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Unread 07/16/2011, 08:00 PM   #1
billybloo
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Vodka Dosing Question

Hi reefers,

Today I started dosing Vodka in my smaller reef tank. I only added 0.1ml to the 50 gallon tank. Nearly ten minuets later, my reef octopus skimmer began to go nuts.

In your opinion, is the overflowing skimmer a result of the sudden addition of Vodka to the tank? Resulting in the skimmer trying to pull it out of the water? Also if anyone else has ever vodka dosed, what results did you have with your skimmer, corals, and overall tank. Also any thoughts on its effectiveness, and how soon did you notice results.

Will my skimmer adjust to the vodka dosing in the tank over time?

Thanks,


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Unread 07/16/2011, 08:20 PM   #2
jimmyj7090
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I would think it's something unrelated that set the skimmer off.


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Unread 07/16/2011, 08:26 PM   #3
insomniac2k2
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There are FAR more experienced people when it comes to dosing, but from my experience, you will definitely increase your skimming from any carbon dosing. In fact, a "high end" skimmer is a requirement. I cant imagine .1ml causing such a difference, but who knows.

Make sure you stay consistent in your dose and slowly increase your dose per popular recommendations. You will likely have to adjust your skimmer to suit your new skimmate production. I know that I have to have mine set really dry, because when I add carbon, it will go nuts for a few hours. Im not a fan of a wet floor!

I started seeing results in a few weeks. Everyones tank will vary.


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Unread 07/18/2011, 04:36 AM   #4
Opcn
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Carbon dosing increases skimming over time, it does not do it instantly.


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Unread 07/19/2011, 09:47 PM   #5
loaded_guy
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.1 mL will not induce that type of behavior in a 50 gallon tank. I dose in a 32 gallon nano reef and have never had that issue. However that are other things that can do that to a skimmer.

Review what you have done/added in recent days to your tank. I use a Deltec 600MCE on the nano and it's very fussy about what is in the water and will overflow if the tension of the water is changed. Some additives do that alone or in combination.

Can you tell us what brand and model skimmer you use. Perhaps someone may have some history with it and might be able to better help you.


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Unread 07/20/2011, 01:11 PM   #6
klrreef
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I use Brightwell Aquatic's Reef Bio Fuel. This does the EXACT same thing as vodka,except it is made for fish tanks. They have directions on the bottle so you don't have to worry about over dosing and bombing your tank.

I would think vodka would not cause that kind of skimmer problem.
Have you added any chemical,that you usually do not?


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Unread 07/20/2011, 05:40 PM   #7
jimmyj7090
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Quote:
Originally Posted by klrreef View Post
I use Brightwell Aquatic's Reef Bio Fuel. This does the EXACT same thing as vodka,except it is made for fish tanks. They have directions on the bottle so you don't have to worry about over dosing and bombing your tank.

Translation of said directions;

"Pay me (chris B) a 50X mark up for a bottle of some undisclosed contents that comes with specific directions for blindly dosing this unknown stuff but will make you feel like you know what you are adding and how it will affect your system."

Sorry, couldn't resist


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Unread 07/20/2011, 06:00 PM   #8
jimmy frag
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmyj7090 View Post
Translation of said directions;

"Pay me (chris B) a 50X mark up for a bottle of some undisclosed contents that comes with specific directions for blindly dosing this unknown stuff but will make you feel like you know what you are adding and how it will affect your system."

Sorry, couldn't resist
++++10000 lol


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Unread 07/20/2011, 06:00 PM   #9
pledosophy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmyj7090 View Post
Translation of said directions;

"Pay me (chris B) a 50X mark up for a bottle of some undisclosed contents that comes with specific directions for blindly dosing this unknown stuff but will make you feel like you know what you are adding and how it will affect your system."

Sorry, couldn't resist
"undisclosed ingreients"

Sugar
Water




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Unread 12/03/2011, 10:01 AM   #10
spider1218
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so I started doseing three days ago and although my skimmer didn't react in ten min it did start making alot more skimm within about 6hrs. the skimm is also darker in color. nitrates and p04 have not changed yet but the tank is extremy clear now. amazing change. tank specs 100gal dose of vodka at .1 ml once per day. will increase to .15ml next week.


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Unread 12/03/2011, 01:44 PM   #11
Aqualund
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essentially the carbon from the vodka is giving the bacteria that you want food to increase their population...so they can consume the nitrates and phosphates in your system. In the end, they will be removed through the skimmer. It is not entirely impossible that your skimmer is removing organics that were just waiting for the right catalyst to get taken out, and the vodka just helped it along.


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Unread 12/18/2011, 12:30 AM   #12
donduncan
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I dosed for a while. Skimmate increased in color and the amount. Eventually went back to normal after while. Switched to biopellets as it became a pain in the butt.


