# Carbon sourcing



## Ningal (Jan 28, 2012)

I've not been able to get my tank to under 1 ppm of nitrate and I've lately been considering carbon sourcing with vodka along the lines of what's in this article: Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com

Does anyone here have any experience with it/tips about it? I currently have a wounded anemone, so I'm not sure if I shouldn't hold off until later.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Ningal said:


> I've not been able to get my tank to under 1 ppm of nitrate and I've lately been considering carbon sourcing with vodka along the lines of what's in this article: Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
> 
> Does anyone here have any experience with it/tips about it? I currently have a wounded anemone, so I'm not sure if I shouldn't hold off until later.


You only have 1 ppm of Trates showing and you want to get rid of that? Just want to be sure we are not talking about 10 ppm or something. If you wonly have 1, you won't need to worry about a thing, that 1 is not going to bother anything in your tank, not even SPS.
But, I currently Dose Vodka. And have no ill affects in my tank. YOu do not need to mess with you tank at all.
Thats the link I figured out how to dose with.


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## Ningal (Jan 28, 2012)

Well, it's between 1 and five...I think? I'm using the salifert test kit and I honestly have a lot of trouble reading the colors. It's certainly not ten.


And I guess I'm OCD about nitrates. Actually, just OCD in general when it comes to fish.  I just really like the idea of having zero trates. I'll hold off for now, then, I guess.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Definatley hold off. Tank in my opinion is not mature enough to start Carbon Dosing. Doing more frequent water changes will take your levels down for you. Instead of doing every 2 weeks, do a smaller change every week, see how this goes for you.


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## Ningal (Jan 28, 2012)

I currently do 15% water changes every saturday.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Slow down on the feeding. By all means feed the fish, but not as much as you have been.


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## Ningal (Jan 28, 2012)

I haven't been feeding them much at all...

I actually have cut back since the anemone problem. I'm feeding like half what I used to. (used to feed four times a day what they could eat in a minute or less)


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Welp, that would be a good reason why your Trates are only 1 ppm then. doesn't get much better than that.
*w3


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## Ningal (Jan 28, 2012)

I imagine my trates just went up, though, since I removed the phoszorb and replanted the shaving brushes. I'll do a nitrate test in an hour or two to see where they are.


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## Ningal (Jan 28, 2012)

Well, to be honest, my nitrate readings look about the same if not LESS than they were.

I took pictures, I dunno if you're familiar with saliferts test kits:



















I can NOT read these things well, Terrible time with color gradations this minute.

But basically I think it's still between 1 and 5 ppm.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Anything under 10 and you are safe, really safe.


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## trouble93 (Nov 8, 2008)

I have a thread on this site about vodka dosing... but as stated above less then 10ppm is not a major problem in a reef tank. No since in putting yourself and your tank though that stress for 1-5ppm.


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## Ningal (Jan 28, 2012)

Well, that's good to know. The only time it EVER was over 10 was when my fromia died.


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