varder

Hello guys!!

I have a question that has been bothering me ever since I heard it. Why do you dose Vodka to the tank how do you do it?? and What kind??

I heard it is used to help lower nitrates and phosphate I would like to know how to do it since I would also like to lower my nitrates which are currently on 20.

thanks!!

agabr123

I've never heard of that, the only thing i've heard is using clove oil and vodka to euthanize fish...

Oil_Fan

On a reef forum I chat on here in Atlanta, that's been a subject for the last week or so.

Here is a link that should help explain it:

http://glassbox-design.com/2008/achi...perimentation/

The introduction:
With out digging deeply into the scientific area of this, the goal of bacterioplankton systems such as Carbon dosing, Prodibio, Ultralith and Zeovit is to grow bacteria in order to consumer phosphates and nitrates, which are then exported via a protein skimmer. This can be achieved with simple carbon dosing such as sugar, or more..

Personally, I'd rather drink my vodka that give it to my fishies but that's me.

sirdarksol

This sounds somewhat questionable to me, anyway, but if I were doing it, I'd go the sugar route, rather than vodka. The alcohol in vodka has the potential to negatively impact livestock (which is why it is used to euthanize).

Angela_96

It is something that the germans have a lot of info on doing, I googled it last night. THe instructions are even in german.

I can believe it, vodka has other purposes other thank "drinking". In respiratory therapy we put it in a type of breathing treatment to help patients that lungs are overloaded with edema.

IN an emergency situation we pour it straight down the breathing tube, the alcohold disolves the 'bubbles" in the lungs.

agsansoo

Vodka dosing has been very common in Europe for many years. Carbon dosing is getting very popular here in the US now. I myself run a bacteria base system in my tank. Without it I found SPS coral would RTN and die. I use too vodka dose, but found it too hard on the sps coral. Yes nitrates were near zero, but the corals look looked bad. IMO zero nitrates = dead corals. Phosphates are the true enemy. I have a formula for vodka dosing at work that I can post if anyone is interested ? (My home computer died and I'm on my laptop)