Nitrate Reduction 101 with sugar!!!

[tquick]

Rock candy is what i use for slow release of sugar the clear kind to not color the water JOKE. I can see how this can be usufull but in a glass of water with sugar you are making sugar water which is thick especailly with all the sugar disolved. So in that case i would also expect things to die seeing how they have to absorb what they need. So pretty much what you did is poured syrp into a glass . But i expect in a 50 gallon tank 1 teaspon evfery 2 to 3 days would do nothing but get used up by the bacteria that multipies like rabbits in you tank Just my 2 cents

 

[yeniraki]

Ok we are lowering nitrates by increasing the population of nitrate consuming bacteria via feeding them with carbon source either vodka or sugar. No doubt about results as we all experienced the decrease in nitrate levels. But I had to stop dosing sugar after I started having brown algae, diatom outbreak although my nitrate and phophate levels were zero. Interesting huh? The thing I was missing was I was also feeding the algae, diatom that started covering my rocks and sand.
So no short cuts guys, zero nitrates with plenty of algae or better husbandary with lots of patience, your choice. I pick the latter.

 

[thriceanangel]

0-5 ppm nitrates from 160 ppm and more than 3 months now I believe of dosing sugar. Everything is great. No hair algae, NO diatomic, no algae of any sort, no red slime nothing. In fact my hair algae outbreak went away within 2 week of the first dose. I am sold on this. There will always be naysayers, but it worked great for me, and I would tell anyone that is having nitrate problems to do the same.

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9044064#post9044064 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thriceanangel
0-5 ppm nitrates from 160 ppm and more than 3 months now I believe of dosing sugar. Everything is great. No hair algae, NO diatomic, no algae of any sort, no red slime nothing. In fact my hair algae outbreak went away within 2 week of the first dose. I am sold on this. There will always be naysayers, but it worked great for me, and I would tell anyone that is having nitrate problems to do the same.

So what is your maintainse dose now?

 

[thriceanangel]

a teaspoon and a half. Once a week I bump it up to 2 teaspoons. This is for about 120 total system gallons

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9045223#post9045223 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thriceanangel
a teaspoon and a half.

Every day?

 

[rustybucket145]

Ok, I'll admit I didn't get to read this entire thread but...... Wouldn't just adding a fuge with chaeto and a DSB take care of all of your problems?

One weekend of work (vs.) Pouring sugar in your tank everyday and still having problems...... hmmmm........

just curious, and maybe this has already been discussed in the thread, if so, please disregard my comments.

 

[thriceanangel]

Yep everyday.

I do have a fuge with chaeto, and I tried the RDSB. And yes it has been posted before in this thread, but I do use RO/DI, and removed all livestock, and removed crushed coral substrate, and increased flow, and massive water changes, and many many small water changes and on and on and on. I couldn't stop the nitrates, no matter what. I had heard about this sugar thing, but didn't want to try it because I was afraid of the ramifications. But when it finally got to a point that I was going to have to stop keeping coral, or try this last method, I tried it. And as I said I couldn't be happier.

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9046420#post9046420 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by thriceanangel
Yep everyday.

I do have a fuge with chaeto, and I tried the RDSB. And yes it has been posted before in this thread, but I do use RO/DI, and removed all livestock, and removed crushed coral substrate, and increased flow, and massive water changes, and many many small water changes and on and on and on. I couldn't stop the nitrates, no matter what. I had heard about this sugar thing, but didn't want to try it because I was afraid of the ramifications. But when it finally got to a point that I was going to have to stop keeping coral, or try this last method, I tried it. And as I said I couldn't be happier.

 

[ROR]

Carbon dosing can take your nitrates way lower (perhaps dangerously low) than DSB or macro algae can. Macro algae will not survive in an ultra-low nutrient system.

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9047710#post9047710 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ROR
Carbon dosing can take your nitrates way lower (perhaps dangerously low) than DSB or macro algae can. Macro algae will not survive in an ultra-low nutrient system.

Yes but like i asked , you can have a maintenance sugar addition with no problem . Thriceanangel have fund the right amount of maintenance sugar dose for his tank, so if you going to add sugar you need to get a good test kit so you don,t get, like you said "ultra-low nutrient system"

 

[ROR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9049048#post9049048 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Zoom
Yes but like i asked , you can have a maintenance sugar addition with no problem .

Of Course! That's what I do. 1 tsp sugar a day along with Prodibio, including the amino acids (important IMO). I was responding to rustybucket145's post comparing carbon dosing to DSB or macro algae.

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9049219#post9049219 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ROR
Of Course! That's what I do. 1 tsp sugar a day along with Prodibio, including the amino acids (important IMO). I was responding to rustybucket145's post comparing carbon dosing to DSB or macro algae.

I see, Now you use 1 tsp to how many gallons? for maintenance.

 

[ROR]

72 gal

 

[thriceanangel]

I have had no problem maintaining a large cheato mat as well. I think that it has helped in combination with the sugar dosing. I did just have a crab die, and its in a place where it can't be reached to be removed, so I am going to be watching to see if it affects the nitrates. Hopefully the other crabs get to it before it starts to make things bad. I don't think it'll have a terribly adverse affect, just wondering if it will have a measurable affect.

 

[lynn53]

I'ts weird that people are so scared to put sugar in but have no problem putting in garlic????

 

[rockdiver]

So you mix the sugar in a cup of tank water right you just dont put it in the tank (sugar that is) you mix it first in water.

 

[Ramble On Rose]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9052436#post9052436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rockdiver
So you mix the sugar in a cup of tank water right you just dont put it in the tank (sugar that is) you mix it first in water.

At first I was disolving it in RO water before putting it in. But I am adding such small amounts, it disolves in no time. I didn't even need to stir it or anything. So now I just add it directly to the sump. I am adding only a half teaspoon at a time though. Other people may be adding more and may mix it first...

 

[rockdiver]

ok cuz i mix it but no one really said anything and was just wondering I jus assumed you would mix it BUT you know what happens when one assumes lol

 

[ROR]

I've always just put it straight into the sump. It dissolves quickly.