Treating with Vitamin C

[Aquatic Hamster]

I just started my twice daily dosing of Sodium Ascorbate based on the information I gathered from this thread. While my zoathids don't appear sick they growth seems slow. I will be dosing between 5 and 10 PPM for the next few weeks to see if I can get the growth I used to get. Will Sodium Ascorbate help the color and growth of sps too?

Is there a place where I could read more about using VC as a carbon source in place of vodka or the other dosing people have been trying?

[Pufferpunk]

I found much better color, growth & PE on my SPS.

I would do a search for those other subjects. The Search works best here late--like after midnight or later.

[Aquatic Hamster]

I have been dosing 1 tsp of VC twice daily now for 2 weeks in a water colum of 150 gallons. I thought I would report in my findings. The tank was in great shape before, I had a few individual zoa polyps not opening and one particular SPS coral where colors have faded. I'm using the SPS in particular as an easy visual to see changes.

*Currently there is no color change in the faded SPS.
*I have seen a few more zoa polyps open, but not all.
*I used to clean algae off of my glass every 3 days. Once VC started I only do it every 7-8 days now.
*Skimmer is pulling more gunk now
*Filter socks - I used to change every 3 days. Now the socks plug up with gunk and start overflowing over night.
*Micro algaes are dying.

The oddest thing so far is the filter sock issue. I can see they are plugged with dirt but also have a slight slimmy feel. If I don't change daily an 18" tall filter sock will overflow. This is causing some problems with salinity drop as the socks are big and as they fill the sump level drops a little and gets additional di water.

Over all the tank 'looks' better, this maybe very subjective as I can't give a rock solid reason why. Water is a little clearer and the tank just looks 'happy'.

[Bolo Tran]

I've been reading this thread off and on for a while now and I'm finally thinking of trying it. My zoas need a swift kick in the butt. My only concern is I have a SPS dominant tank and I want to take caution on how it affects my stonies. Is VC beneficial to sps or is this method strictly for tanks with zoas? Thanks

[650-IS350]

Hamster, check inside your skimmer too.. they'll fill up way faster with green gunk. That happend to both of my MCE600's.

[Aquatic Hamster]

I run a duel beckett MRC, but I run it real wet so the gunk is in the form of an extra foul smelling liquid in the waste container. And since the VC it has been really, really foul.

Wish there was away around the filter sock problem though. This is causing daily extra work that has to be watched closely.

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Aquatic Hamster
I have been dosing 1 tsp of VC twice daily now for 2 weeks in a water colum of 150 gallons. I thought I would report in my findings. The tank was in great shape before, I had a few individual zoa polyps not opening and one particular SPS coral where colors have faded. I'm using the SPS in particular as an easy visual to see changes.

*Currently there is no color change in the faded SPS.
*I have seen a few more zoa polyps open, but not all.
*I used to clean algae off of my glass every 3 days. Once VC started I only do it every 7-8 days now.
*Skimmer is pulling more gunk now
*Filter socks - I used to change every 3 days. Now the socks plug up with gunk and start overflowing over night.
*Micro algaes are dying.

The oddest thing so far is the filter sock issue. I can see they are plugged with dirt but also have a slight slimmy feel. If I don't change daily an 18" tall filter sock will overflow. This is causing some problems with salinity drop as the socks are big and as they fill the sump level drops a little and gets additional di water.

Over all the tank 'looks' better, this maybe very subjective as I can't give a rock solid reason why. Water is a little clearer and the tank just looks 'happy'.

All of this is normal and means that you are in the vast majority of people that are dosing properly. The people that see drastic changes have had water quality issues or disease in thier tank. I have been dosing VC for over a year and have many of the same findings as you. I would pitch the filter socks when dosing VC. They are trapping large globs of bacteria that have gorged themselves on the carbon source in VC IMO. I had to stop using them a year ago because of the same problems. My skimmer picks up the slack. Your skimmer is the main export piece of equipment when dosing any carbon source. The effects you see in less glass scraping and less micro algae is the effect of the nitrates and phosphates dropping rapidly. They have been out-competed.

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Bolo Tran
I've been reading this thread off and on for a while now and I'm finally thinking of trying it. My zoas need a swift kick in the butt. My only concern is I have a SPS dominant tank and I want to take caution on how it affects my stonies. Is VC beneficial to sps or is this method strictly for tanks with zoas? Thanks

Look 2 thread up . Lots of people have had great success with mixed reefs using VC. Start really slowly if you have concerns and check polyp extention carefully as you start. If you see retraction, cut back by half and raise very very slowly until you see increased polyp extention and better colors. If you start to see fading, feed your fish more food, it's possible that you are stripping too many nutrients from the water too quickly.

