Sugar Dosing
- Thread starter jtinoco
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jtinoco
New member
It is!! Finally!! I kept looking up info because this algae seemed to die off way too slowly. I think it was the dreaded bryopsis. Anyway, it all turned whitish looking and almost clear. The dead parts were randomly detaching from the rock throughout the day. Had to keep catching the pieces with a net. Got fed up and took out the two main rocks that had the most algae. Didn't look like algae anymore tho. I scrubbed the heck out of those rocks with a brush. I killed most of the coralline during scrubbing tho LOL. Oops! Algae doesn't seem to be growing anywhere anymore.
LOVE the sugar dosing!
I forgot to add that I had only one casualty during this sugar dosing thing even tho I don't think the sugar dosing cased it. Not sure what did but one of the yellow birds nest frags that I got from Justin didn't make it. The other frag seems to be dying off too. All other corals are doing great. I got a purple hairy mushroom and within a week it split and I have two huge mushrooms now. A purple mushroom also split. And the zoas and xenia I got from Jay are spreading like crazy!!
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LOVE the sugar dosing!
I forgot to add that I had only one casualty during this sugar dosing thing even tho I don't think the sugar dosing cased it. Not sure what did but one of the yellow birds nest frags that I got from Justin didn't make it. The other frag seems to be dying off too. All other corals are doing great. I got a purple hairy mushroom and within a week it split and I have two huge mushrooms now. A purple mushroom also split. And the zoas and xenia I got from Jay are spreading like crazy!!
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psuedopimp
New member
it was a green birds nest, although you prob couldn't tell by the condition it was it when it was given to you. i have never been able to get it to color up although it does grow well. sorry to hear about the loss. if you want another one let me know.
jtinoco
New member
I thought it had starter to color up nice for a while. But if it was green birdsnest then I guess it didn't. LOL.
I was like he'll yeah it's looking good! Lol.
Here's a pic of what it looked like for a while.
Excuse the algae. These are old pics.
I thought it was weird too. Hmmm. The monti caps are doing good tho. They're bright orange now and growing too. I hope these aren't supposed to be green too. Lol jk
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I was like he'll yeah it's looking good! Lol.
Here's a pic of what it looked like for a while.
Excuse the algae. These are old pics.
I thought it was weird too. Hmmm. The monti caps are doing good tho. They're bright orange now and growing too. I hope these aren't supposed to be green too. Lol jk
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mistaflicksta
New member
good to hear about the algae, ive been rooting for it to work so I can have it as a back up weapon if all hell breaks loose in my tank.
How about a recent pic
How about a recent pic
psuedopimp
New member
yep that is about as good as i can get it too. bummer. mine are starting to be bright green on the growing tips, but that is about it.
jtinoco
New member
As far as dosing the tank, I only dosed sugar. I occasionally pruned the algae tho. Nothing major, only in places where I could tell it was about to detach from the rock. I did scrub down two main rocks that had the most growth and that was near the end. I did it just because pieces kept detaching and were floating around and randomly throughout the day.
When I scrubbed the rock I also chiseled and broke the large pieces into smaller pieces and redid the aquascape. I'm not really liking it tho. I haven't liked the scaping much since the beginning. Something about those rocks just doesn't sit right with me.
Just today I noticed there are still some parts of the rock that have tiny patches of algae. I've been considering getting rid of the rock. That way I can pick out pieces that I like once I get new rock.
When I scrubbed the rock I also chiseled and broke the large pieces into smaller pieces and redid the aquascape. I'm not really liking it tho. I haven't liked the scaping much since the beginning. Something about those rocks just doesn't sit right with me.
Just today I noticed there are still some parts of the rock that have tiny patches of algae. I've been considering getting rid of the rock. That way I can pick out pieces that I like once I get new rock.
deehz
New member
+1.
I am curious as well if it was all exclusively sugar dosing.
Jesus--I wouldn't get ride of the rock. Think of how far you have come with battling this algae. Too just get rid of it at this point would be like cherrying up an old car and selling it for less then what you put into it.
I would add some dry (not live or "dead") base rock to the tank to further improve the look of the tank. This way you can cycle it and further improve on the aesthetics of the tank. Believe me, this will not be the last time you re-aquascape the look of your tank. We are in a constant "flux" with our systems.
Also on a side note, a little hair algae is beneficial to a tank IMHO. Some tank inhabitants graze on hair algae such as tangs, blennies, angels, snails, sea hairs, hermit crabs, etc. If you look closely at some of the pics from the oceans reefs, you will notice that there is hair algae (and cyano at times). It is as much a natural part of the reefs as are fish and corals. We have become "accustomed" to view our tanks to be "pristine" as we can possibly get them.
Thanks!
jtinoco
New member
Yeah. The only thing I have dosed is sugar. I did some pruning throughout the whole dosing phase but it wasn't huge. Just pulled out the algae with my fingers.
I think I might just keep the rock and add some dry rock. I like that one Jay is using, Marco Rocks.
mistaflicksta
New member
Good to hear Jesus, I just started the biopellets, im gonna give them some time to see how they turn out, if they don't perform well then I will be trying the sugar dosing.
Keep up the good work
Erik Guzman
Keep up the good work
Erik Guzman
deehz
New member
Hey Erik--Which bio pellets did you get? I got a new reactor and it is bad @ss. Should have bought in the beginning. Oh well.
