Replacing Refugium with Vodka Dosing

[vadryn]

I have a 90 G sumpless tank that is mature. I dislike how much space (and visuals) my equipment take up. My Chaeto fuge is in-tank with the light on 24/7 to keep up. I started vodka dosing back in Feb and have slowly ramped up the dose. I finally have NO3 under 5 and have been cutting back the light hours on my 'fuge. My goal is to completely replace my Chaeto refugium with the vodka dosing and remove the refugium from my display.

Is there something I'm missing or not considering with this trade-off?

The next phase, with the refugium out, is to see if I can manage PO4 without GFO. I hate the spiraling cost of GFO. I hate the big pump in my display feeding the GFO reactor. I suspect if I am good with water changes the PO4 will stabilize, though I don't know at what level. I'm doing 35% WC every 2-3 weeks. Could I really get down to just a skimmer? Seems too good to be true.

Is there another solution for PO4 I'm not considering? PO4 seems to always come back to GFO, not feeding your tank, and WC. :-/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

organic carbon dosing tends to lower pH and is more effective on nitrate. It adds food for corals and other filter feeders.

Growing macroalgae tends to raise pH during the day, adds O2 during the day, and tends to be more balanced nitrate/phosphate reduction.

 

[vadryn]

Thanks. Makes me wonder how much 20 ml of vodka a day will affect a 90g tank PH? Then I just found this online... Fix High PH Alkaline Vodka - 1.75L hmmm.... Has a Ph about 8 instead of the usual 4.

Other followup - Is it accurate that macro (chaeto) will also uptake significantly more of other elements, including trace elements? I haven't seen anyone saying carbon dosing affected trace elements. True?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks. Makes me wonder how much 20 ml of vodka a day will affect a 90g tank PH? Then I just found this online... Fix High PH Alkaline Vodka - 1.75L hmmm.... Has a Ph about 8 instead of the usual 4.

Other followup - Is it accurate that macro (chaeto) will also uptake significantly more of other elements, including trace elements? I haven't seen anyone saying carbon dosing affected trace elements. True?

I have never seen an analysis of trace element uptake by bacteria vs algae per unit of, say, P, incorporated and that analysis is complicated greatly by whether the bacteria are eaten in the tank or exported by skimmer, etc.

Both will certainly impact many trace elements.