for any consequences that may arise from the use of this information. Introduction While the concept of using an organic carbon source to reduce nutrients is not new to the hobby, it has recently gained considerable popularity. The number of carbon-source dosing threads on Reef Central (RC) currently reinforces this statement. These threads range in dosing of a single carbon source: vodka, sugar, or vinegar, to the combination of these three. Notably, the first major thread on RC for this subject was quite lengthy starting a couple of years ago ("Dosing vodka to bring down N and P"). This thread highlights the results of many aquarists that were achieved through careful vodka additions to their aquariums. Users note a dramatic decrease in nitrate and phosphate molecules, while others note increased coral coloration and clearer water. In this article we will discuss these potential benefits and give instruction on vodka additions while condensing the many threads on this subject into a more easily readable format. Before starting, as with any project, there is a great deal of information that needs to be taken in and understood. While reading this if there is any question that is left unanswered please ask either someone on RC or in your local reef club. We ask that you read and ask questions until you have a firm understanding of the concepts behind vodka dosing. There are no dumb questions! And remember as with all good things it takes time, effort, and understanding to do a task properly. What is an Organic Carbon-Source? Carbon is the fourth most common element in the universe. It is unusual in nature as it has the ability to self-polymerize forming long chains. Carbon�s abundance combined with its ability to form a wide range of polymeric structures allows this molecule to form essential molecules found within all organisms. Carbon is found within your reef aquarium in abundance as inorganic bicarbonate. When these carbon molecules are incorporated into more complex forms within cells they are termed organic. It has been reported that addition of certain organics can help enhance the appearance of the reef aquarium by reducing nitrates and phosphates. To do this, people have experimented with sugar, vinegar, and vodka. All of which are organic. Our discussion is focused on vodka addition. The reason vodka is used in comparison to other spirits such as whiskey, gin, or brandy is that vodka is more pure in composition than most other spirits because of its process of distillation. Other spirits are brewed with additives that enhance flavor. Vodka is not. Because it lacks additives it consists of mostly water and the organic compound ethanol. For this reason many feel vodka is a safer addition than other spirits by eliminating the possibility of adding other organic molecules that may act negatively within the reef environment. Why dose Organic Carbon? The main purpose to dose organic carbon is the reduction of excess nutrients in the reef aquaria. The two main nutrients reduced from organic carbon addition are nitrate and phosphate molecules (NO3 and PO4 respectfully). The reduction of phosphates, in turn, allows for enhanced calcification and growth of corals. Additionally, lower NO3 and PO4 have the added benefit of reduced nuisance algae, both bubble and hair. This observation has been reported numerous times by vodka users. The reduction in algae is the result of lower NO3 and PO4 within the water column and not a direct effect of ethanol addition. These potential benefits have lead some to add foreign organic carbon sources not usually found in the reef ecosystem to their tank. The organic compound most frequently used is ethanol (sold in stores as vodka). The addition of vodka/ethanol is thought to increase bacterial biomass. For this, vodka addition would result in bacterial growth and reproduction. During this process nutrients in the water (including NO3 and PO4) are taken up for the formation of new macromolecules that are needed in cell synthesis and viability. Due to this rapid growth and reproduction, NO3 and PO4 can drop quickly from detectable levels by most test kits on the market. The increased biomass of the bacteria leads to a notable increase in skimmate production, removing more waste than without vodka addition. The increased skimmate is thought to remove the bacteria or bacterial biproducts that have assimilated the NO3 and PO4 within the water column leading to NO3 and PO4 depletion. Many view organic carbon dosing as unnecessary as organic carbon isn�t thought to be limited in the reef aquarium environment since larger organic molecules are found within the water column at any given time. However, the amount of organic carbon that heterotrophic bacteria can utilize must be limited due to the reported benefits and observations on Reef Central from organic carbon dosing. This method is applicable for systems that have had the inability to effectively remove both NO3 and PO4 from their system. Stable systems that do not contain high levels of NO3 and PO4 may not benefit to any great extent by employing carbon source dosing. Equipment - Skimmer, An Absolute Must! Well if it sounds so great, why can�t I just start dumping vodka/organic carbon into my system? Before running to the liquor cabinet, the simple answer is overdosing can cause serious and detrimental effects to the reef system. To help circumvent this potential issue a dosing regimen along with some basic equipment is needed. The absolute must is the requirement for a powerful skimmer. People that have reported beneficial results using this method all have had strong skimmer and report a change in skimmate from a light brown to a strong odiferous black sludge. This makes a good skimmer a key requirement and important for two reasons: Gas exchange. The increased bacterial biomass and growth will decrease your dissolved O2 levels in the water column. Too much vodka can result in a drastic decrease of O2 and can cause stress to your reef inhabitants, if not death. Exporting bacteria/macromolecule mass. Vodka addition results in lower NO3 and PO4 levels. You will want to export the incorporated nitrogen and phosphates that you are cultivating by organic carbon dosing. Efficient skimming allows such removal. J�rg Kokott, a key contributor to the original thread, recommended the use of ozone during the