Starting homemade NOPOX help

[HankstankXXL750]

I got the recipe of 500ml vinegar, 375 ml Vodka, 125ml RODI. Then dose at 3ml per 25 gallons per NOPOX directions. Starting at 1/2 dose for first week then plan to increase to full dose after first week. (I think this is what I have read on other threads). So here are my questions.

1. Do I go to the full 3ml/25gal dose after one week or should I step it up over two weeks?

2. Should I dose equally over 24 hours or is it better to dose day or night?

3. My predator tank runs over 40, can get as high as 80 without a 50% water change in 10-14 days. If 3ml/25 gal doesn’t stabilize and reduce these numbers can a person dose higher?

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I got the recipe of 500ml vinegar, 375 ml Vodka, 125ml RODI. Then dose at 3ml per 25 gallons per NOPOX directions. Starting at 1/2 dose for first week then plan to increase to full dose after first week. (I think this is what I have read on other threads). So here are my questions.

1. Do I go to the full 3ml/25gal dose after one week or should I step it up over two weeks?

2. Should I dose equally over 24 hours or is it better to dose day or night?

3. My predator tank runs over 40, can get as high as 80 without a 50% water change in 10-14 days. If 3ml/25 gal doesn’t stabilize and reduce these numbers can a person dose higher?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Also, if dosing reduces my nutrients to a point I no longer need to do water changes or much less frequently, what might I need to dose for trace elements I am currently getting from Fritz blue box? I currently dose fusion 1 and 2.

 

[redfishbluefish]

My preference is to start even slower to reduce the chances of cyano. I'd do 1ml per 25g for the first week. If it looks good, up to 2mls per 25g for the second week. And finally, go to 3mls per 25g....until nitrates/phosphates drop.

Now, following NOPOX instructions, dose this 3mls / 25g every day until numbers start to drop.

I'm not sure about time of day to dose, but I do it in the middle of the night using a BRS 1.1 pump.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I recommend dosing just before or through the daylight peak to reduce any effects of O2 consumption and pH lowering.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I recommend dosing just before or through the daylight peak to reduce any effects of O2 consumption and pH lowering.

Ok so I set it up at approximately 1 ml per 25 gallons from 12-9pm ramp run my lights late as we are home more
In the evening. Today I started getting alerts from apex that my PH was high. Can this be a result for dosing this? I didn’t, but will try to verify with my Hanna checker next time it does it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok so I set it up at approximately 1 ml per 25 gallons from 12-9pm ramp run my lights late as we are home more
In the evening. Today I started getting alerts from apex that my PH was high. Can this be a result for dosing this? I didn’t, but will try to verify with my Hanna checker next time it does it.

Organic carbon dosing can only lower pH unless it has pushed alkalinity too high as it reduces nitrate (which is a very unlikely explanation in this scenario).

 

[Dbichler]

I got the recipe of 500ml vinegar, 375 ml Vodka, 125ml RODI. Then dose at 3ml per 25 gallons per NOPOX directions. Starting at 1/2 dose for first week then plan to increase to full dose after first week. (I think this is what I have read on other threads). So here are my questions.

1. Do I go to the full 3ml/25gal dose after one week or should I step it up over two weeks?

2. Should I dose equally over 24 hours or is it better to dose day or night?

3. My predator tank runs over 40, can get as high as 80 without a 50% water change in 10-14 days. If 3ml/25 gal doesn’t stabilize and reduce these numbers can a person dose higher?

Thank you in advance for any help.

As for dosing higher yes I’ve been dosing 50mls on my 210 for years

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Organic carbon dosing can only lower pH unless it has pushed alkalinity too high as it reduces nitrate (which is a very unlikely explanation in this scenario).

Don’t mean to be needy but have a couple of questions if you don’t mind. Before I started dosing (3 tanks) I messaged with you and read through several threads. I saw mention of bacterial blooms and to watch for cyano which is one of the things I’m fighting, but didn’t catch potential oxygen reduction. I believe I have a problem with this as I lost my wife’s broomtail wrasse last night, the new fish disease expert was great at answering, but I was unable to get an air pump in time if it wasn’t already too late . I have added the largest air pumps I could get locally two rated at 80 gallon tanks in S1000 and XXL750, and one rated at 60 gallons in my XL525 with two 2-3” stones on each. I placed these stones in the refugium. Is that ok or should they go in the display?

I went a little nuts on the live sale so have several corals arriving Wednesday. Should I be looking at different housing for them or will it be ok to dip, drip acclimate and place in the tank?

my final question. Is this bacterial bloom and possible oxygen deprivation an on going issue with carbon dosing or a “cycle” stage that it will move out of. And if it is a stage, will it return every time I increase the dosage until I achieve my desired results?

thank you in advance. My wife is devastated as this fish was the first one she picked out when we got back into the hobby.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I recommend dosing just before or through the daylight peak to reduce any effects of O2 consumption and pH lowering.

So now that my Nitrates have seemed to come into a better range, I still have high phosphates. I’m starting to dose with Brightwell PhophateE. Mostly because I fear over stripping that can occur with GFO and the increase in maintenance required to install reactors and changing media in 6 tanks.
Is there a preferred time and should it be dosed spread out over time or more of a single dose?

thanks.

 

[dpfriedman]

Also, if dosing reduces my nutrients to a point I no longer need to do water changes or much less frequently, what might I need to dose for trace elements I am currently getting from Fritz blue box? I currently dose fusion 1 and 2.

I set mine up to dose all at once at 8pm at night and turn skimmer and UV off for 4 hours to come back on at midnight to give the carbon a chance to start eating the nitrates. It is not an over night remedy, but a good program to implement if you cannot do a refugium.

Test your water every 3 days for nitrates
More than 10ppm 3ml per 25 gal
5ppm to 10ppm 2ml per 25 gal
2ppm to 5ppm 1 ml per 25 gal
0-1ppm I would stop so you don't bottom out and create dinos

I have a 150 gal after deducting for sump, rock and substrate and dose 18ml nightly if more than 10ppm, 12ml nightly if 5ppm to 10ppm and 6ml nightly 2ppm to 5ppm to stabilize.

Performing the test before the 8pm dose is key as it gives you time to adjust if needed based on test results.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I set mine up to dose all at once at 8pm at night and turn skimmer and UV off for 4 hours to come back on at midnight to give the carbon a chance to start eating the nitrates. It is not an over night remedy, but a good program to implement if you cannot do a refugium.

Test your water every 3 days for nitrates
More than 10ppm 3ml per 25 gal
5ppm to 10ppm 2ml per 25 gal
2ppm to 5ppm 1 ml per 25 gal
0-1ppm I would stop so you don't bottom out and create dinos

I have a 150 gal after deducting for sump, rock and substrate and dose 18ml nightly if more than 10ppm, 12ml nightly if 5ppm to 10ppm and 6ml nightly 2ppm to 5ppm to stabilize.

Performing the test before the 8pm dose is key as it gives you time to adjust if needed based on test results.

Why did you pick to dose at 8 pm? it seems to me that you will drive down O2 when it is already lowest.