I have some algae that I cant get rid of including bryopsis, I have been able to manage it to this point but with business keeping me away a lot lately I don't want it to get out of control. I have used sea hares in the past however I have tried three in the last two months with very little success. My next option is to try to cause harm to the algae to the point that my cuc crew will go after it, this is apparent when I calc paste the algae it sustains major harm and the cuc devours it. The draw back to this method is I cannot get to many areas where it grows and do not wish to calc paste next to corals like my OEM chalices. So my thought was to carbon dose to the point I can cause damage to the algae and the cuc can finish it off. So question number one is how much to dose? My phos and nitrates are 0 and stay there consistently but I have a large refugium that is likely striping those numbers down. The tank is 225 with another 140 in sump and refugium. So how much should I dose? If you have used it in the past how much have you dosed? Did it work? Draw backs? I have a few really nice corals and would hate to cause harm so I need to make sure I do this correctly. Advice needed! Thanks!
Vodka dosing??
- Thread starter Dbarnes
- Start date
I carbon dose (thanks C. Capp), however I dont use vodka or sugar or vinegar. I am using red sea no3-po4x, I stopped using GFO because I don't need it anymore. I am feeding more then ever and have gone to reading between 0.00 and 0.02 on my hanna. I have had burnt tips on some sps but they always come back, and have not lost a single coral since I started. I will never not carbon dose again but have being thinking Zeo-vit maybe next round.
Vodka dosing??
Vodka works I have been doing it for 1 1/2 months and it make your corals colors pop it's amazing some people say to chase vodka with Brightwell's mircobacter 7 I haven't done that at all just start really small 0.1ml for every 25gallons for the first 3 days then days 4-7 do 0.2 ml for every 25 gallons then every week after that add 0.5ml make sure you have nice test kits for NO3 and PO4 like Red Sea pro and Hanna checkers and watch alk it will going down faster and can burn tips on sps
Vodka works I have been doing it for 1 1/2 months and it make your corals colors pop it's amazing some people say to chase vodka with Brightwell's mircobacter 7 I haven't done that at all just start really small 0.1ml for every 25gallons for the first 3 days then days 4-7 do 0.2 ml for every 25 gallons then every week after that add 0.5ml make sure you have nice test kits for NO3 and PO4 like Red Sea pro and Hanna checkers and watch alk it will going down faster and can burn tips on sps
I always used sugar. It is cheaper, easy to measure and just as pure.
The issue that you might run in to is if the algae will win/lose the competition with the coral if you lower the nutrients. In essence, the bacteria will probably win and you could lose both if you go low enough... or keep both if you keep some nutrients.
Check out increasing your mag to get rid of the bryposis. I used to be plagued by it - magnificent foxface will eat it and all other kinds of macro, but they got big and I had to sell and rebuy a smaller one from time to time. On the good side, all of them would eat it. They fox would eat it down and then it would come back. Often, all of the "easy" algae had to be gone before it would eat it. Only the mag got rid of it forever - it just wasted away. I also saw mexican turbos munch on the stems/roots, but all of the other "easy" algae had to be gone.
The issue that you might run in to is if the algae will win/lose the competition with the coral if you lower the nutrients. In essence, the bacteria will probably win and you could lose both if you go low enough... or keep both if you keep some nutrients.
Check out increasing your mag to get rid of the bryposis. I used to be plagued by it - magnificent foxface will eat it and all other kinds of macro, but they got big and I had to sell and rebuy a smaller one from time to time. On the good side, all of them would eat it. They fox would eat it down and then it would come back. Often, all of the "easy" algae had to be gone before it would eat it. Only the mag got rid of it forever - it just wasted away. I also saw mexican turbos munch on the stems/roots, but all of the other "easy" algae had to be gone.