duration of vodka dosing to maintain high levels of dissolved O2 in the system. This decrease in dissolved O2 is indirectly observed in ORP meter readings after vodka addition. Though not an absolute requirement, as told from many RC participants, ozone may add an extra level of protection by increasing O2 levels during an overdose. Gelbstoff, German for yellow matter, is reported to buildup in aquariums over time. Additions of vodka or other carbon sources have the potential to accelerate the yellowish water buildup from organics. To solve this problem, people have utilized ozonators to breakdown of the organic molecules responsible for resulting in yellowish water. Ozone is an attractive choice as it would not only breakdown the gelbstoff but will also add O2 to the water in case of an overdose. For people not interested in running ozone other solutions for this problem are the addition of granulated activated carbon or through regular water changes. Pictured above is miwoodar's tank. This aquarium successfully used vodka to lower nitrates and phosphates. His setup utilizes a skimmer but does not utilize ozone. After reduction, continued growth and coloration was observed amongst SPS and LPS corals. Dosing Instructions These instructions will focus solely on using 80 proof vodka (40% ethanol by volume). They do not pertain to other organic carbon sources that are also currently used, including common table sugar (sucrose) and vinegar (sodium acetate). The dosing instructions below were as dictated by J�rg Kokott and have been used successfully by us. Test your system�s NO3 and PO4 levels. Do not dose if you do not know this! We recommend good test kits that have some low level of sensitivity. This will be important later on to determining a maintenance dose regimen. During the initial dosing test often and adjust dosing parameters as needed as each tank�s requirement will be different. Dosing accuracy is of the utmost importance. A graduated measurement tool such as a syringe will come in handy. A journal of additions and test kit measurements is recommended. Estimate your Net Water Volume (NWV) of your system. (Aquarium volume + sump + refugium + reactor volumes) � (live rock displacement). It can be difficult to accurately measure the amount of water being displaced by the live rock. If unsure of the volume of live rock we suggest taking 30% off your display tank�s Gross Water Volume. For vodka dosing there is absolutely no harm in underestimating the Net Water Volume and is recommended. As an example, let us assume that your setup contains 100 Net Gallons. The starting dosage is 0.1ml of vodka per 25 gallons (~100 liters) NWV daily continued for three days. For 100 Net Gallons, your dosage would be 0.4ml daily during this period. It has been suggested to cut the daily dosage in half and dose twice daily for more consistency. Days 4-7, double the daily dosage to 0.2ml of vodka per 25 gallons NWV. Your example dosage would be 0.8ml daily during this period. Each subsequent week add an additional 0.5ml of vodka regardless of aquaria volume. At this point your example dosage during week two would be 1.3ml daily. If you do not see nutrient levels decrease during this week, the following week add an additional 0.5ml for a daily dosage of 1.8ml daily. When your NO3 and PO4 levels start to drop maintain the current dose. For example, if you were on week two when NO3 start to fall on 100 Net Water Volume you would add 1.3mL daily at this time for the continuing weeks until the NO3 becomes undetectable. When your NO3 and PO4 levels drop near undetectable with your test kits cut your current dose in half. This will be your starting maintenance dose (if the levels drop during week 2 then the dose after reaching undetectable levels would be 0.65ml daily [1.3ml divide by 2]). Continue to test for NO3 and PO4. If levels become detectable in the future increase your daily dose by 0.1ml increments per week until the levels start to decrease. If you maintain that dose the levels will eventually drop back to undetectable. This would become your new maintenance dose. Throughout your dosing, observe your livestock daily to look for any signs of stress. If stress of any sort is noticed stop dosing, or at a minimum cut back by reducing your dose in half. If for some reason you cannot remember if you�ve added for that day skip it. It is better to accidentally miss a dose than add twice as much (a journal will keep this from occurring). Never double the dose for missing a prior day! Table 1. 40 Proof Vodka Table 2. 80 Proof Vodka Table 3. 100 Proof Vodka Table 4. 160 Proof Vodka For ease of use these tables have been generated to reflect a dosing schedule regimen for different common proofs of vodka. They follow the directions stated above and are rounded off to the nearest tenth decimal for simplicity. With use of these tables if you notice NO3 / PO4 dropping do not increase as stated within the table for the following weeks but follow the directions above starting at #6. Common Questions Bacterial Blooms - High additions of carbon sources at once are noted as production of slimy white strings upon rocks or in sumps that become noticeable a few hours to a day after addition. There is no clear evidence that this is detrimental to your tank. If this is observed dropping your dose by 50% will result in the disappearance of these strands. Additionally, these strands may have given rise to the notion of "bad bacteria". By this forum users mean pathogenic bacteria. But there has not been any documented evidence of such yet. If you happen to overdose your tank with an organic carbon dose, you will stimulate a bacteria bloom, this appears like a snowstorm in your tank. After a day, the tank will clear up. During this time people have reported mixed results on survival from this snowstorm. Stony_Coral has purposefully caused this on one tank and while ORP readings dropped, no loss of livestock was observed. However, people have mentioned loss of more delicate fish such as anthias during the visualized bloom. In general, a visible bloom will not occur if vodka is dosed as per the instructions above. Bacterial Populations - Currently, it is unknown which bacterial populations grow with the addition of organic carbon. Some have suggested a single organic carbon source, such as vodka, results in monoculture or