Ammonium bicarbonate dosing question

[painter1982]

I have begun dosing ammonium bicarbonate solution. 2.5ml every 2 hours during the day. 15ml total to begin with. Am I better off dosing more at a time or spread it out even further? My nitrates will fall to zero without dosing neonitro so this is taking its place. I’m at about 9ppm nitrate now starting out.

 

[jonelder68]

Spread it out. I dose every hour. Averaging 3mls dosed each hour.

 

[painter1982]

Spread it out. I dose every hour. Averaging 3mls dosed each hour.

Are you dosing at night too?

 

[jonelder68]

Yes. 24 hours straight every hour. I’m dosing 65ml daily for my 110-115 gallon system. So 2-3ml get dosed each hour.

I do have large refugiums that are on opposite schedules of DT. But even without a refugium I’d still dose over 24 hour period.

 

[jonelder68]

Anything dosed works better being spread out. I tried dosing my kalk just at night but then found during the day alk levels would drop and then over night go back up. Rather keep things stable/flat lined than ups & downs. Stability

 

[painter1982]

Anything dosed works better being spread out. I tried dosing my kalk just at night but then found during the day alk levels would drop and then over night go back up. Rather keep things stable/flat lined than ups & downs. Stability

I wasn’t sure if spreading it out into the night would cause ph to drop. Or ammonia levels to be too high.

 

[jonelder68]

I wasn’t sure if spreading it out into the night would cause ph to drop. Or ammonia levels to be too high.

What size tank? Refugium or no refugium?

 

[painter1982]

I wasn’t sure if spreading it out into the night would cause ph to drop. Or ammonia levels to be too high.

What size tank? Refugium or no refugium?

150 gallons total volume. 10 gallons of refugium

 

[jonelder68]

Ya I would dose 24 hour period. It’s such a small amount the ammonia would never be toxic enough. My refugium eats it up as fast as it’s dosed.

I don’t think ammonia has any effect on PH also. It just becomes more toxic at higher ph levels.

Let’s see what the man himself thinks @Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Either way is fine. Corals may use more during the day. There’s no risk from ammonia tox if it is spread out a bit.