Looking for opinions on dosing vodka or diy nopox.

[city hunter]

I'm going to start dosing pretty soon. Well if I dont polish off this vodka first.  I think I'm going to start with vodka, but the diy nopox sounds interesting. Is anyone adding the denatured alcohol, or just sticking with vinegar and and vodka.

I really need to start getting on top of my nitrates. I'm pretty sure it's up around 90ppm I need to retest. I lost some random lps that came with thye life rock I bought when I started the tank last january. It has a heavy bio load and I feed heavy. I have no plans to change it.  My softies are doing great, same with sponge, some monitpora is doing alright, I did lose some lps, but I cant think of the name at the moment. gsp is also rediculous. I was battling cyano, but increased flow in the tank and thats basically been keeping it in check. 

 

I need to start a refugium, but for now I think I will start dosing.

What does everyone prefer and why? I dont keep hard to keep corals btw.  I'm leaning towards vodka as its in the house, but kinda wondering if I should just start with diy nopox instead.

I think I need a vodka cran.

[islandVib3s]

Vodka works but it'll feed all the bacteria and the cyano may return but worse. A refugium with good macro will be better for long term. It would probably be cheaper and better to just do the water changes till the numbers are closer to the norm ranges. But that's also if you want to chase numbers, corals adapt. It is less cleaning with lower phosphates.

[islandVib3s]

Live phyto dosing is probably better but can cost alot if you don't make your own.

[Lexinverts]

In my experience, both vodka and NoPox dosing take down your nitrate rapidly and don't reduce phosphate very much. If you use either of these to reduce your nitrates, make sure that you also use something, like GFO or Lanthanum chloride, to bring your phosphate down as well. Low nitrate and high phosphate can lead to all sorts of problems.

[city hunter]

I tried it for a bit, but decided to stop. I wasn't really seeing results.  I've since added a baseball size poiece of chaeto about 20 days ago, and running the light 24/7 on it, and the thing is now about 3/4 the size of a basketball in the sump. About 5 days ago I tossed a small return pump in the sump to get better circulation and that seems to be helping a lot with growth. I'm not sure if that api ammonia kit was a false poisitve. I know they arent great. I also had a small pearly jawfish disappear after adding it. I figure it died, but it's the second small one I have lost. I must have one hell of a cleanup crew as I never saw any body and no jumpers. I have a fully enclosed lid. Anyhow, I just started checking phosphate today. I also did a dose of 2 part for the heck of it as I've had it forever when I bought a used tank. I think my phosphate explains some issues with some of the coral dying off and others not quite as happy as they use to be.

 

I'm actually impressed with how fast the chaeto has taken down my nitrates. They were above 100 before the first test after a 20 gallon water change as well.

 

Here are my tests
10-20-23
nitrates 100
ammonia .25
10-31-23
nitrates below 100, above 50
11-4-23
nitrates 25
phosphate 1

 

I think I wanna try lanthanum soon. I've been reading a lot. It looks like I need to run good flow though a filter 10 micron filter sock to capture the bound phosphate/calcium and slow dose it into that sock.
 

My question is, should I get the seaklear, or try agent green which I believe is just dilluted more?

[obrien.david.j]

I went for almost a year with increased PO4 and NO3, and trying to gradually bring them down.  (peaked around 0.35 and ~100)  During that year, my corals grew like crazy.   But I knew I didn't want them to increase, so went for methods to bring down... gradually.  No Lanthanum for me, no NoPox.   I did Chaeto, phyto, and carbon dosing.  (via Tropic Marin NP-Elim)

Looking at your measurements above, I suspect you're not using Hanna test kits.   What I found is I needed the increased accuracy, to see what was happening.  and I tested every, every other, every 3rd day - for weeks!

I'm using these test kits, and find them easy, consistent, and relatively fast.   HI736 and HI782  (Hanna)

I know there's an alternative Hanna phosphate test kit, and I don't know the real difference.  Maybe others will weigh in.

