sugar?

[uncleant]

I have read many theads about people putting sugar into there reef tanks and then there skimmer goes nuts! Can some one please explain the purpose of doing this. Its driving me nuts. Thanks

[wrott]

Sugar or any organic source of carbon(vodva) will cause a baterial bloom. The bacteria consume NO3 thus lowering it.
The skimmer and your tank have to deal w/ all the bacteria making go crazy.
I tried alcohol for a few weeks, but I didn't like the efects (cyano, etc..)

[coarlpimp]

i doesed my reef tank with a teaspoon of suger every night for a three weeks for my nitrate problem and it really helped, but i never hear of making the skimmer better.

[uncleant]

o0o0o so its for nitrates..... welll my nitrates are actually arround 80 so how much sugar should i put in my 125 gal reef

[funman1]

Wohh!!!!
Before you go dumping in sugar, do some research on it..
There's good and bad and it's very unsafe in my opinion.
There's some pretty heated debates about it here on the forums.

And no one really knows what the long term effects of doing this are..

PLEASE do some massive research into this before diving in.. I'd hate to see you back on the board for help on a tank crash...

[uncleant]

wow this is really weird haha funman1 i just read your thread on your refugium and watched the video on youtube. and im getting that light. i just started to make my refugium for my 125 reef. any pointers?

[uncleant]

oh and dont worry i wasnt putting anything in my tank lol a crash is the last thing i need

[funman1]

Cool, glad it helped someone out there

Well for my fuges I advocate good flow but not so much it stirs the sand up if you have any in your fuge.

Get an insane light like the one I use and get it as close to the water as you can safely, I use eggcrate on top of my fuge that's cut to lock into the top so it can't fall in, and throw the light ontop of that.

Run it 24/7 if you can.

And then just have some nitrates for it to eat up..

You too can have a magical fuge...
People in our club always have unlimited supplies of cheato because of this method and light..

Don't forget to post your results too, You may inspire someone else to do the same.

[uncleant]

ok sounds good.. Where can i get some cheato? And are those lights water proof?

[funman1]

Water proof? No
Reasonably water tight? Yes

Check with your local people for cheato..

[The_Taz_Devil]

I dont see ppl dumping vodka or sugar in the sea so steer clear imo, nitrates can be dealt with through macro algae or sufficient live rock and an established sand bed.