Ammonium dosing is a bit overrated

[jonelder68]

I’ve been on the train for 2 months now.. tank is loving it!

Looks like you need to clear out some space and start fragging up some acros. I’ll send you my address

 

[Troylee]

Looks like you need to clear out some space and start fragging up some acros. I’ll send you my address

I do! I have no room for more corals and I already got a 300gal tank lol… I’m trying to find some branching rock to mount the grow out pieces I just got

 

[Miami Reef]

Booo

Sorry Miami, I tried

Appreciate the attempt.

 

[jonelder68]

I do! I have no room for more corals and I already got a 300gal tank lol… I’m trying to find some branching rock to mount the grow out pieces I just got

I’ve got an empty tank to fill so if you do clear out space let me know

 

[bcarl77]

Tagging along. Good thread. We used to dose Urea on planted tank as our nitrogen source.

Seems like there has to be a better way to measure the N going into the systems (including waste) to determine if there is enough. It seems like current thinkings is testing Nitrate (end product waste) to ensure its not accumulating. I guess if the nitrates are consistent this would support the current dosage is sufficient?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Tagging along. Good thread. We used to dose Urea on planted tank as our nitrogen source.

Seems like there has to be a better way to measure the N going into the systems (including waste) to determine if there is enough. It seems like current thinkings is testing Nitrate (end product waste) to ensure its not accumulating. I guess if the nitrates are consistent this would support the current dosage is sufficient?

I think folks who call nitrate an end product waste are showing an unjustified bias against it, but yes, it is a good indicator of sufficiency of available N if there is at least 5+ ppm of nitrate. There may be sufficient other forms of N at lower nitrate levels, but that involves careful monitoring all organisms that use N.

As to the waste comment, urea is obviously a waste product for some organisms (fish and people) and ammonia is an end waste product of other organisms (fish, etc). I just don’t get the dissing of nitrate by calling it an end waste product when it is no more so than other compounds.

 

[BriDroid]

I think folks who call nitrate an end product waste are showing an unjustified bias against it, but yes, it is a good indicator of sufficiency of available N if there is at least 5+ ppm of nitrate. There may be sufficient other forms of N at lower nitrate levels, but that involves careful monitoring all organisms that use N.

As to the waste comment, urea is obviously a waste product for some organisms (fish and people) and ammonia is an end waste product of other organisms (fish, etc). I just don’t get the dissing of nitrate by calling it an end waste product when it is no more so than other compounds.

So would dosing sodium nitrate be just as good as dosing ammonium bicarbonate? I have a really hard time keeping my NO3 above 1ppm with ammonium, but if I dose sodium nitrate, I can easily keep them around 5ppm. So is dosing sodium nitrate a better option for my tank?

 

[Miami Reef]

edit

 

[Miami Reef]

I envisioned many different directions this thread could have gone, but urea dosing was not one of them.

I only added that for a hyperbolic effect. lol

 

[Troylee]

I envisioned many different directions this thread could have gone, but urea dosing was not one of them.

I only added that for a hyperbolic effect. lol

I feel like you’re fishing cause I told you I use it..

 

[bubbgee]

This is how you win grow outs! dose all these 2 gallons daily!

I thought you weren't supposed to show @Miami Reef your secrets.

 

[Troylee]

I thought you weren't supposed to show @Miami Reef your secrets.

I’ve told him and everyone else that’s asked or read my build thread what I do.. I think he thinks I’m sabotaging him!

 

[NaCl addict]

Hmm, I thought we wanted to remove ammonium

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So would dosing sodium nitrate be just as good as dosing ammonium bicarbonate? I have a really hard time keeping my NO3 above 1ppm with ammonium, but if I dose sodium nitrate, I can easily keep them around 5ppm. So is dosing sodium nitrate a better option for my tank?

I do not know with certainty which is better, if either, but I tend to think ammonia dosing is better than nitrate dosing. You can certainly keep upping the ammonia dose if you spread it out, but nitrate dosing all at once is a fine plan if in a hurry. I have done both.

 

[Anxur]

Thanks….haha! I’m not that committed, it is still a hobby.

My only argument is that nature reefs, imo, have an over abundant amount of planktonic/particulate foods and most gets swept into the abyss. I think it is possible to provide an optimal amount of particle foods. My proof is success with a sun coral.

The problem with this hobby is that everyone speaks with the presumption of knowledge. Even here in Italy... With the game of soccer... They're all coaches. We have 60 million inhabitants... 30 million men, 30 million failed soccer coaches. With results like yours, I would have the humility to take pen and paper and learn, learn, learn, and stop asking... To speak, you must at least have results..

 

[BeanAnimal]

To speak, you must at least have results..

Nonsense -- someone can be educated and knowledgeable without “results.” The vast majority of successful, let alone elite, soccer coaches (or coaches of any sport) never played the sport they coach, or if they did, they did not do so at an elite or even commendable level. Likewise, some of those "armchair" coaches that only coach their TVs would make tremendous real coaches. Being only a fan doesn’t disqualify one's knowledge of the game, winning strategy or prove anything -- other than they did not choose to coach. In the same fashion, most elite players make poor coaches.

Knowing and doing are very different things — neither is a prerequisite for the other. Sometimes they are complementary, but often they are not

 

[TankYouVeryMuch]

I’m just waiting until I read that someone has started “dosing” their tank with pee every morning because it provides all of the nutrients a healthy reef tank needs.

Nitrate (via urea breakdown), ammonium, potassium, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, selenium…

Trace elements. All natural. No additives. Organically filtered. Free. What’s not to like? Just stay away from asparagus.

 

[jonelder68]

I’m just waiting until I read that someone has started “dosing” their tank with pee every morning because it provides all of the nutrients a healthy reef tank needs.

Nitrate (via urea breakdown), ammonium, potassium, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, selenium…

Trace elements. All natural. No additives. Organically filtered. Free. What’s not to like? Just stay away from asparagus.

Mine would be 90% beer and bourbon so not sure I could be a candidate for such

 

[Miami Reef]

What’s not to like?

The medications excreted.

 

[rtparty]

Nonsense -- someone can be educated and knowledgeable without “results.” The vast majority of successful, let alone elite, soccer coaches (or coaches of any sport) never played the sport they coach, or if they did, they did not do so at an elite or even commendable level. Likewise, some of those "armchair" coaches that only coach their TVs would make tremendous real coaches. Being a only fan does disqualify one's knowledge of the game, winning strategy or prove anything -- other than they did not choose to coach. In the same fashion, most elite players make poor coaches.

Knowing and doing are very different things — neither is a prerequisite for the other. Sometimes they are complementary, but often they are not

Bingo!

The greatest coaches of any sport were mid at best. Some never even played the sport they coach at a decent level. Same goes for players. Almost every GOAT that has ever tried to coach has been trash.