Sugar in Salt water mixing barrel

[Jennifer]

Long story short I have been having a problem with nuisence algae in the last few months. I have discovered the problem to be phosphates in my towns water supply. Salems phosphate levels appear to be higher in the winter than the summer. I have a good RO filter but I am sad to say I do not have a DI (On the wish list). I run a phosphate reactor 24/7 with magnavore purafos (the best IMO). The problem is everytime I do a water change or top off I am adding more Phosphates to the tank. I just tested the phosphate levels in a fresh 30 gal bucket of salt mix and my top off and found them to have 1.0 in Phosphate (Unacceptable).

What do I do for the time being without a DI?

1. Run a phosphate reactor on my salt bucket (eee) and deal with what comes in from my topoff (about 2 to 3 gallons per day).

2. Is it possible or feasible to dose sugar in the Salt mix barrel?
If so how much and what would be the effects of doing so?

Thanks guys for any thoughts.

 

[Miller]

Buy RODI water from an LFS....sure would stuck to have to carry 14-21 gallons plus water change water into your apartment every week, not sure how far you live from an LFS.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Water

You could buy RODI water at a LFS (I know Aqua Addicts sells it) until you get the RODI system up and running. You can also check around the area for those "water vending machines" that supposedely do RODI. If you choose the second route, you could buy a gallon and test it before you buy lots of it.

I live in Saugus and would be glad to give you some for free if you are in a pinch.

Long story short I have been having a problem with nuisence algae in the last few months. I have discovered the problem to be phosphates in my towns water supply. Salems phosphate levels appear to be higher in the winter than the summer. I have a good RO filter but I am sad to say I do not have a DI (On the wish list). I run a phosphate reactor 24/7 with magnavore purafos (the best IMO). The problem is everytime I do a water change or top off I am adding more Phosphates to the tank. I just tested the phosphate levels in a fresh 30 gal bucket of salt mix and my top off and found them to have 1.0 in Phosphate (Unacceptable).

What do I do for the time being without a DI?

1. Run a phosphate reactor on my salt bucket (eee) and deal with what comes in from my topoff (about 2 to 3 gallons per day).

2. Is it possible or feasible to dose sugar in the Salt mix barrel?
If so how much and what would be the effects of doing so?

Thanks guys for any thoughts.

 

[ReeferMedic]

You'd need a skimmer in the mixing barrel since that's how the bacteria that consume the phosphate are removed. There probably isn't very much bacteria in the mixing container either since you are constantly emptying it and refilling it with freshly mixed salt water. Running a phosban reactor or something similar would be the best option if getting a DI isn't possible imo. Not very cost effective though.

Or, you could buy rodi from the lfs.

 

[Jennifer]

You could buy RODI water at a LFS (I know Aqua Addicts sells it) until you get the RODI system up and running. You can also check around the area for those "water vending machines" that supposedely do RODI. If you choose the second route, you could buy a gallon and test it before you buy lots of it.

I live in Saugus and would be glad to give you some for free if you are in a pinch.

Thanks Chuck, My RO has been up and running for over a year. I skimpt and bought 1 without the DI section (bad move).

I hoping for a solution that does not involve me carrying buckets of water back from my LFS.

ReeferMedic You'd need a skimmer in the mixing barrel since that's how the bacteria that consume the phosphate are removed. There probably isn't very much bacteria in the mixing container either since you are constantly emptying it and refilling it with freshly mixed salt water. Running a phosban reactor or something similar would be the best option if getting a DI isn't possible imo. Not very cost effective though.

Or, you could buy rodi from the lfs

You think a skimmer in the barrel would help huh. Cool that I can do right now.

Thanks, Don
Thanks Miller


What do you guys think about the sugar thing?

 

[Jennifer]

I am going to buy the add on DI filter. I was planning on doing a water change tonight oh well. I can run some pura-fos in a media bag for now. PITA

 

[Cardiak]

Why not just dose the sugar or vodka in your tank? Just start slowly and skim 24/7 and with in a week or two you will have next to no phosphates. I use it and my tank doesn't even grow algae anymore.. Now I have to add algae to keep my snails happy now

 

[Miller]

Dosing sugar.... I'd hate to see my fish, snails and hermits hopped up on a sugar high or worse watch my poor fishys swimming into the glass going "hey buddy wazzzup" to their refections from drinking to much vodka.

On a serious note I have no clue about either of those to methods.

 

[Jennifer]

Why not just dose the sugar or vodka in your tank? Just start slowly and skim 24/7 and with in a week or two you will have next to no phosphates. I use it and my tank doesn't even grow algae anymore.. Now I have to add algae to keep my snails happy now

Thanks Cardiak, I think I am gonna dose sugar starting tommorrow.
I just need to search for the details like how much and how often.
Just regular domino sugar or what?

Miller : Dosing sugar.... I'd hate to see my fish, snails and hermits hopped up on a sugar high or worse watch my poor fishys swimming into the glass going "hey buddy wazzzup" to their refections from drinking to much vodka.

