View Full Version : treat wth sugar?
Alicia75
09/27/2008, 10:38 AM
I just read a post where someone was treating their tank with sugar.
I was just wondering what benefit that has?
Thanks
seapug
09/27/2008, 01:37 PM
It's for fueling a bacteria bloom to reduce nitrate and phosphate. There's some concern that sugar can be toxic to coral so many people use vodka as a carbon source instead. Neither method is something to do haphazardly. I just finished the first week of dosing vodka according to the guidelines here:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
ERICinFL
09/27/2008, 03:06 PM
You certainly do need to be careful with your dosing. I tried doing it to speed up the cycle time on my wife's tank. I added to much and ended up with a milky tank and dead critters. It cleared up and everything returned to normal, but I lost all the pods that came in on the LR.
Alicia75
09/27/2008, 06:27 PM
So is this mainly for new tanks or for an old tank with a problem?
Tang Salad
09/27/2008, 06:35 PM
Either. But as stressed above, make sure you know it inside-out before trying it.
An easier/simpler option is to go with one of the commercial kits, such as Prodibio or Polyp Labs.
Alicia75
09/27/2008, 06:48 PM
And those kits do the same thing but safer and easier?
Never would have thought Vodka. :lol:
unbreakable
09/27/2008, 07:17 PM
adding vodka, sugar, or vinegar will not increase the bacteria that turn ammonia to nitrite, etc. it increases bacteria that consume nitrate and phosphate. i was confused about it as well until i asked in the reef chemistry forum. as long as you start out slowly and follow the recommendations for dosing vodka you should be fine. a lot of people who overfeed their tanks or want a low nutrient environment for their SPS dominated tanks will dose a carbon source
here's a reefkeeping magazine article you can read about dosing vodka: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
like tang salad said, its for either but make sure you have a good skimmer to skim out the bacteria and to aerate the tank
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