I am thinking of using the BRS pellets or an ATS. Both get great reviews and will lower your PO4 and NO3 naturally. There both equally about the same cost to upstart and maintain. I figured since I just bought the reactor to give the pellets a try. If not, going the Jesus route with sugar and spice and everything nice!
Jesus--I am glad the sugar dosing worked out well. It's awesome that you included this thread so we can all learn from your experiences.
I am thinking of using the BRS pellets or an ATS. Both get great reviews and will lower your PO4 and NO3 naturally. There both equally about the same cost to upstart and maintain. I figured since I just bought the reactor to give the pellets a try. If not, going the Jesus route with sugar and spice and everything nice!
Jesus--I am glad the sugar dosing worked out well. It's awesome that you included this thread so we can all learn from your experiences.
mistaflicksta
New member
sorry if we jack your thread a little Jesus.
I originaly bought NP biopellets but I had put them in my canister filter, when I had everything hanging off the tank. At about month 6 I had no nitrates, when I installed the sump I didn't find any biopellets in the canister(guess they were used up). now with the sump, my natrates went up to 20-30ppm. I was drunk bidding on ebay one day and ended up with Reefing Evolution Bio-Snak Pak (BioPellets) at half the cost of the regular brands. I set them up on Jan 3rd so its only been just about two weeks. I mixed what I had left of the NP and the snak pak together and I cant notice the difference between them. what I like about the snak pak is that it comes with bacteria starting pellets.
I will be posting a thread about it
I originaly bought NP biopellets but I had put them in my canister filter, when I had everything hanging off the tank. At about month 6 I had no nitrates, when I installed the sump I didn't find any biopellets in the canister(guess they were used up). now with the sump, my natrates went up to 20-30ppm. I was drunk bidding on ebay one day and ended up with Reefing Evolution Bio-Snak Pak (BioPellets) at half the cost of the regular brands. I set them up on Jan 3rd so its only been just about two weeks. I mixed what I had left of the NP and the snak pak together and I cant notice the difference between them. what I like about the snak pak is that it comes with bacteria starting pellets.
I will be posting a thread about it
deehz
New member
Yeah, sorry Jesus. Erik and I have a knack for hi-jacking other peoples threads!
Erik--start a thread bro. Right now since you have installed them, they are relatively new to the system would be the way to go. Like Jesus' thread, it will be a before and after. At least now, we will know what type of affect the pellets will have on your NO3.
Erik--start a thread bro. Right now since you have installed them, they are relatively new to the system would be the way to go. Like Jesus' thread, it will be a before and after. At least now, we will know what type of affect the pellets will have on your NO3.
jtinoco
New member
I haven't updated this thread in a while. I added some more rock that I got from Jay. I am still dosing sugar and all parameters are still checking out at zero. I got two patches of algae (I actually think its bryopsis...ugh!!) that grew back a few weeks ago. They have not spread so I have left them alone. The yellow tang seems to nip at it at times.
I am going to be switching to vodka and documenting the results as time passes. I have read that corals color up better when vodka is used instead of sugar. We will see.
I am going to be switching to vodka and documenting the results as time passes. I have read that corals color up better when vodka is used instead of sugar. We will see.
jtinoco
New member
Alright. I had been reading about the use of sugar vs vodka and came up on a few comments about the coral not coloring up as good with sugar and some leathers even browning a bit.
I noticed my toadstool had browned a bit. Also, some days (2 - 3 days out of a week)the water seemed just a tiny bit cloudy while other days it was super crystal clear.
Well this led me to consider switching to vodka and see what kind of results I would get. I started dosing vodka on Feb 8th. I was dosing 3/8 tsp sugar as a daily dose. As per the regimen I was following. 1 tsp = 10 ml of vodka. Well, since 3/8 is just really close to 1/2 a tsp already, I dosed 5 ml of vodka, which equals to 1/2 tsp.
10 ml of vodka = 1tsp
1 ml of vodka = 1/10 tsp
Hence, 5 ml of vodka = 1/2 sugar.
I have been dosing 5 ml of vodka and all parameters are at zero still. The water has been crystal clear since the first vodka dose. My toadstool is slowly losing the brwon color and going back to the off white color it was originally. Really liking this vodka dosing better.
Just wanted to update.
I noticed my toadstool had browned a bit. Also, some days (2 - 3 days out of a week)the water seemed just a tiny bit cloudy while other days it was super crystal clear.
Well this led me to consider switching to vodka and see what kind of results I would get. I started dosing vodka on Feb 8th. I was dosing 3/8 tsp sugar as a daily dose. As per the regimen I was following. 1 tsp = 10 ml of vodka. Well, since 3/8 is just really close to 1/2 a tsp already, I dosed 5 ml of vodka, which equals to 1/2 tsp.
10 ml of vodka = 1tsp
1 ml of vodka = 1/10 tsp
Hence, 5 ml of vodka = 1/2 sugar.
I have been dosing 5 ml of vodka and all parameters are at zero still. The water has been crystal clear since the first vodka dose. My toadstool is slowly losing the brwon color and going back to the off white color it was originally. Really liking this vodka dosing better.
Just wanted to update.
