Advice? Vodka Dosing

Why do you dose it?
Vodka (ethanol) is just a carbon source that can be easily utilized by bacteria in our aquariums. It does a few things, though the scientific evidence for its benefits are still not 100%. There's a lot of anecdotal evidence that it reduces nitrate [i.e. it allows for the efficient export of nitrate] however. YMMV
What are the benefits to doing it?
It's the same as dosing any other carbon supplement. In most cases it's thought to increase denitrifying bacterial growth and allow for increased nutrient export via more efficient skimmate production. Most sources would agree that it's pointless without good skimming.
What are the risk of doing it?
Overdosing is a potential problem. Also you're decreasing available oxygen and altering the reductive potential of the normal system.
Does anyone out there still even do this?
Lots of people.
What kind of vodka should be used?
Any kind. Vodka is just ethyl alcohol. Use any carbon source you'd like: non-denatured alcohol, sugar (sucrose), vinegar (acetic acid). There are pros and cons to each.

 

I don't dose vodka but do dose vinegar on 4x/day basis (using a doser). I don't know if you are set on vodka (vs. vinegar) but I have had very good results in reducing nitrates in a heavily stocked SPS tank. Here is a good thread to read (look at the links as there is a link to a dosing schedule which I used when I started a year ago):
Vinegar Dosing - Reef Central Online Community

 

Another resource: Dosing Vodka: Why? | Melev's Reef

I would also buy the cheap vodka as you'll need to keep up with it over time and buying the expensive stuff won't matter.

I did dose Vodka once, but then my live stock developed a white velvet or brooklynella and died. Was it related? Idk, but thought I'd put it out there.

 

I have always dosed carbon in my systems for the past several years until I got out of hobby. Tried both vinegar and vodka and found them to be about the same (with dosing 8x more vinegar since it has less carbon per ml). I loved it and imo it's the best development in years for the hobby.

I never viewed carbon dosing quite like most, I see it as feeding the tank - just specifically feeding the microbial population (and higher life that feeds off them). I view nitrate and phosphate reduction as just a side benefit and the primary reason I dosed was for filter feeders. Keeping a dozen giant Hawaiian tube worms, coco worms, sponges, basket starts, linka starfish all in a 120 (and keeping them alive for years) and keeping nutrients low enough to color up SPS isn't something I think can be done in any other way so easily.

I set a BRS doser to add carbon every hour on a digital timer. Of course it's not one of those things to jump into all at once and it's not something to "fix" a tank imo.

 

I have a 220 with approximate 250 gallon volume system. I was playing with Vodka and dosed 15ML over 12 hours. My skimmer blew up and skimmed like crazy for 2 days+. On the negative side all my softies and nems closed up pretty tight for a full 24 hours and started slowly opening back up over the next 3 days. I was pretty sure at that time I sunk the softies. This also caused an above normal algae growth on the glass. The corals closing up freaked me out and I did back to back 40 gallon water changes two days apart. Everything is back to normal but this defiantly give me a scare. It did take my nitrates from above 10ppm to below 5ppm. It also lowered my PH about .15-.2. For my next adventure think I'll try 15ML over the span of 3 days...

 

I've done vodka dosing before and have had good luck with it. The key to me is starting very very slowly and working up to the recommended dosage for your tank. I can't remember what the dosage is off hand but if someone recommends dosing 1ml per 10 gallons or something like that you'll want to dose maybe 1/4 to 1/2 of that for at least a couple weeks before putting that much in daily.

 

I like everclear better. It's 75% alcohol so less filler but little more than double the cost of cheap vodka. Good to provide an easy button for algae control.

Recommend a filter sock to catch breakdown organics, and you will get more dust on your rocks. I syphone through a sock rather than blow it off, much better success of removal than letting it travel into the sump.

Not a substitute to water changes...

 

here is a great link to help with vodka dosing http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
I have been vodka dosing since the the early 90's back then we did it in batches, working to what we do today as daily dosing.... I have stretched my water changes to twice a yr.....I do not dose every day all yr.... only when the nitrates or phosphates raise.... like right after having someone else take care for my tank.. never had a problem of any kind.... monitoring you tank levels is the key.... if u use it as i do to extend the time between water changes, you must monitor all or your levels!!!!

 

Do you dose essential elements? Do you have a reef tank?

 

YES 3 reef tanks, 125g,110g(new), 40b... a nem tank.....

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yep I dose essential elements... I also test for them....

 

Thats cool I was just curious

 

Can you run activated carbon while dosing vodka or would the carbon take out the vodka?

Nevermind im a idiot. Read before opening my mouth lol

 

Im considering this do you have any pics of your tanks?

How do you test for all essential elements?

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I might give it a try on my nano

 

Did I miss the carbon part too?

 

It was in the links they said they had good bacteria growth on the GAC.

 

Red Sea reef color test kit and alway test for copper.... Essential element always have copper in them