0.00 nitrates + AFR dosing

[fernandodal]

Hi everyone,

I'm posting to ask for some help with my 25-gallon nano reef.

My parameters show Nitrates at 0.00 (Salifert) and Phosphates at 0.26 (Hanna). I mainly keep LPS. I do a 20% water change every two weeks and run an algae scrubber for 10 hours a day. For alkalinity and trace elements, I use Tropic Marin All-For-Reef (AFR).

Lately, cyanobacteria has completely taken over the scrubber, replacing the green hair algae, and it's now starting to show up in the display tank.

To raise my nitrates, I've been dosing Refine, but the bottle is almost empty. I was planning to switch to a DIY sodium nitrate solution using a recipe I found on the forum, but here in Europe, food-grade sodium nitrate isn't available for sale to individuals.

Given that I'm dosing AFR, which nitrate source/alternative do you think would be best? Calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, or something else?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[exnisstech]

I've been dosing AFR and ammonium bicarb for nitrate. I see better results using ammonium vs dosing nitrate. I switched from nitrate to ammonium about 1 year ago. I buy food grade ammonium bicarb from Amazon.

Here's some info and dosing chart.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-chart.1123913/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Can you find either calcium nitrate or bakers ammonia (ammonium bicarbonate)?

 

[fernandodal]

Can you find either calcium nitrate or bakers ammonia (ammonium bicarbonate)?

Yes, those are available in food grade.

Which one would you use combined with AFR? Or maybe both? Calcium Nitrate to increase levels eventually just in case nitrate drops near zero again and ammonium bicarbonate for daily dosing.

 

[EnterName]

@Randy Holmes-Farley this might be the right time to ask. Do you think it makes sense to switch to something like 3-part for a while for OP due to the carbon dosing effect of AFR? I could imagine those cyanos are appreciating the extra carbon (even if the can use inorganic carbon).

I was always wondering if it makes sense to switch for a while when problems arise to keep organics low.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes, those are available in food grade.

Which one would you use combined with AFR? Or maybe both? Calcium Nitrate to increase levels eventually just in case nitrate drops near zero again and ammonium bicarbonate for daily dosing.

Both are fine. I use ammonium bicarbonate.

Calcium nitrate is a balanced alk and calcium additive and ammonium bicarbonate adds neither (perhaps surprisingly to some).

Both as you mention is a fine idea.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Randy Holmes-Farley this might be the right time to ask. Do you think it makes sense to switch to something like 3-part for a while for OP due to the carbon dosing effect of AFR? I could imagine those cyanos are appreciating the extra carbon (even if the can use inorganic carbon).

I was always wondering if it makes sense to switch for a while when problems arise to keep organics low.

I don’t really know if there’s much nitrate reducing effect from formate, since it is nearly fully oxidized already, but yes, that’s a fine idea, as is just sodium bicarbonate since the AFR may have (or will) push calcium a bit higher already.

 

[fernandodal]

Both are fine. I use ammonium bicarbonate.

Calcium nitrate is a balanced alk and calcium additive and ammonium bicarbonate adds neither (perhaps surprisingly to some).

Both as you mention is a fine idea.

Thank you so much for the reply, your support is priceless!

 

[Linden13]

I use AFR and kalkwasser for my top off water. I also dose ammonium bicarbonate with urea to get and keep my nitrates up. I noticed when I started keeping nitrates up my phosphates lowered some. Food grade Ammonium bicarbonate and urea works great and much cheaper than buying pre-made nitrates

 

[fernandodal]

I use AFR and kalkwasser for my top off water. I also dose ammonium bicarbonate with urea to get and keep my nitrates up. I noticed when I started keeping nitrates up my phosphates lowered some. Food grade Ammonium bicarbonate and urea works great and much cheaper than buying pre-made nitrates

Thanks for the reply. Definitely I will give ammonium bicarbonate a chance.