Does anyone use vodka (methanol) or sugar (sucrose) to reduce nitrates in a freshwater system? I have been reading about its use in marine systems but can't find any articles regarding its use in fresh. I am going to give it a try with sugar based on a information I have glommed from the saltys. Here is one guys experience.
Sucrose solution:
Sugar is added to water under room temperature till no more can dissolve, assumed to be very close to saturation under room temperature mixing. Unfortunately I did not record the exact concentration. It is prepared 92 days before dosing. Since the date of preparation it has been used everyday till 39 days before the start of dosing. Method of dosing is using the same transfer pipette. The transfer pipette is not washed prior or after use, thus there is possiblity that bacteria got into the sucrose solution and start decomposing the sucrose and multiply (not sure can bacteria live in there), I have this thought because it seems to be faster for me to see the effect this time.
The reason I stop dosing the previous time is because it drives my pH to 7.8 and at that time I also posted to ask Randy about the reason of so. So this time I also included recording the pH and dKH, and I boosted the alkalinity to provide more buffering.
I dose 6 ml of this solution everyday, the reason I choose this amount is from the previous time of dosing, I starrt to have bacterial bloom when dosing 12 ml per day, if I remember correctly from the German site of dosing vodka, they recommend half of that amount.
Day 1 (start of sucrose solution dosing)
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution, 2 spoons of sodium bicarbonate
15 ppm nitrate
pH 8.2
6 dKH
Day 2
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution, 2 spoons of sodium bicarbonate, 1 more fish was added
Day 3
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution, 2 spoons of sodium bicarbonate
Day 4
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution
Day 5
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution
Day 6
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution
0 ppm nitrate (with 1 replicate)
pH 8.1
9 dKH
There is no aparent ill effect on all livestocks. The testing is not done in between because I do not expect nitrate to come down so fast.
Next step for me is probably to stop dosing, and see will nitrate come up. Or probably continue dosing the same amount to see that whether pH came down. Or may be dose 3 ml a day to see whether the nitrate levels maintained. Any suggestion?
This guy is only dealing with 15 PPM where as I am dealing with 80 + PPM. I do weekly 50% changes. I have been doing 3 times a week recently and still can't get it down. I know I will get bombed with pothos suggestions, but for fun I want to try this. I will post my results here. Let me know your experience.
Sucrose solution:
Sugar is added to water under room temperature till no more can dissolve, assumed to be very close to saturation under room temperature mixing. Unfortunately I did not record the exact concentration. It is prepared 92 days before dosing. Since the date of preparation it has been used everyday till 39 days before the start of dosing. Method of dosing is using the same transfer pipette. The transfer pipette is not washed prior or after use, thus there is possiblity that bacteria got into the sucrose solution and start decomposing the sucrose and multiply (not sure can bacteria live in there), I have this thought because it seems to be faster for me to see the effect this time.
The reason I stop dosing the previous time is because it drives my pH to 7.8 and at that time I also posted to ask Randy about the reason of so. So this time I also included recording the pH and dKH, and I boosted the alkalinity to provide more buffering.
I dose 6 ml of this solution everyday, the reason I choose this amount is from the previous time of dosing, I starrt to have bacterial bloom when dosing 12 ml per day, if I remember correctly from the German site of dosing vodka, they recommend half of that amount.
Day 1 (start of sucrose solution dosing)
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution, 2 spoons of sodium bicarbonate
15 ppm nitrate
pH 8.2
6 dKH
Day 2
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution, 2 spoons of sodium bicarbonate, 1 more fish was added
Day 3
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution, 2 spoons of sodium bicarbonate
Day 4
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution
Day 5
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution
Day 6
Action: 6 ml sucrose solution
0 ppm nitrate (with 1 replicate)
pH 8.1
9 dKH
There is no aparent ill effect on all livestocks. The testing is not done in between because I do not expect nitrate to come down so fast.
Next step for me is probably to stop dosing, and see will nitrate come up. Or probably continue dosing the same amount to see that whether pH came down. Or may be dose 3 ml a day to see whether the nitrate levels maintained. Any suggestion?
This guy is only dealing with 15 PPM where as I am dealing with 80 + PPM. I do weekly 50% changes. I have been doing 3 times a week recently and still can't get it down. I know I will get bombed with pothos suggestions, but for fun I want to try this. I will post my results here. Let me know your experience.
