.... A German magazine recently published an article suggesting and recommending the dosing of ethanol (as vodka) to reef tanks as a carbon source for marine heterotrophic bacteria in order to increase denitrification rates and bacterial biomass production (Mrutzek and Kokott 2004). Further, they claimed that additions cause rapid declines in nitrogen and phosphorus produced by fish, invertebrates, and algal metabolism (ironic, since many aquarium invertebrates and algae are sinks, not sources, for nitrogen and phosphorus). In turn, the bacteria provide a food source for corals and other filter feeders. The method is recommended particularly for those tanks that are highly skimmed (and probably lack particulate material) and which lack sand beds. Tanks with sand beds or other sediment-based systems, they mention, react unusually and may have adverse effects to ethanol additions....