single specie growth. Due to this ideology, it has been increasingly common to dose multiple carbon sources as this may create additional bacterial diversity. Most likely, in any one organic carbon source addition there are several species that become dominant. However, it has not been decided whether diversifying impacts corals either beneficially or negatively. Burnt tips - Some users of organic carbon dosing have reported the tissue loss at the ends of their SPS. These "burnt tips" have recovered once the user reduced the alkalinity levels within their tank to alkalinity levels closer to natural seawater (7-8 dKH), pictured below. Unfortunately, the root cause for this is not known. Carbon Sources - Reduction in nitrates and phosphates can be accomplished with ethanol and vinegar with great efficiency. Other molecules that may aid in nutrient reduction are sugar, acetone, methanol, and isopropanol. We have not experimented with sugar though there are many threads on RC about this topic. The latter three have been called into question about the possible effects on health of the owner as well as the wellbeing of the aquarium inhabitants. For these reasons, we chose to describe ethanol addition as a means to decrease both nitrates and phosphate levels. Coral Coloration / Paleness - With reduction of nitrates/phosphates SPS corals have been reported to increase in color pigmentation and have even been reported to pale over time. This is outside the scope of the article presented here. However, if looking for recommendations for additives that will reduce paleness and enhance SPS health check out amino acid addition as this has been reported to enhance coloration in a ULN (ultra-low nutrient) environment. If for any reason you experience coral bleaching, please stop vodka dosing! Deep Sand Beds - People with Deep Sand Beds (DSBs) have reported issues with vodka dosing. These issues seem to be from increasing vodka additions over time without seeing a decrease in nitrate/phosphate levels. Users with DSBs that are failing to reduce nutrients efficiently may be experiencing a lack of nutrient decrease from the build up of organics within the DSB. If this were the case it would take more time to cycle out the nitrates within the system as there is now a hidden bed of organic waste that needs to be removed. Do not get discouraged or increase your dose irrationally as the vodka addition is working but not detectable as the DSB needs to cycle through completely before a reduction is observed. Keep adding vodka slowly until decreasing levels are detected. This may take months to achieve. Once there maintain that dose until nitrates start to decrease. At this point, it may be best to cut the dose in half and cut it in half again once undetectable is reached. Many people with DSBs who have reported issues increase vodka additions quickly and irrationally, leading to a detrimental overdose. Feeding - A derivative of vodka dosing is the ability to increase feeding for fish or invertebrates without reducing water quality. Since the vodka is essentially removing the waste products (nitrates/phosphates) from the reef aquarium, addition of extra food is welcomed if not encouraged. Old Tank Syndrome - Reef systems that have been running for longer than a year have reported vodka-dosing building up a thick sludge within some area of their reef. The thought is the buildup of organics and NO3/PO4 over time results in a high growth of bacteria from the addition of vodka. In tanks that are older, where detritus has built up, careful observation of the tanks state is needed. If thick sludge develops within the tank immediately reduce the dose by 50% and continue at that point until the sludge has disappeared and then slowly increase as per instructions laid out above. Phosphate Removal / Granulated Ferric Oxide (GFO) - One of the most common questions is whether to use a phosphate removal material, such as GFO, with carbon dosing. GFO is useful in removal of phosphates from the water column. Essentially, by carbon source additions, the same net result is being achieved. It may even be counterproductive to run GFO while dosing an organic carbon source as both nitrate and phosphates need to be present for this to work properly. Therefore, it is not needed and not commonly recommended but some people continue to run phosphate reactors concurrently. Water Clarity - Even without the use of either ozone or activated carbon, water clarity is said to improve dramatically with the vodka method. This has been stated by nearly everyone using this method and may be an indirect result of nitrate/phosphate removal from the water column. Dr. Jean Jaubert made similar claims of his plenum system, where nitrates and phosphates are also depleted and water clarity may be a result of this depletion. Vodka Brand - One of the most common questions is which brand is the best. Honestly, it will make little difference on which brand is used. The most common response is to find the cheapest vodka brand and go with that. Do not use vodka that contains flavor additives such as raspberry or mango vodka. Additionally, industrial ethanol should not be used as a substitute as it contains denaturing agents that are toxic. Summary Vodka dosing has become a simple method for reduction of nitrates and phosphates that have plagued many reef aquarists. Here we have described a method for reduction of these nutrients by stimulation and promotion of bacterial growth through the addition of vodka. Though the underlying mechanism and actual bacteria populations are unknown the results are impressive for their ability to both rid the system of excess nitrates and phosphates. Thanks go out to the many who have contributed to advancing this hobby. The detailed descriptions and results from fellow RC members is the reason behind writing this article. Without participation from the cohort of people on RC that bring their own talents to the hobby this article would not have been written. We want to recognize Peter Martis (SDguy) and Mike Woodard (miwoodar) for providing the photos within this article. References "Dosing vodka to bring down N and P." "Let�s talk about Vodka/sugar dosing" "Let's see 'em - Before and After pics of Vodka Dosing!" If you have any questions about this article, please visit the Notes from the Trenches forum on Reef Central.

