Vodka dosing and Cyanobacteria

[rgun2515]

Question to those that have tried Vodka Dosing.

What happends to Cyanobacteria when you dose vodka? Does it multiply or decrease?

 

[pdnyc69]

it disappears after a while

 

[AlohaTropics]

Vodka dosing is very much the same as Zeovit. Its dosing a Carbon source to promote the growth of bacteria for the purpose of bacterial filtration. The sources of "food" for the bacteria that you are trying to populate is N, C, P. The introduction of a Carbon Source will allow the bacteria to colonize and multiply thereby consuming certain proportions of C, N, P. This is why Carbon dosing can reduce Nitrate and Phosphate levels. But you have to be careful because the C, N, P aren't consumed at equal levels. If there are any "extra units" that are left (because one factor is exhausted while other two remain) this can be a food source for other micro organisms such as Cyanobacteria. So if you do not have the proper bacteria population, excess dosing of Vodka or any other Carbon source can actually fuel the growth of unwanted bacteria such as Cyano.

Hope this helps, if you really want the in depth version, let me know. I can dig up the link to a really good read.