Vodka Dosing

[jaylam]

Ok just thought I would share some info.

I am on week 6 of vodka dosing, started off for the first 2 weeks just increasing by 0.1ml of vodka then increased it by 0.5ml as advised on other sites.

Im on week 6 dosing 5ml twice a day and my Nitrates have started to fall, skimmer is going mental skimming out all the crap and had a slight diatom outbreak.

I am now going to continue dosing 5ml twice a day until Nitrates and Phos are undetectable by the test kit then half the dosage, if they increase again increase it by 0.1ml each week until they drop off again then I have found my maintenance dosage.

Took some time to happen and did want to give up at times but its all paying off now, no ill effects either, fish, corals and inverts all are fine.

 

[seffieuk]

Interesting, keep us informed Funnily enough I was wondering about the Readsea controller, spells like alcohol to me

 

[jaylam]

Im now on week 8 and have 0 Nitrates and 0 Phosphate, no ill effects to fish, corals or inverts.

Now I will be halfing the daily dose until Nitrate starts to show traces again then increase weekly by 0.1ml until they go again, that will be my going forward daily dose.

I would really recommend this with caution, remember go slow slow slow, to much to quick will end in tears. I have gone from 50+ Nitrates to 0 in 8 weeks and all it cost me was a bottle of vodka.

 

[dayzofspeed]

what's all this about?

 

[jaylam]

Using vodka as a source for carbon dosing to reduce Nitrate and Phosphate levels.

It takes some time just sharing my experience, im now Nitrate and Phosphate free after 8 weeks of dosing vodka twice a day.

 

[Chris_C]

Interesting stuff and if it does all end in tears, at least you can drink the vodka

 

[jaylam]

Interesting stuff and if it does all end in tears, at least you can drink the vodka

Exactly, might be a bit salty though....

 

[Chris_C]

 

[dayzofspeed]

Using vodka as a source for carbon dosing to reduce Nitrate and Phosphate levels.

It takes some time just sharing my experience, im now Nitrate and Phosphate free after 8 weeks of dosing vodka twice a day.

very interesting, how did you hear about this in the first place

 

[jaylam]

I was researching ways to lower nitrates and found it on the net, thought it was a wind up at first so read up then read some more before starting.

Just google "vodka dosing to reduce nitrates"

 

[woody88]

I bet the fish are having one big party in there!

Are they swimming sidewards and banging into the glass! Lol

That's not diatoms you saw. That was fish sick!

I can just see the cleaner shrimp now dancing around the tank with his recent skin moult thinking he's pulled!

When you stop dosing they'll have one hell of a hangover! Lol

 

[StandbySetting]

It's worth noting that in the long run it may be cheaper to dose pure ethanol, obviously your dosing will have to be adjusted.

 

[jaylam]

I bet the fish are having one big party in there!

Are they swimming sidewards and banging into the glass! Lol

That's not diatoms you saw. That was fish sick!

I can just see the cleaner shrimp now dancing around the tank with his recent skin moult thinking he's pulled!

When you stop dosing they'll have one hell of a hangover! Lol

Yeah there was bits of kebab all over the bottom of the tank this morning.

It's worth noting that in the long run it may be cheaper to dose pure ethanol, obviously your dosing will have to be adjusted.

I agree, however the cheap vodka works just as good as others. The 1lt bottle of polish vodka I bought cost me about £6 im 8 weeks in and still have half a bottle left. So even using this all the time is still only going to cost me around £20 for a years worth of dosing at the current dosage level and that is now halfed so in reality its more like £20 for 2 years.

Jay

 

[dayzofspeed]

i believe this also works with sugar but i didnt read too deeply into the article

 

[jaylam]

i believe this also works with sugar but i didnt read too deeply into the article

Yeah I looked in to using that and also vit c but there was more information about vodka dosing than the other 2 and more people doing it with vodka as well so its sort of tried and tested.