sugar against No3

[little bull]

i using sugar to get rid of No3 on and off (when No3 =0, dosing of sugar stop). I started again the dosing 3 days back. This morning, i found 4 dead fishes in my tank .

To prevent the lack of oxygen, i oso put in additional air bubble. The water para. is within the safe side oso...

Help....

[ciaolong]

ermmmm depends on how much sugar u put in even with an air stone the o2 can drop very fast ... and usally u would have a powerful skimmer for the use of sugar to remove the waste and to increase the o2

[May&Bruce]

well, at least the dead fish are sweet No need to add sugar when cooking...... sorry, just kidding

Actually, have never heard of this remedy for high NO3. Does it really work?

[Flame-Tail]

This topic of using sugar to reduce NO3 has been brought up before . IMO it is not really reccomended as most of those who have tried it ended up with casualties.

[lee]

This topic of using sugar to reduce NO3 has been brought up before . IMO it is not really reccomended as most of those who have tried it ended up with casualties.

It's fine for me as long as you are careful and not to overdo.

[loster]

most people over dose it or they don't know what is going on and that create problem

[May&Bruce]

pardon me but it does sound a little off beat - it might work but if done wrongly I can imagine the consequences

[lee]

pardon me but it does sound a little off beat - it might work but if done wrongly I can imagine the consequences

It's just a caculated risk (if any) that you might want to try.

[May&Bruce]

Hi lee

What kind of sugar and how do you calculate how much to use?

Thanks

[Synanceia]

Unless the nitrate (NO3) is very high, I wouldn't worry about it. Adding sugar to the marine water will drastically raise the osmolality/osmotic pressure of the water and cause distress to the fish. One should be worried more about nitrites (NO2) and ammonia instead.

This is information I gathered for reference, which has been posted in another thread in this forum:

Sources: BSAVA Manual of Ornamental Fish and Fish Medicine by Stoskopf

Marine systems -

pH: seawater usually 8.0 to 8.5, varies between 7.5 to 9.0.

alkalinity: 2.5 mEq/L

dissolved oxygen: not below 4 ppm for warm water fish. 6 ppm should be target safe level.

total ammonia-nitrogen: >1 ppm indicates pollution and 2-3 ppm cause for concern. Unionised ammonia is more toxic than ionised ammonia. Max safe level for unionised ammonia is 0.025 ppm (1st source); suggested safe level for unionised ammonia ranges from 0.01 to 0.2 ppm (2nd source).

nitrite-nitrogen: >1.0 ppm can kill fish. Aim for <0.1 ppm. Chloride ions offer some protection against high nitrite concentration - as in marine systems.

nitrate-nitrogen: toxic level is >1000 ppm. Aim for <10 ppm.

[lee]

Hi lee

What kind of sugar and how do you calculate how much to use?

Thanks

Take a look at this :

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?...opic=29276&st=0

[May&Bruce]

..interesting and credible.

[little bull]

Hm... maybe i overdose it?? Btw, this sugar remedy is useful to me to bring down the No3. Just to be more careful next time lol...

[blueheaven]

You will have to read up and understand why dosing sugar brings about a sharp drop in nitrates

It is not the sugar but the rapid growth of bacteria that makes this possible

[little bull]

yes, i am aware of the that, that is why i added the additional air stone hope to increase the Co2. my 1st dose was 3 teaspoons and the following day was reduce to 1.5 teaspoons. This is the usual dosage i done it before... Could be my teapoons got different sizes??

sigh....

[aquabeAnz]

Gouldian Posted: May 15 2005, 12:21 AM

Barracuda

Group: Members

Posts: 2825

Member No.: 2241

Joined: 19-January 04

Hi Lizard44,

Although I frowned upon your experiements and your getting more reefers to participate in it. I must say that at least you end it well.

You are a man of courage to admit that the above method/s does not work and even came back to post the results! Some will just conveniently ignore their wrong advises given.

Borrowing the words from Thomas Edison, at least now you know that the above really don't work.

With mutual respects for reefing,

Gouldian.

[RAV-65]

Gouldian Posted: May 15 2005, 12:21 AM

Barracuda

Group: Members

Posts: 2825

Member No.: 2241

Joined: 19-January 04

Hi Lizard44,

Although I frowned upon your experiements and your getting more reefers to participate in it. I must say that at least you end it well.

You are a man of courage to admit that the above method/s does not work and even came back to post the results! Some will just conveniently ignore their wrong advises given.

Borrowing the words from Thomas Edison, at least now you know that the above really don't work.

With mutual respects for reefing,

Gouldian.

Wats the relevance?!

[aquabeAnz]

means dun attempt this methos of denitrifying lor...

hey so when you confirm going Tung Choi?

[Flame-Tail]

It's fine for me as long as you are careful and not to overdo.

Well that sounds logical. like u said calculated risk