Dosing With Vodka?

[norite]

So what's the story with using small amounts of vodka to bring the nitrates and phosphates down? Has anyone here tried it?

 

[shibby]

there was a thread on here not long ago i think ... i just cant remeber who did it may of been musho. do a search for it i swear it was on this fourm!

 

[guppy_man]

Surely that would affect the fish?!

 

[k.o.d]

There are lots of threads on Marine keeping forums regarding adding complex carbohydrates to the tank to feed the beneficial bacteria in the living rock. Vodka is used for this method, a strong sugar solution has also been talked about
Several people claim that this method boosts the filtration and thus the denitrification process.

Amounts quoted are small ( 0.5 to 1ml per ten gallons ) and in these quantities should do no harm to most fish/inverts

I tried it myself, only lasted a week before I realised I would much rather be drinking the vodka

 

[garybuk]

There are lots of threads on Marine keeping forums regarding adding complex carbohydrates to the tank to feed the beneficial bacteria in the living rock. Vodka is used for this method, a strong sugar solution has also been talked about
Several people claim that this method boosts the filtration and thus the denitrification process.

Amounts quoted are small ( 0.5 to 1ml per ten gallons ) and in these quantities should do no harm to most fish/inverts

I tried it myself, only lasted a week before I realised I would much rather be drinking the vodka

Did you see any chance of anythin when doseing? would like to know more about this too! pros and cons maybe?

 

[Crazy fishes]

Did you see any chance of anythin when doseing? would like to know more about this too! pros and cons maybe?

The whole principle behind this dosing regime is that ethanol is used as a carbon skeleton by many of the bacteria that thrive in our tanks. This is the very bacteria population we rely so heavily upon to metabolise the 'nasties' i.e ammonia and nitrite produced by fish, decaying food etc. There was also speculation around the bacteria, that denitrify nitrate, use it as well. If you give them more food the population expands and with it the capacity to metabolise these nasties. It originally started in Germany if memory serves me right. A small group of reefers proposed that dosing with vodka reduced nitrates to zero rapidly. There was also a smaller effect seen on phosphates as well supposedly. Guys in America read about it and tested it. They came back saying the German guys were wrong and it didn't work. They also pointed out a number of flaws in the theoretical work and practical procedure as well. Since then the debate has been open to ..... well debate with very little agreement and no one really knowing either way.

One thing that people have noticed and, agreed upon, is that if you dose with vodka the production of DOCs (dissolved organic compounds) increases significantly and it is recommended that you run a mammoth skimmer to prevent a thick sludge forming on the surface of the water. It is more or less agreed that this 'skin' prevents adquate gas exchange and pH can be affected.

That is a brief summary of the current situation. Hope it helps.

Regards

 

[garybuk]

Did you see any chance of anythin when doseing? would like to know more about this too! pros and cons maybe?

The whole principle behind this dosing regime is that ethanol is used as a carbon skeleton by many of the bacteria that thrive in our tanks. This is the very bacteria population we rely so heavily upon to metabolise the 'nasties' i.e ammonia and nitrite produced by fish, decaying food etc. There was also speculation around the bacteria, that denitrify nitrate, use it as well. If you give them more food the population expands and with it the capacity to metabolise these nasties. It originally started in Germany if memory serves me right. A small group of reefers proposed that dosing with vodka reduced nitrates to zero rapidly. There was also a smaller effect seen on phosphates as well supposedly. Guys in America read about it and tested it. They came back saying the German guys were wrong and it didn't work. They also pointed out a number of flaws in the theoretical work and practical procedure as well. Since then the debate has been open to ..... well debate with very little agreement and no one really knowing either way.

One thing that people have noticed and, agreed upon, is that if you dose with vodka the production of DOCs (dissolved organic compounds) increases significantly and it is recommended that you run a mammoth skimmer to prevent a thick sludge forming on the surface of the water. It is more or less agreed that this 'skin' prevents adquate gas exchange and pH can be affected.

That is a brief summary of the current situation. Hope it helps.

Regards

Thanks not really worth it then??