Sugar dosing with water changes. Effective?

Nickmcc · 08/23/2016, 07:48 PM

^^^^ is it as effective as a protein skimmer.

heathlindner25 · 08/23/2016, 07:55 PM

Imo, to do any type of carbon dosing a skimmer is a must.

Dogshowgrl · 08/23/2016, 08:18 PM

You have to have a skimmer or bacteria blooms will not only cloud the tank but will drop the pH and possibly crash it. Not just a skimmer but a good, strong, dependable one.

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Nickmcc · 08/23/2016, 09:14 PM

Okay thank you for your replies. You saved me from a tank crash. Water was cloudy after two days of carbon dosing without a skimmer.

Dogshowgrl · 08/24/2016, 05:12 AM

Do a significant water change. Add a skimmer. Carbon dosing is great but oxygen is a must. You will get there.

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ReefsandGeeks · 08/24/2016, 05:25 AM

IMO, oxygenation is the biggest reason to need a protein skimmer when carbon dosing. Plus it removes a lot of the bacteria that build up. I have carbon dosed for years. A couple of months ago, I unplugged the protein skimmer while feeding and forgot to plug it back in. After about 2-3 hours I had my first fish loss. Luckly, when he died he splashed and I was in the room to hear it. Everything was extremely lethargic, even the coral. I quickly turned it back on and tested everything I could in the water. No other perameters were off. within another hour, everything appeared to be fine.

Dkuhlmann · 08/24/2016, 08:48 AM

Sugar dosing will also trigger a Cyano outbreak. Ask me how I know

ReefsandGeeks · 08/24/2016, 09:48 AM

Ohh, I forgot you said sugar dosing. Much more common is vinegar or vodka or a combination of both. I personally use vinegar in my tank.

AlSimmons · 08/24/2016, 09:52 AM

Is this something you "need" or are you just trying it out?

A lot of these things can be bypassed with a little elbow grease sometimes.

Sk8r · 08/24/2016, 11:34 AM

What you need most is an efficient skimmer. Carbon dosing can help a skimmer do a better job, but in a mature tank; for a new tank, rule of thumb is a skimmer rated for 2x your water volume.

Nickmcc · 08/24/2016, 03:38 PM

I was carbon dosing to get my nitrates down and am thinking of getting the Tunze 9004. I've currently been doing weekly water changes and that doesn't help

Sk8r · 08/24/2016, 04:54 PM

Carbon dosing won't help your nitrates in the absence of a skimmer. OTOH, a really good skimmer can help your nitrates on its own.

Nickmcc · 08/25/2016, 02:06 PM

Okay thank you. Ordered the Tunze 9004.

AlSimmons · 08/25/2016, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Carbon dosing won't help your nitrates in the absence of a skimmer. OTOH, a really good skimmer can help your nitrates on its own.

Doing the work can too...

I can't put it as eloquently as another respected member did one time, but everybody want's a pet these days yet nobody want's to clean up after them... Just another form of filtration to NOT get off the couch IMO.

08/23/2016, 07:48 PM	#1
Nickmcc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: 562, CA Posts: 467	Sugar dosing with water changes. Effective? ^^^^ is it as effective as a protein skimmer.

08/24/2016, 08:48 AM	#7
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	Sugar dosing will also trigger a Cyano outbreak. Ask me how I know __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

08/24/2016, 11:34 AM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	What you need most is an efficient skimmer. Carbon dosing can help a skimmer do a better job, but in a mature tank; for a new tank, rule of thumb is a skimmer rated for 2x your water volume. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/24/2016, 04:54 PM	#12
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Carbon dosing won't help your nitrates in the absence of a skimmer. OTOH, a really good skimmer can help your nitrates on its own. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/23/2016, 07:55 PM	#2
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	Imo, to do any type of carbon dosing a skimmer is a must.

08/23/2016, 08:18 PM	#3
Dogshowgrl Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 298	You have to have a skimmer or bacteria blooms will not only cloud the tank but will drop the pH and possibly crash it. Not just a skimmer but a good, strong, dependable one. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

08/23/2016, 09:14 PM	#4
Nickmcc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: 562, CA Posts: 467	Okay thank you for your replies. You saved me from a tank crash. Water was cloudy after two days of carbon dosing without a skimmer.

08/24/2016, 05:12 AM	#5
Dogshowgrl Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 298	Do a significant water change. Add a skimmer. Carbon dosing is great but oxygen is a must. You will get there. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

08/24/2016, 05:25 AM	#6
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	IMO, oxygenation is the biggest reason to need a protein skimmer when carbon dosing. Plus it removes a lot of the bacteria that build up. I have carbon dosed for years. A couple of months ago, I unplugged the protein skimmer while feeding and forgot to plug it back in. After about 2-3 hours I had my first fish loss. Luckly, when he died he splashed and I was in the room to hear it. Everything was extremely lethargic, even the coral. I quickly turned it back on and tested everything I could in the water. No other perameters were off. within another hour, everything appeared to be fine.

08/24/2016, 09:48 AM	#8
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	Ohh, I forgot you said sugar dosing. Much more common is vinegar or vodka or a combination of both. I personally use vinegar in my tank.

08/24/2016, 09:52 AM	#9
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	Is this something you "need" or are you just trying it out? A lot of these things can be bypassed with a little elbow grease sometimes.

08/24/2016, 03:38 PM	#11
Nickmcc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: 562, CA Posts: 467	I was carbon dosing to get my nitrates down and am thinking of getting the Tunze 9004. I've currently been doing weekly water changes and that doesn't help

08/25/2016, 02:06 PM	#13
Nickmcc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: 562, CA Posts: 467	Okay thank you. Ordered the Tunze 9004.