I dose Vodka too - cheap easy - See the results tested weekly - but IMO you'd need a skimmer to be on the safe side.
update on the triggers and the other growouts
- Thread starter sbuse
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your fish look pretty happy and i love the triggers and the clowns. Your triggers are a pretty good size too. Congratulations it takes awhile for them to get that big. Have you ever thought about adding live rock? helps filter a bit. The rock pieces do look cool but if they had some coraline algae that tank would look amazing
thanks. my male clown turned black one day randomly so that was sweet. the niger i got really small and the other ones i got at about an inch or 2 smaller then they are now. they have bulked up in the 1-2" that they have put on. i have been thinking about adding more rock, but it will have to be done when i get the rock for the other tank i am building due to bulk deals i will get. i have been adding kent marine purple tech and essential elements to the tank, but the diatoms have a strong hold on the rocks so the coraline has a tuff time getting going. i have been thinking about using ro water instead of my tap with prime that i do now. if i do that hopefully the diatoms will die down so the other algae can grow in. i will also be getting a skimmer witch will help things.
have you looked in to a nitrate reactor , will reduce nitrate fast, there are products to nuetralize nitrate prime is one. you would only need a capful so one bottle will last you a long time
i have just heard about them and have thought about it. i use prime already, but if you add to much prime it actually becomes toxic. i just know that with the lighter stock planned with my 120 change over i hope to solve the nitrate issue without having to get anything other then a skimmer. i may go that route with the 120gal since it will have one hell of a bio-load with my plans for it and it will have a sump to ease things. this 55gal they are all in now doesn't have a sump so i am running out of space to put thing that are hob.
Vodka dosing...add a small ammount of vodka daily - no phosphates, no nitrates. Its how I keep that many fish in my reef.
is there a rule per gallon? like .5ml per gallon? one of my jobs is at a bar so i could get vodka cheap.
I dose Vodka too - cheap easy - See the results tested weekly - but IMO you'd need a skimmer to be on the safe side.
skimmer is on the list, but it has been going great with out it so far(over a year).
Vodka dosing does have "tables" aka guidlines. Basically you need to calculate total water volume not total tank volume. Easiest way - tank x sump or filtration minus one third for rocks and sand. It's best to under estimate rather than over. Test your water for nitrate just before weekly water change this is your starting point. If nitrate reads 80ppm start a list with the date and nitrate reading. Do the w/c and your starting dose 0.1 mil per 25 gal. Say your total water volume is 100 gal. your 1st dose is 0.4mil. Do 0.4mill for 3 days then double the dose that's 0.8 mil for 100 gal. At weeks end test for nitrate before w/c (this is a constant) write it down. if still 80ppm increase the dose each week by 0.5mil until the nitrate reading drops at weeks end. Once the Nitrate drops - do not increase the dose - wait til the next weeks readings. If nitrate continues to drop then this is your daily maintence dose however you can get drops and the following week back to 80ppm - if this occurs add 0.5mil more til nitrates consistantly drop each week, eventually becoming zero. Here comes the controversial part - some ppl hold at the maintence dose others than try to ween the system so to speak by slowly decreasing the daily dose by 0.5mil weekly while continually testing to make sure zero nitrate is holding. It can take a month or more before you see results.
Why the slow process - because you can overdose the tank. Common signs of overdosing - slime algae, black sludge build up in the tank, and lathargic fish due to a reduction in 02. Basically the Vodka (Ethanol) increases reproduction and growth in bacterial colonies inturn the colonies create a greater volume of skimmate which has assimilated the nitrate and phosphate which inturn is removed via the skimmer. The skimmate is black sludge and smells like a septic tank. I suspect dosing vodka without a skimmer would be piontless, do more harm than good, and a potental nightmare of black sludge build up and smelly water.
Why the slow process - because you can overdose the tank. Common signs of overdosing - slime algae, black sludge build up in the tank, and lathargic fish due to a reduction in 02. Basically the Vodka (Ethanol) increases reproduction and growth in bacterial colonies inturn the colonies create a greater volume of skimmate which has assimilated the nitrate and phosphate which inturn is removed via the skimmer. The skimmate is black sludge and smells like a septic tank. I suspect dosing vodka without a skimmer would be piontless, do more harm than good, and a potental nightmare of black sludge build up and smelly water.
