Vodka dosing

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by Piano10, Aug 6, 2015.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. zesty

    zesty Sailfin Tang

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2013
    Messages:
    1,715
    Location:
    Greenfield, WI
    milk? I mean sugars are sugars, but I thought the vinegar/vodka was used due to not much else getting in the way...

    however...lactose is an unfermentable sugar (brewing).... hmmmmmmmmmmmm what does that do?

    "lactose — though a sugar — is unfermentable by brewer’s yeast, but can be consumed by certain strains of bacteria "
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Yeah the milk one threw me too.

    His tank is nice and it worked or works for that hobbyist. He is a more daring soul than me though.
     
    zesty likes this.
  4. zesty

    zesty Sailfin Tang

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2013
    Messages:
    1,715
    Location:
    Greenfield, WI
    exactly. While it will probably work, the side effects. I would be able to tell them apart from side effects of something else. That's what makes me nervous.
     
  5. Piano10

    Piano10 Aiptasia Anemone

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2015
    Messages:
    581
    I completely agree with you. Algae in small amounts is natural, we just don't like the look as hobbyists. Lol.

    Normal amounts of green algae I am fine with. Its the diatoms that bother me, especially since its on my substrate.

    I do weekly water changes(distilled water), feed small amounts, change floss every few days. Nitrates less than 5 and phos 0

    My diatoms had gotten low and I did a water change...voila they came back and worse this time.

    I am not comfortable adding vodka, vinegar is more natural to me and milk just sounds a wee bit too scary to consider.

    I guess theres a wee bit of frustration for me, battling micro bubbles from the filter and now diatoms
     
  6. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Well diatoms are feed by silicates so we need to figure out how you're adding silicates to the system, is it your water container? Did you add any new equipment? The micro bubbles are coming from the spill from the HOB filter correct?
     
    Swisswiss likes this.
  7. Piano10

    Piano10 Aiptasia Anemone

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2015
    Messages:
    581
    Been trying to think of this as well.

    The water i use is bottled distilled from walmart

    The container I mix in is a reef bucket from the lfs

    Salt is instant ocean

    No new equipment

    Yes, the bubbles are from my hob and on one side of the tank only. I'm wondering if its due to the powerhead direction hitting the water from the filter?

    I tried increasing the water level in tank higher to cause less bubbles...made it worse.

    Put the flow level on lowest which helped but it lowers the flow in the tank

    Added bag of chemipure blue and the bubbles are worse

    Grrrr. If I could run chemical filteration without the filter, I'd just get a skimmer!

    I know, sump but thats not an option:(
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. Piano10

    Piano10 Aiptasia Anemone

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2015
    Messages:
    581
    First pic is one side eith bubbles
    2nd the other side...perfect
    3rd diatoms better today in rocks but not so much on the substrate
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Consider getting a somewhat decent HOB skimmer, get rid of the HOB filter. Clean your detritus when you clean the tank, or buy one of those in tank filters, or change the brand of HOB filter. We can think of something I am sure.
     
  11. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Non of that looks terribly bad, I am sure it's driving you nuts though. I have some micro bubbles on the surface of my tank. Add another small nano power head and direct it to the bubble area. You do not have an over flow or a surface skimmer that is the reason.
     
    Piano10 likes this.
  12. Piano10

    Piano10 Aiptasia Anemone

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2015
    Messages:
    581
    I went out searching everywhere for the surface skimmer, no one has one. I have to order one. Can't believe not a single store has one.lol.
    If it will help with the micro bubbles, its worth waiting a week or more for delivery.

    Will the micro bubbles cause any issues?

    I'm debating getting another hob filter, never had this issue with my other aquaclear. I wonder which one has the longest lip into the tank?

    Thank you so much!