Do I need to dose vodka/sugar?

[reeflover]

*chaeto

 

[MrDJeep123]

Mixing RO/DI with salt costs, every time you use the filters you run life on them, you have to replace them way more than I do.
Buying salt to use to mix for your tank costs, way more than I do.

I buy a bottle of Vodka, no need for a doser, just squirt it in the tank, I did that for the longest time, before I did a make shift drip line, using rubber hose and a turkey baster end, inexpensive. The Vodka will last me a few months.

Are there other ways of nutrient export, absolutely, but if you don't have the room for a Sump, then no, if you don't have room for a ATS, if you don't want to spend a fortune on salt.
I don't have a sump anymore, I Vodka Dose, and last year I changed my water twice. Again, I have pics of my tank posted, I've nothing to hide.

There isn't any need to get defensive. I have seen what vodka dosing does if done properly. I don't absolutely disagree with it. I have pictures of my tank as well, what's your point?
But dosing this and that shouldn't be the first thought and first answer to every problem. I'm seeing this as a current trend. The problem is OP feeds too much has too long of a photoperiod. Reduce those and the problem corrects itself. The introduction of diverse macroalgae allows for better nutrient export and will increase pod population.
Reeflover, it's obviously totally up to you on what you decide to do. I'm just making a case for not dosing. :wave:

You have a house in your sump? Chaeto....chaetomorpha

:rofl:

 

[b_rad_G]

You are feeding way too much! Cut your feeding in half at least! I feed 12 or 13 fish half of what your feeding! Every fish gets plenty and I'm afraid that my 6 inch foxface and 4 inch powder blue eat too much but even my 3 anthias have plenty! Cut back and start slow with vinegar. It is cheaper and more available than vodka. It should also be more forgiving if you accidentally over dose.

I would bet if you cut back on food and dosed for a few months nitrates would be 0 and you could stop with carbon dosing or cut way back. I don't think carbon dosing regimen is a very good solution long term just because it complicates the day to day routine. I do feel that a small consistent carbon dose can help with coral growth and color.

 

[b_rad_G]

Photoperiod should not be adjusted to control algae. If you do this your nitrate problem will only get worse. Think of your display as a huge temporary refugium. It has the potential to remove tons of nitrates IF YOU HARVEST THE ALGAE! If you simply turn off the light the algae dies releasing the bound nutrients back into the water.,..and the cycle starts.

If you want to control algae in the display manual removal is the only way.

 

[Giovanni'sReef]

Bio pellets will really help u .I have been using it for a year and no problems

 

[MrDJeep123]

Photoperiod should not be adjusted to control algae. If you do this your nitrate problem will only get worse. Think of your display as a huge temporary refugium. It has the potential to remove tons of nitrates IF YOU HARVEST THE ALGAE! If you simply turn off the light the algae dies releasing the bound nutrients back into the water.,..and the cycle starts.

If you want to control algae in the display manual removal is the only way.

The reduction of photoperiod reduces the algae's ability to process nutrients. It starves itself and it doesn't happen immediately.

 

[b_rad_G]

The reduction of photoperiod reduces the algae's ability to process nutrients. It starves itself and it doesn't happen immediately.

What happens when it starves? It dies releasing all the nutrients it had previously used in growth. Now your nutrient problem is double or triple even because 1 you are still feeding 2 all the algae died releasing all the bound nitrate and phosphate 3 now you don't have any algae to consume the extra nutrients.

Lights off is a band aide solution. It won't actually help anything long term. If you want the algae gone remove it by hand.

 

[MrDJeep123]

Again, it doesn't die immediately. If there is a CUC sufficient enough to remove it, they will do their job. Diversity is key in that regard. If there isn't sufficient animals to remove it, then manual removal will work.
Better husbandry, reduction in photoperiod are the best solutions for longterm success. Then once his problem is sorted, find what aids his tank best in nutrient export.

It is not a band-aid solution.

 

[revhtree]

Just in case: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/ge...19-lets-talk-about-carbon-dosing-aquaph8.html

 

[sooley19]

Tagging along.. Also very curious about dosing info

 

[TwistedTiger]

Tagging along.. Also very curious about dosing info

Reefkeeping Magazine - Vinegar Dosing Methodology for the Marine Aquarium

 

[Reefing Madness]

Reefkeeping Magazine - Vinegar Dosing Methodology for the Marine Aquarium
Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
Dosing Vodka: Why? | Melev's Reef
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/ge...19-lets-talk-about-carbon-dosing-aquaph8.html

 

[reeflover]

Thanks for all the responses but I do have one question. With dosing an organic carbon do I need to remove all activated carbon from the tank? Will it filter out the vodka/vinegar? Also would I still need to run the gfo? Or would it not be worth it?

 

[Reefing Madness]

No need to remove the carbon, it won't do anything.
Carbon Dosing doesn't remove anywhere near the phosphates that GFO does, I'd still run the gfo if you have it now. Numbers don't budge all that much when carbon dosing.

 

[mcarroll]

Thanks for everyone's help! Is a standard 75 gallon tank with a 30 gallon sump, I feel 2 cubes of frozen mysis in the morning and 2 at night, occasionally I will throw in some live black worms as well in the morning in addition to the mysis. Corals are not being fed at the moment other then light and mysis that they are able to catch. I have bubble algae on the rocks, green hair algae on the return nozzles and a 1x1 inch ball that is on one rock, and dinos growing on tips of corals, a lot growing on the gorgonia and on the return nozzles as well.
Fish:
Single clown
1 purple fire fish
1 tailspot blenny
1 copperbanded butterfly
1 Randall goby shrimp pair
2 BG chromises
1 royal grama
1 scooter blenny
1 leopard wrasse
(Sorry that's 10 fish, not 9 as stated before!)

I skim fairly dry, the area available to remove my skimmer cup under my tank is very limited an I have to tip it quite a bit to remove it. If I skim wet I would have a very hard time removing it.

A few thoughts...

That's a lot of fish in a small tank - no question why nutrients are building up. Consider removing one or more...I'd start with the Copperband...he will outgrow the tank if he doesn't succumb to stress first.

If you can't easily clean your skimmer, replace it. You REALLY need to be wet skimming. A dirty skimmer isn't a lot better than no skimmer.

What salt are you using? There is at least one brand I can almost guarantee will cause Dino's. Try Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals if you aren't already.

Consider replacing some of the frozen food with something non-cubed so YOU control the portion size. Rad's Food is nice...or anything else in a flat pack. Rinsing it is a waste of your time...makes very little difference. Feeding more slowly so that none is wasted will get you much farther. Consider some flakes or pellets in place of one or more of the cubes...much easier to control.
.

-Matt