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Unread 12/18/2011, 09:15 AM   #13
rayn
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Dosing vodka does increase the skimmer output over time, but not that quick. Possible that your slimmer needs cleaned or you added something else?


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Unread 12/22/2011, 02:27 PM   #14
Flip777
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I have vodka dosed my 90 gal and 200 gal and it does wanders.


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Unread 12/22/2011, 02:28 PM   #15
Flip777
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Has any one heard the peroxide dosing


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Unread 12/22/2011, 02:33 PM   #16
Flip777
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You want your skimmer cup dark green and almost like mud when you clean it that's what I was told. Than you know its working and sometimes when the filter is plugged it will fill up quick


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Unread 12/22/2011, 04:45 PM   #17
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flip777 View Post
Has any one heard the peroxide dosing
Yes, but for what purpose do you want to do so?


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Unread 12/22/2011, 05:57 PM   #18
jimmy frag
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maybe it was a flavored vodka that the OP used ?


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Unread 12/22/2011, 07:45 PM   #19
Alex T.
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Yes, skimmate production will increase over time with using vodka, but after a while it subsides and you wind up skimming normally after the vodka has taken your tank to low levels of nitrate. This of course would change if yo fed more and stocked the tank with more fish like many vodka dosers do. Vodka does have a tendency of promoting cyanobacteria, which I along with countless others can attest to. I switched to vinegar but didn't like the drop in ph and wasn't willing to slowly drip the dose over the course of the day. I dosed MB7 from Brightwell for the recommended 2 week seeding period and currently use 5 ml. of Reef Biofuel per day in a 150 gallon display with 40 gallon sump. Every time I do a water change I dose 5 ml. of the MB7 once weekly. In my tank, nitrates were easily brought to undetectable on my test kit (Salifert) but bringing down phosphate was a whole other ball of wax. I had a hair algae problem, started running GFO but it only minimally helped, and I wasn't willing to spend hundreds of dollars on GFO changed almost daily to bring down PO4. I changed bulbs, changed RODI filters, tried almost everything under the sun including large water changes. I laugh at those who suggest pulling the rock out and scrubbing it. This is not even a viable option in an SPS reef where over 30 corals have encrusted the rock work....unless of course you want clean rocks and white coral skeletons when you're done scrubbing.

At one point I had green hair algae, dinoflagellates on the sand bed and a weird turf algae growing in a small area behind my return outlet. I think things compounded when a couple of Turbo Snails perished from trying to raise magnesium over 1600 using Kent's TechM. I didn't find the snails in time and they only made the algae and smell worse!!!

I read about hydrogen peroxide dosing and decided to give it a try. Within 2 weeks the dinoflagellates were gone, the hair algae was turning brown and now able to be siphoned and the turf algae had disappeared as well. I'm sure Randy can speak to the uses and recommendations/warnings of Hydrogen Peroxide in a reef tank far better than myself, so I won't even try.

For me, the hydrogen peroxide did the trick and worked wonders. There was also a clarity in my water that I haven't seen from carbon dosing and granular activated carbon use. Many who have used ozone report this as well, but I can honestly say that if you didn't look at the surface agitation in my tank, you would have never known there was water in it. Plus, I feed my fish about 2 teaspoons of NLS pellets per day, and after using hydrogen peroxide my magnet cleaner wasn't needed for the glass for over 2 weeks.

After 4 weeks I returned to GFO use and things are humming along. If I could intelligently explain hydrogen peroxide's use I would...but alas, I can't. This is also why I returned to using GFO, something I can understand and correct in usage if things go astray.


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Unread 12/23/2011, 06:14 AM   #20
Randy Holmes-Farley
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OK, I just wanted to be sure the peroxide was to deal with a serious problem, not a normal tank. I would not presume that it only kills bad things.


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Unread 12/23/2011, 06:23 AM   #21
rayn
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flip777 View Post
You want your skimmer cup dark green and almost like mud when you clean it that's what I was told. Than you know its working and sometimes when the filter is plugged it will fill up quick
Are you talking a filter on the pump or the bubble plate in the skimmer? I am currently vodka dosing and my skimmer just goes nuts from time to time filling the container.


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Unread 01/20/2012, 10:39 AM   #22
reefnut2012
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Vodka skimming????? Why?


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Unread 01/20/2012, 11:33 AM   #23
Randy Holmes-Farley
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It is used to drive bacterial growth and reduce nutrients. Other materials are used to, such as vinegar which is my preference. There are hundreds of threads on these topics.


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Unread 01/21/2012, 03:16 PM   #24
Chavito
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Did not know Vodka could be used. Will jump on those theads.


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Unread 01/26/2012, 06:59 AM   #25
BillyC
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Randy, what test kits do you use for low range po4/nitrate testing? Does the salifert low range kit do the job?


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