Carbon Dosers, I need advice!

[kkgaskin90]

I started vodka dosing 2-3 weeks ago. My nitrates were at 20 when I decided I needed to stop and do a round of PraziPro. I completely expected my nitrates to be off the charts by the end. Today was the last day. I turned on my skimmer and tested my nitrates to determine the damage and.... 0. Three different times I got zero.
SO, where do I go from here? Resume dosing? Hold off and see what happens? I'm not sure what to think!

75 gallon mixed reef started Nov 2013. Ran as FOWLR until April 2015. When we went reef, we also had a bad source for water causing the nitrate issue. Finally figured it out, have great source water, and upgraded sump to a 20 gallon DIY and D700 CoralBox skimmer.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Prazipro contains substantial organic carbon (Oxybispropanol ) to keep the drug dissolved.

So you likely have continued to drive bacterial growth, although I do not know how much you were dosing.

I'd probably resume at a lower dose of the vodka and keep an eye on the nitrate.

 

[kkgaskin90]

I was only up to 1.6 ml

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Perhaps you won't need more. Maybe just stick with that dose.

 

[metrokat]

Prazipro contains substantial organic carbon (Oxybispropanol ) to keep the drug dissolved.

Hi Randy - I am on a second round of prazipro dosing in my tank. I have noticed that the bryopsis that I have in patches is a much lighter color than normal. The fronds are whitening which to me signals decay in a macro-algae. I have dosed NoPox in the past but it did nothing for the bryopsis. Is Oxybispropanol a better carbon source for hobbyists perhaps?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Bryopsis is not an algae that is easy to kill with low nutrients because it seems to need to be so low that other organisms (such as corals) suffer too. So I'm not so sure that the organic carbon dosing made the difference (although perhaps it did). Perhaps the active ingredient itself has impacted the bryopsis.

That said, I don't know anything about oxybispropanol as a driver of bacterial growth except to suggest that on a gram for gram basis, it is not likely hugely different than the organics in NOPOX or vinegar, etc.

 

[kkgaskin90]

I resumed Vodka dosing on 10/9 at 1.1 ml. -the nitrates had become elevated (10) so I decided that was my best bet. On 10/14 my nitrates were 0 again. Should I maintain 1.1 ml or reduce to 0.6 ml as a maintenance dose?

 

[JimWelsh]

As a long-time vodka doser, I'd say reduce slowly until you see nitrate coming up again. Go slow, and you will find your "sweet spot". You will then be able to control nitrate at will by small dosing adjustments.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree that I would back off.

 

[kkgaskin90]

Ok, thank you!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[kkgaskin90]

I'm thinking my zero nitrates reading is false and the algae is consuming it. So would I increase vodka dose until I see algae decrease? Or is there another way to tell?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm thinking my zero nitrates reading is false and the algae is consuming it. So would I increase vodka dose until I see algae decrease? Or is there another way to tell?

Zero nitrate with algae is not "false". It just means the algae is taking it up, just like macroalgae does in a refugium.

But if you want to reduce the algae, increasing the dose may help, or you may need a phosphate binder.

Have you measured phosphate recently?

 

[kkgaskin90]

That's what I meant, just didn't word it well [emoji5]

Good point. I'll test when I get home.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I only picked on that because so many people say it is a false reading that some folks begin to believe that somehow the reading is not to be "trusted".

 

[kkgaskin90]

I believe it's time to invest in a dosing system. Using carbon dosing and not doing water changes, what will I need to dose? Ca, alk, mag, iodine, potassium, strontium, and iron? It's a lot to take in

 

[JimWelsh]

I use carbon dosing and I don't do water changes. I dose alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and vodka. That's basically it. Maybe iodine once in a while. I did dose potassium once, and may do so some more. I've not dosed iron, but may some day. My strontium is high, so does not need dosing. Of all those, the only ones on dosing pumps are alk, ca, and EtOH.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I believe it's time to invest in a dosing system. Using carbon dosing and not doing water changes, what will I need to dose? Ca, alk, mag, iodine, potassium, strontium, and iron? It's a lot to take in

Depends on your tank, but I do not consider iodine and strontium supplements as generally useful.

Depending on how you dose calcium and alkalinity, magnesium may be part of that (like a two part such as B-ionic) or it might be independent.

Potassium will probably slowly deplete if you are skimming and not doing water changes, but i'd only dose based on measured drops in potassium rather than a preset amount.

Iron may be useful. I dose it primarily for macroalgae, but others think it can help corals too.

Other trace elements may also be needed, but still others may accumulate, so you might need to do some testing like Triton to know which are useful to add. Or you can just try a commercial trace element cocktail and see if it seems functionally useful.

I also dose silicate for sponges.