[city hunter]

I'm using salfert kits. I don't keep any crazy corals, so I don't really wanna invest a ton into it. I

[obrien.david.j]

1 hour ago, city hunter said:

I'm using salfert kits. I don't keep any crazy corals, so I don't really wanna invest a ton into it. I

Fair enough

[Eatfrenchfries]

Lanthanum Chloride can be too effective on phosphate saturation. Drip slow. Does work very well.

 Never had a problem with Seaklear.

I do have lanthanum chloride in powder form. I can offer some to try or dilute it for you.......if you're okay with my math. 

 

Another carbon source is propylene glycol. It's quite a bit stronger. Works great for my reef projects. 

[city hunter]

7 hours ago, Eatfrenchfries said:

Lanthanum Chloride can be too effective on phosphate saturation. Drip slow. Does work very well.

 Never had a problem with Seaklear.

I do have lanthanum chloride in powder form. I can offer some to try or dilute it for you.......if you're okay with my math. 

 

Another carbon source is propylene glycol. It's quite a bit stronger. Works great for my reef projects. 

Wish I had seen this earlier. I ended up ordering some agent green. From a calculator im looking at. It's 5ml for 50g to lower around .5. I figured I would use a dosing pump to do it over 24 hours into a 10 micron bag. I'm thinking I will run a spare pump that pumps water into the bag into my sump instead of trying to run it into my return. Do you think I can get away with setting up a slow drip vs a dosing pump? I'd rather not have to buy a dosing setup, but I will do what needs to be done.

[Eatfrenchfries]

Drip is fine. Just use drip / IV bags. The flow is adjustable and can last a couple days before needing to be checked. 

 

I have a couple BRS dosing units preset at 1.4mL ish that are collecting dust. 

[city hunter]

I ended up going with the iv bag, did a drip about every 4 seconds. calculated for 50 gallons so 5ml mixed with a full bag of fresh rodi water.

I used a 4 micron filter stuck hanging near the return pump. Used a small return pump from a aio I had and pumped it into the filter sock and put the drip in the filter sock.

So far so good. I checked phosphates this morning and they were somewhere between .25 and .03 That color gradient is hard to tell for me.The fish are all fine. The softies seem ok. I think I will do another dose. probably just 1ml to see if I can bring it down a bit more. I need to get a alk test to see whats going on with that. I've been tossing some 2 part bionic in the tank over the last few days as I think the ph is a tad low, but My old hana checker probably needs to be recalibrated, maybe even a new probe. one of these days. It's showing 7.5, ro is showing 9.3 and tap is around 8.5

 

[city hunter]

I just wanted to update. I think I can actually toss some coral in now if I want. I'm seeing some plate coral I had making a comeback in random spots. I still get algae build up, but it doesnt seem bad.

My last testing was phosphates between .1 and maybe .25 It's really hard to tell when there is almost no color. I think my nitrates are about non exhistant. For reference, here are my tests over the last 2 months. Pretty [language filter] impressive.

I've grown a entire sump of chaeto twice now. I actually need to harvest again. I will say the stuff is fantastic for bringing those little long skinny starfish and bristle worms. I dont mind either. I believe I only ran one treatment of lanth. I think I was thinking about a second, but never did it. I would like to get my nitrates up just a tad. I may up feeding just a little.

This is in a 42g cad light with a 20ish gallon sump. Running a skimmer 50% of the time. I also have rock in my sump with the chaeto. It has 3 good sized midas blennies, mystery wrasse, pintail wrasse, flame angel, 3 jawfish, a tailspot, and until recently one suicidal blue spot jawfish and a poor bi color who got into a powerhead while it was off and then it was on...

I'm very happy with the results of the lanth along with the chaeto. I was running the sump light 24 hours a day and no im down to around 16.

I think I will start dosing iron I believe it is for the chaeto? Is there a good trace elements supplement I can add now and then for this?


Here are my tests over the last 2 months.
10-31-23
nitrates below 100, above 50
11-4-23
nitrates 25
phosphate 1
11-10-23 pre lanth
ntitrates 25-50
Phosphates 1
11-11-23 post lanth
phophates .25
12-18-23
nitrates 0?
phosphates .1 to .25

[islandVib3s]

That's some rapid changes. Be a little Careful and not bottom out. Fast approaches usually have bad result later. But that's what I have experienced anyway. Hope it all goes well 🤙

[Lexinverts]

On 12/18/2023 at 8:52 PM, city hunter said:

I just wanted to update. I think I can actually toss some coral in now if I want. I'm seeing some plate coral I had making a comeback in random spots. I still get algae build up, but it doesnt seem bad.

