vodka dosing (in your reef not mouth)

[CoralBeauties]

Is anyone dosing vodka into their tanks?   I would like to know what effects the ultra low nutrient levels have on your corals.  I have noticed a slow down in growth and not as good of polyp extension in my corals of late and was wondering if my system is getting to the uln point.
thanks
Jeff

[chromiumlux]

What is the method you are dosing with Jeff? Vodka obviously, but rather could you explain the complete process and everything involved.

[Wall_Tank]

Yes, although I have moved to a Vodka/Vinegar solution.   Equal molar concentrations  (or for you non chemisty folk, 8 parts normal white vinegar, to 1 part 80proof vodka).   I use 1 ampule of Prodibio BioDigest every 15 days......or so.   Tank volume about 120 gallons.  (90 gal tank, 25 or so in my sump, 20 gal frag tank)

When I first started 3 years ago, I was die hard pushing for ULN.   I was dosing straight vodka at the time, up to about 8ml per day.   I found that while algae could not survive with the ULN.   I could not keep good coloration in my coral, everything was a bit pale.   I tried various brands of amino acids, and such.....could not get color.

So I backed off on my dosing.   Never stopped, just dropped to about 1/2ml per day.    Let my nitrates get to the point where I could just detect them with my test kit.    Colors and growth have never been better.   I've been this way for about a year.  I use a maintenance dose now of 2ml per day  (Note that the V/V equal molar solution above is not nearly as strong as straight vodka)   I usually just watch the algae growth.......if it seems to be growing a little less, I skip a dose or two......if it is growing more that normal, I make sure I hit every dose.

[CoralBeauties]

I actually am not dosing any vodka.  I have a pretty large skimmer with twin sicci pumps, gfo reactor, sump with mangrooves, 55 gallon sump with coral rubble and a remote deep sand bucket.  With all of the above I believe I might be in the uln level and maybe seeing the effects of it.  I see absolutely no algae growth other alittle bit on the glass once a week.  I have even watched some patches of bubble algae die off.  along with the slow growth and poor polyp extension I am thinking uln.  Just not sure where to go from here if that might be the case.
thanks
Jeff

[kattz]

Zeovit amino acids...  I hear that there's some pretty good results out there with these and ULN tanks when growing SPS.