Vodka Dosing - it does work!

[BowieReefer84]

So i switched over to vinegar the last 2-3 days. i can tell you that there is a big difference. 

 

When i was using vodka, i had to clean my glass daily from brown algae, it wasnt bad, but if i left it alone for a week, it gets thick. So for the last 2-3 days, my glass is almost spotless, still few brown algae spots here and there, but i can clearly see it's very clean. havent check my NO3 or PO4, but i'm sure its still good.

Vinegar is 8x weaker than vodka, so unless you upped the dosage 8x from the amount of vodka that would explain the change.

 

Edit - Assuming 80 proof vodka.

Edited March 25, 2015 by BowieReefer84

[hlem]

Vinegar is 8x weaker than vodka, so unless you upped the dosage 8x from the amount of vodka that would explain the change.

 

Edit - Assuming 80 proof vodka.

 

yep, thats correct, i did up the vinegar, more than 8x actually. vodka was only at 1-2ml per day for my ~80gallon, i am now dosing 15-17ml of vinegar.

[Bruleyii]

What kind of vinegar do you use?

[AlanM]

What kind of vinegar do you use?

 

usually people use distilled white vinegar. 

[JeffG93]

I've been doing vinegar for at least 2 years now.  I've had no ill-effects from it's use that I'm aware of.  I use grocery store grade distilled white vinegar.  I have it slow drip on a peristaltic pump.  It comes on ~3 times an hour, dosing about 1.3 ml.  It's a lot of vinegar, but I have a high bio-load.  I do keep my Alk below 8 dKH.  My nitrates are a steady 5 ppm these days.  I had them lower, but they've crept up over time.  I was increasing my vinegar dosing to compenstate but I'm already dosing a high amount, so I've settled in at 5ppm.  Everything seems happy and healthy.  SPSs are growing like crazy.  I have several more now that aren't in my build link below (did some house cleaning.)

[Bruleyii]

Might have to look into it when I get my next tank going.