Vitamin C (carbon source) dosing, no skimmer. It CAN be done. Carefully.

The bacteria only bloom in proportion to how much you are dosing. If you overdose, you definitely run the risk of what you're talking about.

Now I admit that ascorbate may stimulate a smaller bloom, or may not. I don't know, but I wouldn't be afraid in the least to dose vodka in this system using the appropriate amounts. The problem with dosing vodka is that it doesn't seem to have the secondary benefits for soft corals and LPS that dosing ascorbate seems to do.

 

Still dosing 1/4 tsp per day in my 11g. This is holding my alk quite steady.

My nitrates remain hovering around 0.2ppm. Phosphates remain between "undetectable" and 0.05ppm, on the Seachem kits


All corals appear healthy. I am quite satisfied.

 

Update.

As soft coral growth has really taken off in this tank (thriving very well, especially the long blue anthelia), and I have not increased feeding rates, I've NOT needed to dose much Vitamin C.


I do notice a reduction in algae in the tank (esp what covers the glass) if I stick to dosing, takes a week to notice the difference in glass-film growth. When dosing, it takes a full week before I need to use the Mag-float. When NOT dosing, it takes two days.



However, I still have no skimmer, no GFO, and rarely do water changes, and yet I have nearly no pest algae (and, absolutely none that worry me, just tiny 1/8" long turf algae spots here and there we all get).


This tank has proven to me that you can dose Vitamin C without the use of a skimmer and have a definite benefit, and it can be used to tip the balance toward the side of "success!" when you don't have extensive stands of corals growing to compete with the algae.


Start low, go slow, feed very little, and be patient. Beautiful tanks can happen but they don't last long for impatient people.

 

Thank you for the follow up.

Your first hand experience has been interesting and this is something I might try in the future.

 

Neat! Very nice write up and updates... Im thinking of dosing myself i may be leaning towards this route over vodka... Thanks..

 

Glad to be of use


Just note that I've used both vodka and Vitamin C, and the Vodka is definitely quicker and stronger at keeping a ULNS. But, if you don't have a skimmer on your tank, you aren't trying to get a ULNS anyhow and the Vitamin C will simply help you tilt the balance back to your favor against algae.


FWIW I have several montipora and turbinaria species in this tank, and 1 acropora, that are doing quite well--- even though it's the "wrong" kind of setup except for light, which I have plenty of (LED DIY)