If you had any doubt regarding the claims reefers make about dosing vodka and other carbon sources to their tanks, the new N:P-X product from Red Sea should add a heaping tablespoon of credibility to the technique. N:P-X is a liquid carbon source from Red Sea which is used to stimulate heterotrophic bacteria to consume nitrogen and phosphorous, thereby reducing the undesirable nitrate and phosphate in reef aquarium water. What sets N:P-X apart from off the shelf cheap vodka from a plastic bottle is that it contains essential minerals which are consumed in proportion with the carbon-based bacteria food. When these minerals are in low concentrations in the aquarium water the bacteria reduce their rate of nitrate and phosphate reduction and N:P-X tries to prevent those shortages of minerals. N:P-X can be used as a carbon source for all manner of denitrifying filters including sulfur reactors although it should not be used in conjunction with phosphate removers such as granular ferric oxide (GFO). The maximum recommended dosage is around 2ml per 25 gallons or 100 liters of aquarium water.
