Reef Chemistry Question of the Day #276 Evaporation of Organic Carbon Dosing Products

[thatmanMIKEson]

Dang it....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy thanks so much! I posted a question in my answer but probably didn't see it. I am at the bottom of one of my bottles and notices the nitrates rising again, do certain bacteria feed off each (ethonol and acid) ? wondering if the evaporation caused the nopx working less effectively because the mixture changed?

I think it most likely evaporation is not the explanation, unless you evaporated a large fraction (like half or more).

Different types of bacteria may consume different organics and some may consume all types of organics that are in NOPOX. I'm not thinking that shifting the mix slightly will alter the N reducing effectiveness, but I am not certain.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok I get that, I am not a chemist but my understanding is acetic acid has a mild affinity to hydrogen and at room temp the difference in evaporation of vinegar and water is negligible but long term aetic acid will be higher concentration. Which still makes your statement correct and my answer wrong.

Not sure what you mean by that, but acetic acid does have an affinity to hydrogen bond to itself or to water, and that is a main reason its boiling point is high.

Ethanol (and water) hydrogen bond too, but not as strongly.

 

[moz71]

I think it most likely evaporation is not the explanation, unless you evaporated a large fraction (like half or more).

Different types of bacteria may consume different organics and some may consume all types of organics that are in NOPOX. I'm not thinking that shifting the mix slightly will alter the N reducing effectiveness, but I am not certain.

thank you, makes sense! I was also thinking this because awhile back I started with the vinegar and did basically nothing and eventually gave up because I thought I started dosing too much with not much effect but “who knows” could have been multiple factors. Thanks again