vinegar vs nopox

reef4life!!!

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 6, 2020
Messages
285
Reaction score
92
Location
greece
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi,so my nitrates climbed up to almost 25 and i want to keep them around 10.I've read that nopox is very good but might lead to some problems especially with cyano.Vinegar in the other hand seems to be more efficient as it rarely showed up cyano problems. I am aware that these 2 product if not used correctly can lead to destruction in the tank( oxygen problem,bottom out nitrates etc).So what's your opinion and experiense about this? Should i go with nopox or use vinegar(or any other carbon method such as vodka and sugar). Is it possible that vinegar can mess up my parameters and my tank's health?
 
Last edited:

Spare time

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 12, 2019
Messages
12,172
Reaction score
9,795
Location
Here
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think any carbon dosing liquid can fuel cyano. That doesn't mean it will, but lots of things can use the carbon. This is why inprefer biopellets. However, it shouldn't take much action to lower 15ppm. Do you have a sump? If so, does it have a skimmer (this is needed for carbon dosing) and does it have room for macroalgae?
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
reef4life!!!

reef4life!!!

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 6, 2020
Messages
285
Reaction score
92
Location
greece
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think any carbon dosing liquid can fuel cyano. That doesn't mean it will, but lots of things can use the carbon. This is why inprefer biopellets. However, it shouldn't take much action to lower 15ppm. Do you have a sump? If so, does it have a skimmer (this is needed for carbon dosing) and does it have room for macroalgae?
No sump, only skimmer and canister filter. I wish I could make a refugium but I can't.. Thats why I want to try carbon dosing.. Also it's 25ppm not 15
 
Upvote 0

Spare time

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 12, 2019
Messages
12,172
Reaction score
9,795
Location
Here
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No sump, only skimmer and canister filter. I wish I could make a refugium but I can't.. Thats why I want to try carbon dosing.. Also it's 25ppm not 15

I meant lower by 15ppm, my apologies i am bad at wording things. I think either of the dosing methods will work. You can also try some bacteria cocktails too, like pns probio and waste away.
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
reef4life!!!

reef4life!!!

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 6, 2020
Messages
285
Reaction score
92
Location
greece
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I meant lower by 15ppm, my apologies i am bad at wording things. I think either of the dosing methods will work. You can also try some bacteria cocktails too, like pns probio and waste away.
15ppm its not a lot to lower i agree but i want 1-2 more fished so my nitrates will definetely go higher than 25ppm...I have a lot of detritus build up too so i was also thinking about dosing microbacter 7 and microbacter clean together and get another small wavemaker for that dead spot.
 
Upvote 0

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,339
Reaction score
63,686
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got more cyano from vodka (a component in NOPOX) than from vinegar (which is also in NOPOX).

IMO, vinegar is the best option all around option for organic carbon dosing. I'm not a fan of sugar. it browned corals when I tried it.
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
reef4life!!!

reef4life!!!

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 6, 2020
Messages
285
Reaction score
92
Location
greece
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got more cyano from vodka (a component in NOPOX) than from vinegar (which is also in NOPOX).

IMO, vinegar is the best option all around option for organic carbon dosing. I'm not a fan of sugar. it browned corals when I tried it.
yeah i actually read a post or an asnwer you gave and you said you had better succes with vinegar.That'y why i want to maybe try vinegar because the others have more chances to bring problems.Of course every tank is different...
 
Upvote 0

Kenneth Wingerter

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Messages
390
Reaction score
580
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got more cyano from vodka (a component in NOPOX) than from vinegar (which is also in NOPOX).

IMO, vinegar is the best option all around option for organic carbon dosing. I'm not a fan of sugar. it browned corals when I tried it.
I concur. Acetate is not an especially favored source of organic carbon by cyanobacteria. Many cannot even utilize it, at least as a sole source, and the few that can require Acetyl-CoA. In point of fact, acetate is an end-product of cyanobacterial metabolism (fermentative, generally from eating stuff like overdosed amino acids haha). Actually, I understand that acetate inhibits the growth of many cyanobacteria.
 
Upvote 0

Meo

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 17, 2017
Messages
20
Reaction score
8
Location
Trient (WelshTyrol - EU)
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got more cyano from vodka (a component in NOPOX) than from vinegar (which is also in NOPOX).

IMO, vinegar is the best option all around option for organic carbon dosing. I'm not a fan of sugar. it browned corals when I tried it.
So, you prefer dose only acetic acid ( 6-10% in vinegar) as carbon source?

I'm using the "TMZ" recipe, that has more vinegar than vodka respect the original NoPox recipe:
1000 ml total solution
575 ml vinegar (6%)
131 ml 95% food grade ethyl alcohol
295 ml water

but, is true I've always some red cyanobacteria areas on sand or rocks.
I'm using too a little bit of ozone (25mg/h for 10min every hour, only during the day) , that I think could improve the cyano grow.
 
Upvote 0

Creating a strong bulwark: Did you consider floor support for your reef tank?

  • I put a major focus on floor support.

    Votes: 27 40.3%
  • I put minimal focus on floor support.

    Votes: 16 23.9%
  • I put no focus on floor support.

    Votes: 22 32.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 3.0%
Back
Top