Vodka

Does vodka dosing work an how good. Also what kind do I use how do I do this treatment.

 

it does work and it works very well. the cheapest vodka is fine. you may want to search google for how to dose as it is very finiky and requires your attemtion daily. it can be way more trouble than what its worth. also look into bio-beads as they as a little more user friendly and a starter kit can be had for under 100$

 

WhT does it do

 

oh...well...in short it is done to reduced nitrates. you may want to do some preliminary reading on this before you even consider it.

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

very good reading B UT BE CAREFUL! it is not simple to maintain!

 

yo dude heres how i do it..this guy has everything, pics, charts of water params and exactly how much to dose and the reason behind it..

Melevsreef.com - Dosing Vodka to Lower Nitrate & Phosphate

 

Or you could just look at Steve Wrights thread in the water chemistry forum.

 

Its a good question Tcox807

many people have reported positive results in terms of
A = reduction and removal of Nitrate and Phosphate due to Vodka dosing
B = a positive contribution to tank water clarity and color intensity in corals probably due to the reduction on N+P (Not proven, but generally held to be the case)

but there are potential negatives
1) Vodka feeds/ encourages a higher biomass of bacteria and a tank with the types of bacteria that is Cyno for example, may experience huge cyno outbreaks as a result of Vodka (Vodka is not selective in the bacteria it encourages)
2) additional bacteria / or an excess of bacteria, can result in cloudy water as the bacteria bio mass starts to colonise the water column
3) Vodka can create a white moss type film on rock work or other equipment - this again is generally believed to be bacterial but seems not to present any harm to the tank or inhabitants
4) its a commitment requiring daily upkeep ( but so is Calk , Mag and Alk for many of us anyway)
5) Vodka can build up resulting in a sludge/ slurry in areas of the tank
again not considered to be harmfull, just something to be aware of


before commencing Vodka dosing there are other aspects that should be considered and this is for the benefit of other readers and not just Tcox

1) is your tank a relatively new set up and thus is experiencing the typical parameter swings and algae blooms of a new set up - if so dont reach for the Vodka
2) are you perfectly in tune with your tanks inhabitants? do you recognise what they look like when they are perfectly contented and would you also recognise any signs that they where less than contented ? - if the answer to that question is No, or I am not sure - then Vodka dosing is not for you
3) have you or are you using other means of Nitrate and phosphate removal - fuge with macro, reactor with GFO etc , yet still experiencing levels of N +P - If not, try those 1st.
4) are you impatient by nature and as such likely to ignore a pre set dosing plan and add a couple more Mils of Vodka into your tank, just to see if that extra couple of mils improves things any? - if the answer is yes or possibly - then Vodka dosing is not for you

if you have a mature set up, a reasonable feel for your inhabitants
recognise signs of problems etc - and you have exhausted other methods of nitrate and phosphate removal
then Vodka dosing may be worth researching and implementing

Steve

 

I decided to try vodka dosing about three months ago.
Granted there is nothing that sensitive in my tank.
For me its working well. I am embarassed to say what my water parameters had tested(toxic range), but they are all at zero now and water is much clearer.
My maintenance dose is 4 tsp for 90 gal daily(over100gal with fuge). I also dose trace elements but half the amount that the bottle calls for.
IMPORTANT--YOU NEED TO HAVE A REALY GOOD SKIMMER
Mine is over double for the size of the tank, I don't know if you need to go that big but you do need a good one.
Good luck

 

It is amazing how much skimmate that is produced with just 1mL of vodka

 

If you are going to spend $100 on getting vodka started, I would invest a small ammt more and go with a pellet.

what you are trying to acheive is an Ultra low Nutrient tank. this has its advantages with crystal clear water and good SPS colors. the cons are that some corals like dirty water and wont do well.

you also must have a very very good skimmer to do any of these methods or you will have issues. the skimmer removes the excess bacteria along with the nitrates and phosphates.

you must monitor your alk and it needs to stay below 9. otherwise you can have burnt tips.

vodka is very very easy to screw up. if you do, you can burn your corals, have massive cyano outbreaks and it is very very frustrating (I did it myself with not so good results).

go with pellets, you will be happy.