Vodka dosing and cyanobaceteria

EyeReef

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#1
I am new to carbon dosing (I know, I'm at least 7 years behind). I started vodka dosing recently due to high nitrates. Things are looking good but having a difficult time keeping this cyano under control. Will it just run its course and eventually the good bacteria will out compete the cyanobacteria? Looking for advice without having to go the chemical route.

Thanks!
 
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#2
Don't strip the Nitrate out too quick and not to zero. Keep it in check around 5 (of course depnds on your tank.)
 
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#4
You also have to add bacteria when carbon dosing. When I first started carbon dosing I was using a vinegar/Vodka/ Sugar concoction and I got really bad cyano that never went away. You will also need some type of media to grow your bacteria. At this point you might as well just run a zeovit reactor and dose the 3 basic additives (Zeobak, zeostart 3, and sponge power) I went full zeovit on my current system and I'm getting the best results I've ever had.




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#6
Yes and for now the cyano is out-competing the rest of your tank for carbon. It will change. I mixed together vodka, liquid glucose and a capful of acetone(yes, acetone) in a pint container. Basically you have a very cheap form of NoPoX. Daily dosing while watching for any snotty strings, the result of too high amount of doseing, and you'll be good. Remember too also reduce your dosing amount once you find that the nitrates are dropping.

I am new to carbon dosing (I know, I'm at least 7 years behind). I started vodka dosing recently due to high nitrates. Things are looking good but having a difficult time keeping this cyano under control. Will it just run its course and eventually the good bacteria will out compete the cyanobacteria? Looking for advice without having to go the chemical route.

Thanks!
 
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#7
I am new to carbon dosing (I know, I'm at least 7 years behind). I started vodka dosing recently due to high nitrates. Things are looking good but having a difficult time keeping this cyano under control. Will it just run its course and eventually the good bacteria will out compete the cyanobacteria? Looking for advice without having to go the chemical route.

Thanks!
I had the same issue with my tank a year ago with nitrates at the high 80 ppm. Cyano and hair algae all over. I started dosing vinegar a year ago and my nitrates is at 5 ppm and no more cyano and hair algae just macros growing like weed:). It's a slow process but well worth it. They say vodka and vinegar dosing is the same.
 
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#8
I am new to carbon dosing (I know, I'm at least 7 years behind). I started vodka dosing recently due to high nitrates. Things are looking good but having a difficult time keeping this cyano under control. Will it just run its course and eventually the good bacteria will out compete the cyanobacteria? Looking for advice without having to go the chemical route.

Thanks!
I had bad cyano when I was vodka dosing, and it never went away until I switched to vinegar. I believe the cyano is fueled from excessive carbon dosing. Vinegar is the way to go!
 

joseserrano

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#9
Yes and for now the cyano is out-competing the rest of your tank for carbon. It will change. I mixed together vodka, liquid glucose and a capful of acetone(yes, acetone) in a pint container. Basically you have a very cheap form of NoPoX. Daily dosing while watching for any snotty strings, the result of too high amount of doseing, and you'll be good. Remember too also reduce your dosing amount once you find that the nitrates are dropping.
Can you post exactly how/what you mixed, and a little more info on this. I have smelled no pox and thought it smelled of alcohol and vinegar.
 
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#10
Go to reefkeeping.com there's a full instruction and a chart on how to dose vinegar. This is what I followed and it worked. Be careful using Nopox if you're going that route make sure you follow their instructions to the T. I used it and calculated wrong and it was a disaster:( IMO vinegar dosing is the easiest and cost effective method. It is a slow process as it took me a year to bring it down although, my nitrates was in the high 80's. I buy the ones at Costco:) good luck!
 
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#11

joseserrano

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five.five-six

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#13
I have never had cyano before.... untill this little BC29 I started a few months back and it overtook the entire tank

I had bought a large, strike that, YUGE lot of used aqureium stuff and it included a little box called "red slime remover"

All I used was 1 salefert testkit sized scoop of powder per 10 gallons

Within 1 hour all the cyano was clearly dead and within 48 hours, all but a few traces had been washed away into my filter pad.

At this point I only have 1 coral and 3 fishes, they all seemed unaffected.
 
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