[KingChris444]

I tested my NO3 today and it was high. It was at 40ppm. So I've been doing water changes every week 20%. I've been using Salinity salt and it's pretty expensive to do more. Hopefully this helps my nitrate problem. Seems weird that, the littlest bit of vodka works .1ml per 25 gallons. I'm going under the recommended amount to see if I get a reaction

 

[Jessemac]

I tested my NO3 today and it was high. It was at 40ppm. So I've been doing water changes every week 20%. I've been using Salinity salt and it's pretty expensive to do more. Hopefully this helps my nitrate problem. Seems weird that, the littlest bit of vodka works .1ml per 25 gallons. I'm going under the recommended amount to see if I get a reaction

Take serious caution here. This isn't to be done lightly. Test your params daily at least for the fist couple weeks. I have not started this but, have read a lot into it and have considered it. However, Brightwell makes a carbon source that is basically like dosing vodka, vinegar, sugar, ect. I recently just found out about it and will probably start dosing this before I would consider dosing the others. Cant remember the name of it off hand.

 

[newsalt34]

Looked

Take serious caution here. This isn't to be done lightly. Test your params daily at least for the fist couple weeks. I have not started this but, have read a lot into it and have considered it. However, Brightwell makes a carbon source that is basically like dosing vodka, vinegar, sugar, ect. I recently just found out about it and will probably start dosing this before I would consider dosing the others. Cant remember the name of it off hand.

I looked into the Brightwell stuff and i think i am going to try that after i get rid of my red slime. I also got the stuff to make the red slime go away but i don't want to stress anything out so i am doing one at a time starting with the red slime remover!

 

[KingChris444]

Believe me, I'm taking serious caution! Does anyone know if any lfs locally carries this Brightwell NitratR?

 

[KingChris444]

I looked into the Brightwell stuff and i think i am going to try that after i get rid of my red slime. I also got the stuff to make the red slime go away but i don't want to stress anything out so i am doing one at a time starting with the red slime remover!

The Chem-Clean works in 1 day. It's unbelievable stuff. If you're getting a lot of slime, check that you have good flow in those areas

 

[jamey1010]

If your interested in the Brightwell stuff you might like to take a look at this product as well Red Sea NO3-PO4 X

Red Sea Reef Care Program

I dose vinegar with really good results so far. My PO3 and PO4 are always 0 now and took water changes way down and it's preferred over vodka.

Just x8 you ml for vinegar and follow the same timeline of upping the dosage but vinegar is far more forgiving and pretty much everyone I know who started with vodka has switched.

 

[newsalt34]

+one

The Chem-Clean works in 1 day. It's unbelievable stuff. If you're getting a lot of slime, check that you have good flow in those areas

I wasn't getting good enough flow in the back of my tank so at the same time i ordered the Chem-Clean i ordered a new circulation fan too! I didn't know if that was a contributer or not but i got a bigger one anyway. but now i know, thanks

And if i am still having some issues after i am done using this other brand i might try vinigar dosing because vodka dosing scares me a little lol

 

[KingChris444]

If your interested in the Brightwell stuff you might like to take a look at this product as well Red Sea NO3-PO4 X

Red Sea Reef Care Program

I dose vinegar with really good results so far. My PO3 and PO4 are always 0 now and took water changes way down and it's preferred over vodka.

Just x8 you ml for vinegar and follow the same timeline of upping the dosage but vinegar is far more forgiving and pretty much everyone I know who started with vodka has switched.

Is there a method on dosing with vinegar? I'm not finding as much information as vodka online.

 

[jamey1010]

Sure it's the exact same schedule but dose at x8ml with the vinegar and you don't have to worry as much about moving up the dosage amounts quicker.

It's also a lot more forgiving as in you are less likely to have a cynao outbreak from vinegar than vodka.

 

[KingChris444]

X8ml as in 8ml per 25 gallon like vodka? Sorry for alk the questions lol but I couldnt find anything about it

 

[jamey1010]

No that's all right and a lot of info on rc about it

Yes 8 times more vinegar

1ml vodka = 8ml vinegar

2ml vodka = 16ml vinegar

and so on..

200 gallon tanks seem to balance out between 45-100 ml vinegar daily from what I've seen.

0.08ml per 25 gallon days 1-4 double 4-7 than add 0.5ml weekly this was based on the vodka chart and you can go a little faster with vinegar, especially after the initial week or two

 

[gablett]

I switched from vodka to vinegar for the cyano reason. Works great and yes vodka has 8 times the amount of usable organic carbons. Mostly because vinegar is watered down to a 10% solution. Make sure when you buy vinegar you get the right percentage of dilution. Some seem to dillute more. I buy Heinz brand and it seems many other do as well too. Id recommend vinegar over vodka just simply because of cyano. But be careful, vinegar is a decently strong acid and will lower your pH if you add it in high enough quantities. Id recommend splitting the dose and do it with the lights on when the pH is normally higher anyway.

 

[KingChris444]

Thanks for all the information guys/girls. I might not start vodka and do vinegar instead.

 

[Thomas712]

Chris, I notice that you do not have a skimmer, if this is true, as far as dosing vodka or vinegar then, I would like to point out that both would require that you are able to skim out what carbon dosing produces. This usually requires a strong well made skimmer.

 

[KingChris444]

I've actually bought a skimmer and a reactor with in the last week. I've decided against dosing for now. I going to run Brightwell Katalyst in my reactor to help my nitrate problem

 

[jamey1010]

I've actually bought a skimmer and a reactor with in the last week. I've decided against dosing for now. I going to run Brightwell Katalyst in my reactor to help my nitrate problem

Hey keep us posted if you get cynao or not. I'm curious to how your results with that product are as it's something I used in the past.

Also what are your starting nitrate and phosphate levels?

My end result with it was Chris Brightwell telling me my levels were too low to support the pellets and I did dose microbacter7 with them.

 

[KingChris444]

I didn't test my phosphates in a while, but my nitrates are between 40-50ppm, They recommend using the microbacter7 with the Katalyst, but at the LFS in their house tank they used the Katalyst without the microbacter7 and had 0 nitrates and phosphates.

*Edit* I tested my nitrates with an API test kit, not that it matters

 

[KingChris444]

They were using bio-pellets before in their reactor and had 0 and 0, so they had a free sample of the Katalyst and they maintained the 0 with the switch from bio-pellets

 

[soverjas]

The brightwell product is called Reef BioFuel.



Carbon Source for Promoting Rapid, Natural Phosphate & Nitrate Reduction in all Marine & Reef Aquaria
Overview
Helps maintain a balanced nutrient-limited marine aquarium by enabling the hobbyist to enhance the rate of microbial growth and reproduction, increasing the rate of
phosphate-reduction and denitrification; this is of particular benefit in heavily-stocked,
well-fed reef aquaria.
Replaces “vodka method” of microbial activity-enhancement with a completely safe and biologically-sound, non-flammable alternative to using vodka or ethanol.
Indirectly benefits corals and other suspension-feeding invertebrates by encouraging
reproduction of bacterioplankton (an important food source for suspension-feeding
invertebrates).
Encourages polyp-expansion in all corals.
May be used to help expedite biological filtration in new set-ups.

 

[KingChris444]

The Britewell stuff I'm using is called Katalyst:

Brightwell Aquatics - Katalyst