Vinegar dosing

gaby_scan · 07/03/2019, 03:25 PM

Hello, I've been dosing vinegar as a method of lowering my nitrates and i am dosing quite small quantities for my tank. Tank is a 75g with a 38g sump. Right now i'm at 7ml daily and already have slime everywhere, how can i control this problem? it has happened to me with nopox too but it was much worse. I know of people that have this problem but usually on high dosing quantities, at 7ml i don't think i am even close to half what my tank size recommends. Is there any way i can battle this?? Thanks

mcgyvr · 07/03/2019, 03:34 PM

are your nitrate levels trending down?
If so you can reduce the dosage...
If not then you will want to look at other methods to supplement nutrient removal.

Were you the one with a really large amount of slime in your sump from dosing before?

gaby_scan · 07/03/2019, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

are your nitrate levels trending down?
If so you can reduce the dosage...
If not then you will want to look at other methods to supplement nutrient removal.

Were you the one with a really large amount of slime in your sump from dosing before?

Nitrates are still at 20ppm, i had a good amount of slime but was most prominent in the dt. Although there was quite a bit in the sump too. After i stop nopox it went away.

Daddi0 · 07/03/2019, 05:15 PM

Something doesnt seem quite right. I can dose 1ml vinegar per gallon of water in my reef per day without a major bloom. Currently dosing approx. 90ml per day on a system that is almost twice as big as yours. Are you running a skimmer? Distilled white vinegar? For me, when I have high bacteria growth, it starts in the "high flow" areas. I can see it growing in mats on powerheads and when I shut down my sump return pump, the backflow is a cloud of snot.
Cheers! Mark

Daddi0 · 07/03/2019, 05:31 PM

Are you running U.V.?

gaby_scan · 07/03/2019, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddi0

Something doesnt seem quite right. I can dose 1ml vinegar per gallon of water in my reef per day without a major bloom. Currently dosing approx. 90ml per day on a system that is almost twice as big as yours. Are you running a skimmer? Distilled white vinegar? For me, when I have high bacteria growth, it starts in the "high flow" areas. I can see it growing in mats on powerheads and when I shut down my sump return pump, the backflow is a cloud of snot.
Cheers! Mark

Yes, swc skimmer and yes distilled white vinegar 5%...i had always had this when i carbon dose, as a matter of fact the slime started when i was just dosing 3ml. I don't get why this happens in my system and as you said you dose high amounts on yours and nothing happens.

gaby_scan · 07/03/2019, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddi0

Are you running U.V.?

I have a u.v but is been off for various months.

Daddi0 · 07/03/2019, 07:02 PM

If this was my reef:
Presuming you have some phosphates to balance out the nitrates? I would not worry about the slime and would ramp up the carbon dosing til you have full blown snot (keeping an eye on nitrates of course) At this point you can back off the dosing and the slime should be gone. Besides being a bit annoying to look at, the snot is not harmful for a reef. Once you begin to back off on your dosing the snot should disappear pretty quick. And make sure you are getting a good wet skim. Also, be mindful of how much food you add to the tank, a lot of us tend to over feed.
Cheers! Mark
Feel free to shoot me a pm if you have any questions

gaby_scan · 07/04/2019, 01:26 PM

Thank you...but backing up on the vinegar won't make my nitrates raise again?

Daddi0 · 07/04/2019, 02:21 PM

The vinegar is not removing nitrates. The vinegar fuels bacterial growth which use nitrates/phosphate and nitrates/phosphate are removed from your reef by skimming the bacteria out. When you are dosing vinegar, keep an eye on your nitrates and adjust dosing as needed. For most of us, once you get rid of the high levels of nitrates, you back off the dosing to a maintenance dose to keep your levels steady.
In a perfect world you would have enough live rock/sand, good flow, and minimal feeding that your reef can process nitrates/phosphate without the addition of a carbon source.
Cheers! Mark

gaby_scan · 07/04/2019, 07:36 PM

Thank u, i will keep an eye on nitrates as i increase the dose, goal is 5ppm and maintain it.

Daddi0 · 07/09/2019, 08:51 PM

Any update

07/03/2019, 03:25 PM	#1
gaby_scan Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 150	Vinegar dosing Hello, I've been dosing vinegar as a method of lowering my nitrates and i am dosing quite small quantities for my tank. Tank is a 75g with a 38g sump. Right now i'm at 7ml daily and already have slime everywhere, how can i control this problem? it has happened to me with nopox too but it was much worse. I know of people that have this problem but usually on high dosing quantities, at 7ml i don't think i am even close to half what my tank size recommends. Is there any way i can battle this?? Thanks

07/03/2019, 03:34 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	are your nitrate levels trending down? If so you can reduce the dosage... If not then you will want to look at other methods to supplement nutrient removal. Were you the one with a really large amount of slime in your sump from dosing before? __________________ Who me?

07/03/2019, 05:15 PM	#4
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Something doesnt seem quite right. I can dose 1ml vinegar per gallon of water in my reef per day without a major bloom. Currently dosing approx. 90ml per day on a system that is almost twice as big as yours. Are you running a skimmer? Distilled white vinegar? For me, when I have high bacteria growth, it starts in the "high flow" areas. I can see it growing in mats on powerheads and when I shut down my sump return pump, the backflow is a cloud of snot. Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/03/2019, 05:31 PM	#5
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Are you running U.V.? __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/03/2019, 07:02 PM	#8
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	If this was my reef: Presuming you have some phosphates to balance out the nitrates? I would not worry about the slime and would ramp up the carbon dosing til you have full blown snot (keeping an eye on nitrates of course) At this point you can back off the dosing and the slime should be gone. Besides being a bit annoying to look at, the snot is not harmful for a reef. Once you begin to back off on your dosing the snot should disappear pretty quick. And make sure you are getting a good wet skim. Also, be mindful of how much food you add to the tank, a lot of us tend to over feed. Cheers! Mark Feel free to shoot me a pm if you have any questions __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/04/2019, 01:26 PM	#9
gaby_scan Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 150	Thank you...but backing up on the vinegar won't make my nitrates raise again?

07/04/2019, 02:21 PM	#10
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	The vinegar is not removing nitrates. The vinegar fuels bacterial growth which use nitrates/phosphate and nitrates/phosphate are removed from your reef by skimming the bacteria out. When you are dosing vinegar, keep an eye on your nitrates and adjust dosing as needed. For most of us, once you get rid of the high levels of nitrates, you back off the dosing to a maintenance dose to keep your levels steady. In a perfect world you would have enough live rock/sand, good flow, and minimal feeding that your reef can process nitrates/phosphate without the addition of a carbon source. Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

07/04/2019, 07:36 PM	#11
gaby_scan Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 150	Thank u, i will keep an eye on nitrates as i increase the dose, goal is 5ppm and maintain it.

07/09/2019, 08:51 PM	#12
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Any update __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater