Vodka automating dosing frequency question

[jwaka11]

So I've started to dose vodka to my system to reduce my ~80ppm nitrate. The only thing its still in the beginning phase so I'm still dosing @ 4ml/day however its increasing weekly until I find my sweet spot.

I'm thinking of getting a dosing pump but the lowest rate for a model I'm looking at is 1ml/hr. Question, if I were to dilute the daily dose of 4ml vodka in 20ml of RO water, it shouldnt make a difference right?

If I were to estimate where my daily sweet spot is, I would say it would be around 15-20ml--still less than the 24ml/day. My edumated guess is based on a number I pull out of my behind. Regardless, I would still need to dilute with RO.

I've tried using IV drip method, but the one I'm using isnt too reliable. Should I just be looking for a smaller dosing pump?

Thoughts?

 

[67belvedere]

i would not use a pump to dose vodka for any reason do it daily by hand or you could be asking for trouble

 

[wrassefan]

I agree with above...just use a sringe like the ones that come in a Salifert test kit. Dose either once or twice a day....better safe than sorry.

 

[JPags]

The problem with dilution is that I am not sure if you dilute multiple days worth or vodka, if the dilution ratio will stay the same or if the vodka will settle out and have a higher concentration at the bottom or top of the mixture.

I was dosing vodka and was doing it by hand when I fed my fish. Once I hit my sweet spot it was very easy to do.

I also got one of thoes plastic syringes from CVS for medications which made it easy to just dose the appropriate amount in a cup of tank water and then slowly pour it in.

John

 

[jwaka11]

Good points. Currently im using the syringe and an IV drip system daily. Im just thinking that if Im away for a long weekend, I want to find a way to continue the daily dosing without having a person to manually do it.

 

[DLCanuck]

What happen if you skip few day's of not vodka?

 

[jwaka11]

I think the key point of vodka dosing is consistency. Its just such a strong additive to be adding to our tank--hence the slow super slow increase in the daily amount on a weekly basis until you find that sweet spot.

As far as missing doses, IMO, missing one/two day is fine... but anymore than that, you'd risk a chance of shocking your system if you were to dose what you normally would.

 

[JPags]

I went on vacation for a week and had no problems not dosing. This was after I reached my max dosage and cut back to my maintenance dose. I am not sure if I would stop dosing util I reached the sweet spot.

One other note, I have since dropped my dose back and eventually stopped dosing and have not had my nitrates come back (Which was the reason I started).

I am keeping an eye on them and will start dosing if they start to rise again.

John

 

[elaminator]

I'm just curious..........how much dosing for a 180g set up and is there a particular brand of vodka or the number of proof matters?

 

[CaptainAndy]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

 

[Greg Hiller]

>The problem with dilution is that I am not sure if you dilute multiple days worth or vodka, if the dilution ratio will stay the same or if the vodka will settle out and have a higher concentration at the bottom or top of the mixture.<

Alcohol will NOT settle out. Ethanol is 100% misable with water. However, I would not dilute the alcohol much below 10-12% or you might have stuff grow in it. Above 10% not much other than alcohol producing yeast can grow in it. If you decide to use a dosing pump I also recommend that you be very careful, an accidential multi-day dose could be a big problem.

 

[me2003]

~80ppm nitrate.

That is a high nitrate level. I am not a fan of vodka dosing as demonstrated in other threads. I think you might want to look at why it is so high and do some water changes to lower before even attempting dosing. What are your tank parameters? Do you use RO
water? How much do you feed your fish? What do you have in your tank? I am not sure the "vodka dosing theory" applies here.

 

[jwaka11]

That is a high nitrate level. I am not a fan of vodka dosing as demonstrated in other threads. I think you might want to look at why it is so high and do some water changes to lower before even attempting dosing. What are your tank parameters? Do you use RO
water? How much do you feed your fish? What do you have in your tank? I am not sure the "vodka dosing theory" applies here.

While I agree that 80ppm is a high number for nitrate, I have no corals in my FOWLR system. My fishes have no sign of stress and as far as I can tell, they're pretty happy--eyes are nice and clear, no sign of ich, and no battle scars.

My other water parameters are as follow:
NO2 0ppm, PO4 1-2ppm, Calc 380, Alk 10, PH 8.2 and my RO is @ 0ppm tested via TDS.

I do feed my fishes heavily but its nothing that they cant finish within 1 minute. I like my fishes nice and fat

To each his own... right now, I'm doing this process as a last resort since nothing else seems to be working in lowering my nitrate. So only time will tell. FYI, my NO3 level now is 20-40ppm--feels good when the color is back on the chart But this is after I jump start my system in the past month with 2 20% water changes.

 

[ericmweath]

timer

why cant you use a timer together with your dosing pump while your away.set it to turn on for an hour or so a day.

 

[Psychographic]

There was a post somewhere in which a person used a syringe hooked up to a regular timer and two check valves to dose a small amount of fertilizer to a FW planted tank.

He or she, put a small screw into the face of the dial to mount to the plunger of the syringe, the output of the syringe went to an airline "T". On each end of the "T" was a check valve, one side went to the supply with the check valve situated so it could only draw from the supply. The other side of the "T" went to the tank with the valve situated so it could only draw from the syringe.

As the timer only makes 1 RPD, it was able to dose a small amount in a 24 hour period.

To get up to 24ml, you might have to mount a bar to the dial to get the extension needed for a syringe that size.

 

[tigerslacrosse4]

gettin fish tipsy... i like it

 

[JohnK]

I would think the best option would be a very slow dosing pump on a timer.

For example, I have an old cole parmer peristaltic pump with a very slow flow rate pump head and a 30rpm drive. With this set up, it moves only about 18 ml / hour and it's dead on consistent. You could easily control that with a digital timer to give a very accurate and consistent daily dose. Run it for 20 min / day and you get a 6 ml dose.....

 

[ericmweath]

timer

I would think the best option would be a very slow dosing pump on a timer.

For example, I have an old cole parmer peristaltic pump with a very slow flow rate pump head and a 30rpm drive. With this set up, it moves only about 18 ml / hour and it's dead on consistent. You could easily control that with a digital timer to give a very accurate and consistent daily dose. Run it for 20 min / day and you get a 6 ml dose.....

exzactly what i was trying to say.