Sugar dosing long term success

[ajiisss]

Hello all,
I know this is a very discussed topic. I am struggling with hair algae on my 220 gallon FOWLR . Nitrates usually hover around 12-20ppm
do 50 gallon water changes every 2 weeks. Tank is running for almost 2 years and suddenly algae started showing up. I installed a biopellet reactor for 3-4 months with no result as such . I am interested in sugar or vodka or vinegar.. I read conflicting arguments against and for each option. Which one is better long term?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't recommend sugar as the optimal choice, but vinegar (my preference) and vodka are good for long term use if dosed appropriately.

 

[bushdoc]

I was and I am currently dosing vinegar in one of my smaller tanks.
Don’t think there are real differences as far as outcome, main issue is a volume. You need to dose more vinegar then vodka,but for my smaller tank it is more convenient.
My nutrients are going down, but algae are still thriving.
Also algae growth is fueled more by phosphates, so you need to control them differently.

 

[ajiisss]

I don't recommend sugar as the optimal choice, but vinegar (my preference) and vodka are good for long term use if dosed appropriately.

Whats are the adverse effects with sugar?

 

[ajiisss]

I was and I am currently dosing vinegar in one of my smaller tanks.
Don’t think there are real differences as far as outcome, main issue is a volume. You need to dose more vinegar then vodka,but for my smaller tank it is more convenient.
My nutrients are going down, but algae are still thriving.
Also algae growth is fueled more by phosphates, so you need to control them differently.

Yeah so vinegar wont reduce phisphates?

 

[bushdoc]

Carbon dosing will primarily reduce Nitrates, but there will be some secondary, smaller phosphates reduction. If your phosphates are high, dosing carbon might not be enough to lower them and you need GFO or/and Refugium with macro algae.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Whats are the adverse effects with sugar?

In my one brief experiment, it browned up corals (like from increased zoox), and it is much less commonly found in the ocean than is acetate (vinegar), which is consumed by a wide range of organisms from corals to sponges to bacteria.

 

[ajiisss]

In my one brief experiment, it browned up corals (like from increased zoox), and it is much less commonly found in the ocean than is acetate (vinegar), which is consumed by a wide range of organisms from corals to sponges to bacteria.

Can we add vinegar to ATO? I know its little difficult to dose correctly . But anyone has done it?

 

[bushdoc]

You need precise dosing and it changes incrementally with time ( to a point). ATO gives more or less similar amount of liquid day to day, so I wouldn’t do it.
You either need a doser or dose manually every day. Doser is better as you can spread daily doses into few smaller aliquots.

 

[ajiisss]

You need precise dosing and it changes incrementally with time ( to a point). ATO gives more or less similar amount of liquid day to day, so I wouldn’t do it

Thanks!

 

[nereefpat]

Can we add vinegar to ATO? I know its little difficult to dose correctly . But anyone has done it?

I would worry about it rotting.

 

[ajiisss]

I would worry about it rotting.

wouldn't vinegar affect PH ?

 

[nereefpat]

wouldn't vinegar affect PH ?

Straight vinegar is an acid yes.
In the ATO or display tank?

 

[ajiisss]

In the display tank. If I add it directly.

 

[nereefpat]

In the display tank. If I add it directly.

You can mix it with kalk if you want to.

But you are adding mLs of vinegar to a couple hundred gallons of saltwater. Randy can probably do the math on that for you, but I don't think it's a major concern, especially if added during the day.

 

[ajiisss]

You can mix it with kalk if you want to.

But you are adding mLs of vinegar to a couple hundred gallons of saltwater. Randy can probably do the math on that for you, but I don't think it's a major concern, especially if added during the day.

I saw this online

 

[nereefpat]

I saw this online

Yes, that's the famous chart.

 

[Trixter227]

Yes, that's the famous chart.

So would this be a doseing guide for viniger by itself or in conjunction with the kalk?

 

[Dan_P]

I saw this online

This chart has a problem.. It incorrectly scales up the dosages, starting in line three the math goes haywire.

 

[nereefpat]

So would this be a doseing guide for viniger by itself or in conjunction with the kalk?

Vinegar. The vinegar is independent from the kalk. Kalk can help with pH, if your concerned about that. It also adds alk and calcium, so you need to account for that.