Ammonia Dosing - time to start?

[baitrunner]

My tank (210) gallons with (40) gallon sump. Stocking is (8) different brain coral frags, (8) different Monti frags, a 6" elegance and a 4" Nephthea and a few small zoa colonies and a 4 head blasto, all of which are doing well. Fish include one small hipo tang, one green chromis, 2 spotinicus clowns, one falco hawk, one green mandarin and 2 firefish plus several different snail species. I've been feeding PE mysis once or twice a day, LRS frenzy once a day, freshly hatched brine shrimp daily and sometimes supplement flake or pellets every other day or so. Corals are getting benepelets every 3 days.
I've been tracking nitrates and phosphates with hanna checker since the tank completed it's cycle. Both are always very low, like, ULNS low. I just received my first ICP test results:
No3 = 1.54 micrograms/liter
Po4 = 0.015 micrograms/liter
I've ready RHF's article on ammonia dosing and am considering following his recipe and dosing instructions but am very nervous about adding ammonia. Interested in hearing what the experts in this group think.
Thanks in advance!!!

 

[Miami Reef]

It takes over 8ppm to start killing fish. Randy’s guide is adding 0.10ppm as a single dose, which can be ramped to several times per day.

Your tank will be just fine or better. Happy Ammoniuming!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No3 = 1.54 micrograms/liter
Po4 = 0.015 micrograms/liter

I think those values cannot be correct. That's 0.000015 ppm phosphate, for example.

 

[KStatefan]

Not an expert but I started at the beginning

 

[Miami Reef]

I just assumed he meant milligrams/liter

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just assumed he meant milligrams/liter

Yes, likely. In either case, I'd dose both. :)

 

[baitrunner]

I think those values cannot be correct. That's 0.000015 ppm phosphate, for example.

Ummm.... first time with ICP :( - my bad!
Phospate (photometric) - 0.015 mg/l
Total Phosphorous (ICP) - 3 µg/l
Nitrate - 1.54 mg/l

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ummm.... first time with ICP :( - my bad!
Phospate (photometric) - 0.015 mg/l
Total Phosphorous (ICP) - 3 µg/l
Nitrate - 1.54 mg/l

Can you post the whole ICP?

I'd consider feeding more or dosing both ammonium bicarbonate and sodium phosphate. .

 

[baitrunner]

@Randy Holmes-Farley - attached Sir.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'd probably raise the salinity a bit. Are you dosing any trace elements? Some seem low but zinc seems high.

No metal parts in the tank?

The zinc and tin might be from newish PVC.

 

[baitrunner]

I'd probably raise the salinity a bit. Are you dosing any trace elements? Some seem low but zinc seems high.

No metal parts in the tank?

The zinc and tin might be from newish PVC.

I'm not sure on the zinc/tin - gyre/MP40's/titanium heaters/ReefOcto skimmer/dual return pumps all new with the tank build. I had been using a tri-fold claw that had metal clamps to hold the sections closed, the exposed metal is completely rusted/oxidized so I pitched it. Maybe that was the culprit. I'll keep my eye on subsequent ICP tests. - Salinity has been fixed (verified by way of refractometer using the calibration solution). I'm not dosing any trace. . . . yet. This is my initial ICP to start RMS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm not sure on the zinc/tin - gyre/MP40's/titanium heaters/ReefOcto skimmer/dual return pumps all new with the tank build. I had been using a tri-fold claw that had metal clamps to hold the sections closed, the exposed metal is completely rusted/oxidized so I pitched it. Maybe that was the culprit. I'll keep my eye on subsequent ICP tests. - Salinity has been fixed (verified by way of refractometer using the calibration solution). I'm not dosing any trace. . . . yet. This is my initial ICP to start RMS.

OK, if the tin and zinc are from pvc or other plastics, I'd just monitor them. They may not get much higher, and may go lower (zinc, at least).

What were you thinking the salinity was from your refractometer? I'd have decent confidence in Oceamo salinity.

 

[baitrunner]

I was reading 1.024 on the refracto~ when I sent the test. I've since adjusted to 1.026.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was reading 1.024 on the refracto~ when I sent the test. I've since adjusted to 1.026.

Ah, OK, that all fits. :)