On a serious note I have no clue about either of those to methods.

Thanks miller I just had a vision of my fish jonesin for more sugar. Or swimming head first into the glass like they were drunk. LOL
My yellow tang and coral beauty angel are whacked out as it is.

 

[Jennifer]

Oh and no such with the skimmer on the barrel. I have 2 kicking around and I could not get either to sit on there and work properly. Darn

 

[Cardiak]

I have a 75G and I dose 1/4 teaspoon of pure dark brown sugar once a day. I know some people who do 1 teaspoon a day, but I like under dosing just to play it safe. I only do maybe at most one 7% water change every 1-2 months and my nitrates/phosphates are always 0 when I used to test.

Just be careful if you’re going to be putting a lot of sugar in your tank as the bacteria will multiply to massive levels and at night they will suck up a lot of your oxygen so you need to skim 24/7 to keep the oxygen up and to skim out the bacteria that just ate your nitrates/phosphates. You will also notice your skimmer making a lot more real dark foam once it starts working.

One side effect was that some corals lose some color while others really color up. Although this was probably due to the water being so much cleaner then it was before the dosing started.

 

[Miller]

I have heard that once you start dosing sugar you have to stay on top of it and continue to does every day as the bacteria in your tank have become use to it and if one day you do not add the sugar your tank will fail/nuke because all the extra bacteria will die....is this correct Cardiak?

Sounds sketchy if it works like that....I'd hate to forget one day and loose my tank.

 

[NateHanson]

This is sounding a bit like "the old lady who swallowed the fly" to me. I think the best solution would be to fix the source of the problem (dirty RO), and see how that works first. Later if you're still having problems you could think about dosing sugar. Just my opinion on it.

 

[Cardiak]

I doubt it, I've skipped weeks between dosages and nothing happened. But then again I am also dosing very little compared to some other people. If you read up on this you will find many people on both ends of the fence and most people who end up nuking their tank by doing this are dosing too much and the bacteria are starving the tank of oxygen at night since they are not skimming. Anyways you should defiantly do a bit of searching and read up on this before deciding on whether or not you want to experiment with this option. I know a few people who have been dosing for close to a decade with out issues... at the same time I have also seen people post about tank crashes but I've seen people post about tank crashes blaming everything under the sun as well.

 

[Jennifer]

This is sounding a bit like "the old lady who swallowed the fly" to me. I think the best solution would be to fix the source of the problem (dirty RO), and see how that works first. Later if you're still having problems you could think about dosing sugar. Just my opinion on it.

I totally agree with you. But to be totally honest I run my own business and this winter has hit me pretty hard. So I know what the problem is and how to fix it permenantly. I just can not afford the $65 add on di filter for a couple more weeks. So really all I needed was some sort of band aid - for now
The carbon and sediment filters in my Ro were changed a 2 months ago and the membrane was replaced 2 week ago.


Well I just dosed 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. 150 gallon total system volume

Oh And while I was doing so my panther grouper decided he wanted to eat my rabbit fish. Mind you the rabbit is much too large for him to swallow, but he was trying anyway. Had the rabbit fish in almost up to the poisonous spines. Thats a first, now I guess I have to start moving fish around to different tanks. Geees

 

[marco67]

I can't help but agree with Nate (hate it when that happens ). It's likely you'll spend a lot more money, time and frustration trying to avoid adding the canister than actually adding it.
FWIW $65 is pretty high for that "add a can kit" Look around a bit more and I think you'll find them for about half that.

 

[Jennifer]

Thanks Guys I appreciate the help.
I was PM'd a link to an add on di for $36 SO I am going to order that 1.

You know sometimes it would be nice to have a solution that does not involve throwing more money at it. Such is the way with this hobby. Normally I would not care about buying more equipment. Just when times get a little tough even $5 seems like a lot. Not looking for pity its just the truth.
Thanks again for the help!

 

[Mini4x]

I am going to buy the add on DI filter. I was planning on doing a water change tonight oh well. I can run some pura-fos in a media bag for now. PITA

Filter Direct has a decent cheap DI filter..

$45 really can't beat it.

http://filterdirect.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=163

I plan to upgrade mine soon.

Thanks Guys I appreciate the help.
I was PM'd a link to an add on di for $36 SO I am going to order that 1.

Oops missed that, $36 eh thats cheep send us the link will ya!

 

[marco67]

Glad it worked for you,

You need to add "smart" to your sig/ quote.

when in doubt throw smart money at it.

One thing I've noticed in this hobby from day one reading these forums (registered RC nov 99)
There are many too many people spending foolishly trying to save money.

 

[Jennifer]

Glad it worked for you,

You need to add "smart" to your sig/ quote.

when in doubt throw smart money at it.

One thing I've noticed in this hobby from day one reading these forums (registered RC nov 99)
There are many too many people spending foolishly trying to save money.

Smart money HUh, I agree but somehow it does not sound as funny.

Some people have more money than brains.

I agree with you 100%