Sugar dosing

[scunfcu]

Anyone doing sugar dosing to lower phosphate and nitrate? Is so can you give details of brand of sugar, dosage amount and duration.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/advanced-reefs/17961-aa-sugar-azno3.html

Try searching the site. Above is a good thread to start with.

 

[inkblue]

:shhh: i d0... aLong with someOne eLse to be nameLess hence we get fLamed

 

[Deanos]

Vodka worked for me on my 65g tank.

 

[noodleman]

:shhh: i d0... aLong with someOne eLse to be nameLess hence we get fLamed

:shhh:

btw start out slowly or else :dead1:

 

[scunfcu]

I have 75g, planing to dose brown sugar of 1/4 teaspoon daily. How does that sound?

 

[Deanos]

I never tried sugar, but why brown sugar? Why that dosage?

 

[scunfcu]

No long term negative effects on your tanks and do you continue to have to dose?

 

[grundig5]

No reason to add molasses to your tank...probably stick with standard white refined sugar.

I dose vodka/sugar/vinegar and have found it dulls my acro colors (expected), and greatly increased my growth of nuisance algae (somewhat unexpected). I am pretty sure this is due to the reduction of PO4 and NO3 in my tank, thus pulling PO4 from my rocks and creating the algae. The process can take awhile and might not be too "pretty" for a long time, so you really have to stick it out and go extremely slow. I am considering backing out since its not doing what I hoped in my tank. Your tank may differ, this is just my experience. Do a lot of research and make sure your skimmer is up to the challenge.

 

[Deanos]

Exactly..what skimmer do you have scunfcu? And what articles/references have you read explaining what to expect?

 

[scunfcu]

Thanks, I was debating sugar dosing vs using GFO to lower phosphate, I don't have issue with Nitrate at this point in my tank.

 

[Deanos]

GFO is the way to go to lower phosphates. Too many issues can arise using sugar:

• cloudy water
• inefficient skimming
• lowered oxygen levels

 

[scunfcu]

I"m using Octopus HOB 300F skimmer, works well for my 75g. Read about Sugar/Vodak dosing from RC and talking with Noodleman. I have rena XP2 sitting around, so I was going to put GFO on it until I come across this "Sugar Dosing". Don't have a sump, but I have some Cheato ( from Inkblue ) that is growing inside my main tank inside soap holder, but its not growing that much.

 

[NYreefNoob]

Rc Had Alot Of Stuff On This, Read A Few Of The Article's, Look In Advance Topic's And Or Reef Chemisty

 

[Deanos]

but I have some Cheato ( from Inkblue ) that is growing inside my main tank inside soap holder, but its not growing that much.

Because, his chaeto sucks.

 

[JLAudio]

What is GFO?

 

[scunfcu]

Yes, chaeto sitting bottom of my tank in soap dish covered with plastic crate, think its not getting enough lighting, may have to rise it higher to suck up more light and nutrients.

El cheapo way first wih Chaeto, then try sugar, last draw would be GFO.

 

[NYreefNoob]

granular feroxide something it's phosban ect

 

[lfsmarineguy]

GFO= Granular Ferric Oxide which is a pretty way of saying ...rust. GFO is great but limited. Look into zeolites. It is the only way I have found that will actually metabolize the nitrates and Po4 rather than just pull them out. I started my last 2 incarnations of my tank on it and I have yet to be able to read the levels on elos test kits. Both show up as untraceable.

 

[scunfcu]

Comparsion zeolites with other GFO in terms of duration of usage? Does it have to be use in a reactor or canister?