My last testing was phosphates between .1 and maybe .25 It's really hard to tell when there is almost no color. I think my nitrates are about non exhistant. For reference, here are my tests over the last 2 months. Pretty [language filter] impressive.

I've grown a entire sump of chaeto twice now. I actually need to harvest again. I will say the stuff is fantastic for bringing those little long skinny starfish and bristle worms. I dont mind either. I believe I only ran one treatment of lanth. I think I was thinking about a second, but never did it. I would like to get my nitrates up just a tad. I may up feeding just a little.

This is in a 42g cad light with a 20ish gallon sump. Running a skimmer 50% of the time. I also have rock in my sump with the chaeto. It has 3 good sized midas blennies, mystery wrasse, pintail wrasse, flame angel, 3 jawfish, a tailspot, and until recently one suicidal blue spot jawfish and a poor bi color who got into a powerhead while it was off and then it was on...

I'm very happy with the results of the lanth along with the chaeto. I was running the sump light 24 hours a day and no im down to around 16.

I think I will start dosing iron I believe it is for the chaeto? Is there a good trace elements supplement I can add now and then for this?


Here are my tests over the last 2 months.
10-31-23
nitrates below 100, above 50
11-4-23
nitrates 25
phosphate 1
11-10-23 pre lanth
ntitrates 25-50
Phosphates 1
11-11-23 post lanth
phophates .25
12-18-23
nitrates 0?
phosphates .1 to .25

It your nitrates are LOWER than your phosphate now you are in the danger zone for dinos. I would back off the nitrate reduction or dose some nitrates ASAP.

[city hunter]

nitrates are lower then phosphates. running close to zero nitrates, phosphates are .1 to .25. Thats one calculated dose of land and just chaeto in action. I have not done anything else. it is a big change for sure. I didnt think it would go that fast. after the dosing I still had nitrates. I'm guessing the extensive lighting on the chaeto has done the rest.

[obrien.david.j]

I get very nervous when there's strong phosphate (your levels), and zero to close to zero Nitrates.  That's how I crashed my tank, Dino's, etc...This fall, I actually hit this situation again, when I got lazy testing my nitrates.   They'd been high for so long, I stopped testing.    

Corals were starting to look off, I mean seriously off.   Checked nitrate, found zero, dosed to bring back up - corals looked better in 24-48hrs.  That quick.

[Lexinverts]

14 hours ago, city hunter said:

nitrates are lower then phosphates. running close to zero nitrates, phosphates are .1 to .25. Thats one calculated dose of land and just chaeto in action. I have not done anything else. it is a big change for sure. I didnt think it would go that fast. after the dosing I still had nitrates. I'm guessing the extensive lighting on the chaeto has done the rest.

I meant to say you are in the danger zone if phosphates are higher than nitrates. I would dose some nitrates ASAP.

[city hunter]

I honestly haven't seen anything out of the norm for the few softies I have and between the 2 hards, I have some plate thats actually improved a bunch, and then I think I bleached part of this random hard coral thats grown like a mound. on one side from too much light. I turned the led up about 15% awhile back.

 

I'm wondering if I should trim the chaeto back to a small amount, and turn the light down to maybe 5 or 6 hours a day.  instead of the 16? I could also do a very small lanthium dose to get phosphates down more. I've never had dino. I have had some cyano issues in the past, but upping the flow took care of most of it. I still get a bit of buildup over a few days on the glass, the rear wall is always got some random looking stuff along with coraline. I do get this weird purpleish maroon hard algae on the rocks. It doesnt seem to grow on the plate coral though.

I will look into dosing nitrate, but I run a high bioload in my tank so I figured It would be a issue.

The only weird thing is that big rbt anenome moved and hit in a hole in the back of my tank. Do you think nitrate and phosphate issues could have caused this? It hasnt moved and has sat in front of my return pump spigot for a year...