Nitrate Reduction 101 with sugar!!!

[Aqua Pro Builder]

While I am eager to see the results of your study shaun I am a firm believer in not rushing as I know you are, when you have your results I will be extatic, but wingnut if Shaun rushes the study it could produce incorrect results.

Shaun good job and thank you for all of your efforts and dedication.

True, rushing will never yield proper results

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

If you mean dependant, specifically dependant, then this is an incorrect term.

Bacteria are able to grow and not grow (become stationary). In both cases they are living. By adding a high energy carbon source, all you are doing is promoting growth of all bacteria present. For example in the case of sugar, sucrose would be used by almost all bacteria. Does this mean that they become dependant on sucrose, well not really, when the sucrose is exhausted then the bacterial growth will also become exhausted. However adding another carbon source, glycerol for example, would cause the whole growth spurt to occur all over again. If you mean in general that bacteria are dependant on a carbon source (any source) then I guess you could say that they are dependant. But it is like saying humans are addicted/dependant to oxygen.

Like us, bacteria (all species) will use whatever "food" is available at the time to reproduce, i.e. grow.

I always like your scientific attitude - "proof what you claim" and share your opinion about dependancy and thus wish whether your results can dispell the myth of dependancy(they mean addiction) which many people start to use as an adversary claim for anything they don't feel comfortable without proof.

 

[ShaunW]

I always like your scientific attitude

Shaun good job and thank you for all of your efforts and dedication.

THANKS for the kind words guys, I appreciate it alot!

 

[jackson6745]

IME dosing sugar is the fastest way to brown your acros.

 

[jackson6745]

update: since then I've upgrade a DelTec AP600 skimmer 10% water change weekly for 2 months nitrate has not change at all still 40ppm. so I bite the bullet and start dosing sugar (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=898931)

First 2 weeks not much change.
The third week nitrate drop down to 5ppm.
I've test nitrite ammonia phosphate every other day did not change a bit.
All live stocks are doing fine.

How many water changes did you do? A skimmer will not lower your nitrates but will prevent them from rising again. If you can test a PO4 level of .05 than it is most likely much higher. You should consider running phosban.

 

[MO~IDOL]

How many water changes did you do? A skimmer will not lower your nitrates but will prevent them from rising again. If you can test a PO4 level of .05 than it is most likely much higher. You should consider running phosban.

I didnt do any water change when dosing sugar for 3 weeks. but did ATO almost 10g a week.

This's the mid 4th week.
After the third week when NO3 went down to 5ppm from 40ppm. so I stop dosing just to see how much NO3 comes back.

Tested last night NO3 10ppm, PO4 0ppm(salifert & Hagen)
Ca and Alk r little off but still in range, cause I did not dose anything else doing these period.

 

[MO~IDOL]

IME dosing sugar is the fastest way to brown your acros.

How long have you dosing sugar? How do you maintain when NO3 reach 0ppm?

 

[yeniraki]

I have a 150 G reef tank that the nitrate level never been below 10, infact it was around 20ppm. I started dosing sugar. In less then 10 days nitrate went down to zero. I kept dosing for another 2 weeks, they are still zero however I am having diatom outbreak. Phosphate is zero. Using RO for replacing evoporated water (shouldn't be silicate, didn't measure it however). I just stopped dosing sugar, will be updating.

U will be surprised if u would give it a try.

PS: Dosing sugar is perfectly scientific, but it involves microbiology more than chemistry.

 

[jackson6745]

I have a 150 G reef tank that the nitrate level never been below 10, infact it was around 20ppm. I started dosing sugar. In less then 10 days nitrate went down to zero. I kept dosing for another 2 weeks, they are still zero however I am having diatom outbreak. Phosphate is zero. Using RO for replacing evoporated water (shouldn't be silicate, didn't measure it however). I just stopped dosing sugar, will be updating.

U will be surprised if u would give it a try.

PS: Dosing sugar is perfectly scientific, but it involves microbiology more than chemistry.

Do you have acros? Did you notice any color changes?

 

[yeniraki]

Yes I have acros, but no color changes.

 

[yeniraki]

Sulphur beads, Nitrate

As sugar worked great, I decided to give a try to sulphur beads. Nitrate was still zero however, when I poured 1kg of sulphur beads on top of my bio-filter. I am not using any canister filter or nitrate reactor, just a bio-sponge tower. As you all know sulphur based nitrate filters do not require any other feeding.
PS: Dont do water changes, nitrate was never below 10ppm for the last 6 months. Less than 2 weeks of dosing sugar nitrate fall to O (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc)

 

[Doppler]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/snn/index.php

read this part

Alkaline phosphatase activity in the phytoplankton communities of Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay. Nicholson, D., Dyhrman, S., Chavez, F. and Paytan, A. Limnol. Oceanogr., 51(2), 2006, 874-883.

Heres another good read by Eric Borneman
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/eb/index.php

Given the importance of bacteria as a food source in marine ecosystems, it might not be surprising to learn that they are also a primary food source for corals. It has been found that bacteria alone can supply up to 100% of both the daily carbon and nitrogen requirements of corals. All corals studied consume dissolved organic material, bacteria, and detrital material. This is more than can be said for any other food source, including zooplankton and light.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

So what's the verdict?

 

[DRZL]

So what's the verdict?

Chief, I dont know the answer to your immediate question but.....

I can give you firsthand experience. I gave it a go, NO3 was at 10 ppm (new tank w/ sand ) 2 days of putting 1/8 tsp. NO3 is now at 5ppm and Im noticing what seems to be nitrogen gas in sandbed, where it was not evident before. Corals seem unharmed, fish seem unharmed. I will continue and report back. So far I am pleased:tub:

 

[MO~IDOL]

after the 4th week nitrate down to 0, so I stop dosing sugar and doing 10% w/c every 2 weeks. feeding 5 cubes mysis daily no3 stay at 0
right now I have 15 fishes and also added some acros everything seems to be fine

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Actually D I was just bumping the thread, the question was rhetorical.