[chrisfont23]

45 days into Brightwell Aquatics "Reef Biofuel" and MB7 to lower nutrients:

- no nitrates
- no phosphates
- no cyano

+1 on the organic stuff! I would definitely recommend BioFuel over Vodka at this point in the process.

I have also noticed the size of my chaeto in my HOB fuge has taken off since my last post. Usually I cut it once a month, but this month it's twice a month. I have two chambers going too now. I would make an educated guess to say the zero NO3 has to do with both the fuge and the MB7/Biofuel by now. And this is with an "unexpected, additional inhabitant"

[Mad Mead]

hey chris
Im going to start your dosing plan with a few tweaks for tank size. This of course where I'm having a few issue with my math. also my be i miss it o the thread but how much carbon have you been using. to get a better base line. i read where people use only a 1/4 a cup. and some a whole cup. what do you have to say about this?
thanks for your help

[chrisfont23]

I am using 2.5 ml per day of the Reef BioFuel along with a drop a day of the MB7 And I think you mean a cap

[Mad Mead]

so with 7.5gal water. okay at the start with ml vodka to use for the first 3 day and so on. i would start with .05ml? and you where at a capful MB7 which I would think 5 drops. now I have been running with reef carbon now for a little over a week. did you do this step?

[Mad Mead]

or should i stop with the vodka and start out with Reef BioFuel?

[Original Fin]

Mead, I'm wondering if you might be confusing the term "carbon dosing" with "running carbon" as in activated charcoal carbon like you'd commonly use in your filters? That's a different deal, and doesn't help to reduce the nutrients nitrates and phosphates like vodka and/or Reef Biofuel can.

It certainly confused me at first, but "Carbon Dosing" refers to feeding the beneficial bacteria present in your system, with totally different sources of the element carbon, (the most common element on earth) like those found in the sugars contained in alcohol, vinegar, cane sugar, and other branded products like Reef Biofuel.

When people say they are "running carbon", what they usually mean to say is that they have granular activated carbon (charcoal) in their filters, which is mainly used to trap impurities and polish the water. It is also good at removing some unwanted trace chemicals.

Hope this helps.


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[Mad Mead]

hey fin
I get that. The only reason I would like to this is to remove the A hair that is over taking my tank. i had read online that using reef Carbon and vodka dosing both help reduce A hair. on a different forum one guy had used carbon in a bag placed in the DT + the Vodka dosing and with in two months not a sign of it.
I have little to no sign's of nitrates and phosphates i have yet to show up. if you think I'm going at this wrong let me know?

[Original Fin]

hey fin
I get that. The only reason I would like to this is to remove the A hair that is over taking my tank. i had read online that using reef Carbon and vodka dosing both help reduce A hair. on a different forum one guy had used carbon in a bag placed in the DT + the Vodka dosing and with in two months not a sign of it.
I have little to no sign's of nitrates and phosphates i have yet to show up. if you think I'm going at this wrong let me know?

Nope, looks like you got it...just checking! . If you have a lot of hair algae, sometimes you won't even get N&P readings because the algae takes it up as soon as its produced... That can be deceptive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Reefing Madness]

I just dose vodka and the tank is ok. You need to dose the GFO or other because the vodka bacteria go after the Nitrates first and the phosphates second, if you do not have enough in the tank, you end up with a slight level of phosphates.