I just use the cheapest 80 proof I can get...its about $10 for 2.1 liters.
You are going to want a good skimmer...and one that is oversized and powered.
You are going to want a good skimmer...and one that is oversized and powered.
Vodka dosing does have "tables" aka guidlines. Basically you need to calculate total water volume not total tank volume. Easiest way - tank x sump or filtration minus one third for rocks and sand. It's best to under estimate rather than over. Test your water for nitrate just before weekly water change this is your starting point. If nitrate reads 80ppm start a list with the date and nitrate reading. Do the w/c and your starting dose 0.1 mil per 25 gal. Say your total water volume is 100 gal. your 1st dose is 0.4mil. Do 0.4mill for 3 days then double the dose that's 0.8 mil for 100 gal. At weeks end test for nitrate before w/c (this is a constant) write it down. if still 80ppm increase the dose each week by 0.5mil until the nitrate reading drops at weeks end. Once the Nitrate drops - do not increase the dose - wait til the next weeks readings. If nitrate continues to drop then this is your daily maintence dose however you can get drops and the following week back to 80ppm - if this occurs add 0.5mil more til nitrates consistantly drop each week, eventually becoming zero. Here comes the controversial part - some ppl hold at the maintence dose others than try to ween the system so to speak by slowly decreasing the daily dose by 0.5mil weekly while continually testing to make sure zero nitrate is holding. It can take a month or more before you see results.
Why the slow process - because you can overdose the tank. Common signs of overdosing - slime algae, black sludge build up in the tank, and lathargic fish due to a reduction in 02. Basically the Vodka (Ethanol) increases reproduction and growth in bacterial colonies inturn the colonies create a greater volume of skimmate which has assimilated the nitrate and phosphate which inturn is removed via the skimmer. The skimmate is black sludge and smells like a septic tank. I suspect dosing vodka without a skimmer would be piontless, do more harm than good, and a potental nightmare of black sludge build up and smelly water.
thanks for the explanation. i will be waiting till i get a skimmer going before i start this.
I just use the cheapest 80 proof I can get...its about $10 for 2.1 liters.
You are going to want a good skimmer...and one that is oversized and powered.
i have been looking at one that is rated for a 180gal, i'll post a link to it to see if it is worth it or junk.
here is the link to one i have been looking at.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AQUARIUM-FI...712?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2566734e78
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AQUARIUM-FI...712?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2566734e78
Never heard about these...I guess we give it a go.
My basic rules on skimmers are that they should be oversized. Then when you are adding vodka dosing...it really needs to be oversized, and usually over driven (larger/better pump).
My basic rules on skimmers are that they should be oversized. Then when you are adding vodka dosing...it really needs to be oversized, and usually over driven (larger/better pump).
your skimmer veiws seem to be simmilar to my filtration veiws. never can over filter a tank and the more filtration you have the better you will be. just when you think you have enough filtration add a pothoes, bamboo or mangrove(for salt) to top it off. i don't have a sump on this tank so i have been looking at hob style and i am undecided on what to use. i may try this one, but in the end i have i feeling i will end up going with the one you mentioned in the pm. i hate spending money on things that don't work.
Yup and the whole not spending money thing is worse with SW it seems. Get a sump...look into HOB overflows. I am running one on my 125g. Its the CPR model with an aqualifter pump. Works great thus far.
More volume with these guys is just what the doctor ordered. Plus getting stuff out of the tank helps looks, and prevents the chance that the triggers will munch on things like heaters.
More volume with these guys is just what the doctor ordered. Plus getting stuff out of the tank helps looks, and prevents the chance that the triggers will munch on things like heaters.
i have thought about adding a diy hob overflow to a custom diy sump made to fit under my 55gal's extra small stand, but i may wait on it till i am done building the sump for the 120gal and it is ready. i'll have to see how funds go to dictate my plans for the 2 tanks.