[Jeff]

Originally posted by 650-IS350
Hamster, check inside your skimmer too.. they'll fill up way faster with green gunk. That happend to both of my MCE600's.

I agree, I ended up getting a new skimmer since my old one couldnt keep up. The skimmate I produce now is thick and stinks like a dead body .

[Aquatic Hamster]

Originally posted by Jeff
They are trapping large globs of bacteria that have gorged themselves on the carbon source in VC IMO.

I'm very interested in this statement. Is there any place I can find out more about VC / Carbon / and the bacteria you mention. Do people that dose vodka see this same reaction in a filter sock?

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Aquatic Hamster
I'm very interested in this statement. Is there any place I can find out more about VC / Carbon / and the bacteria you mention. Do people that dose vodka see this same reaction in a filter sock?

I have no idea if there is any information out there regarding vitamin c and it's use as a carbon source. One of the benefits of vitamin c is that it does act as a carbon source much like sugar, vinegar or vodka dosing. If you do enough reading or expeirimenting with any of these carbon sources, you will read/see how they tend to clog filter socks, increase skimming, and diminish nutients. I dosed sugar for a few months and had the same results as vitamin c in ragards to the skimming, filter sock effects. There are a few threads here on RC regarding this information. Most of the sources of carbon provide the same results for the most part.

[Pufferpunk]

Back up from the deep.

[Aquatic Hamster]

I have backed off of my dosage only slightly and that has taken care of the problem of bacteria plugging the filter socks so quickly. This hasn't been a fix for my green monties fading to yellow. But everything else seems well. Including these African Blues.

[wes888]

Can I dose VC if I don't have a skimmer?

[Pufferpunk]

I wouldn't for a 10g. It has been found that there must be some sort of a waste export such as a skimmer, to remove the wastes taken out by the VC, which when dosed will reduce your nitrate to 0.

[intenseimage]

I want to stick with the 5 ppm dosing for color and spread. On a tank with a GWV around 75g, I would need approx 1419 mg of VC? Since a 1/4 tsp is 1112 mg should I just shoot for 3/8 tsp?

[Pufferpunk]

Just round to the nearest 1/4 tsp.

[dodwyer]

Jumping aboard from my thread Help - I can not get my Zoas happy

Puffy recommended this
Then you're safe to add 1/8 tsp VC to that system, under the skimmer cup, 2x/day.

I do not see many recent before and after stats so here goes, I am ordering the VC today and will us the Puffy recommended
Use this product:
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails...293197697039798
$5 0ff coupon code: LUL789 (always good for first purchase).

As you will see in my thread I am experiencing an decline in my established tank with most of my Zoas now closed and unhappy. My water params as of today are:

24gal Nano running Sapphire skimmer and 3x36 CPC lights 2x actintic 1x 10k
Temp - 78
SG - 1.025
PH - 8.12
Alk - 5.71
Mg - 1500
Ca - 500

And here are the before pics












Wish me luck I want to be one of the VC success stories as I love my Zoas and I am devastated that I can not make them happy anymore.

[Pufferpunk]

Glad you found this. As I said, start with 1/8 tsp & you may need to work your way up higher. I usually dose my 15g frag tank with 1/4 tsp. I might be overdosing but it's easier to measure. I'm just doing it for lowering nitrate & better skimmate.

[Jeff]

Bump for a great thing

[dodwyer]

This is my one week up date. I have been adding 1/8 tsp twice a day for 1 week. Below are the water parameters today and some photos.

I can not seem to keep the PH above 8 even using a PH buffer. I assume the PH buffer is the cause of the high KH / Alk numbers. Can anyone provide suggestions??

Temp - 78.1
SG - 1.026
PH - 7.79
Alk - 5.71
Mg - 1500
Ca - 360

[Pufferpunk]

I'd get your Mg down to around 1350. Sounds like several WC are in order with a good salt like Reef Crystals. What salt are you using now? I like my Ca around 400-450.

[dodwyer]

Puffy,
been using NSW for water changes, will that work??

[Pufferpunk]

IDK, how does that test out?

[dodwyer]

You mean to test out the NSW and see if the Mg numbers are near where I am heading? I will have to get back to you on that one, never checked.