Best way to raise Nitrates

[Cbones1979]

I recommend dosing N, and apparently more than you have. I recommend any of food grade sodium or calcium nitrate, or ammonium chloride or bicarbonate.

With sufficient dosing, all will give you sufficient N to allow more organism growth, which may help slowly reduce phosphate, but certainly are useful regardless of whether P declines or not. :)

Thanks! Yes Broghtwell neonitro apparently states it lowers or helps lower phosphates while increasing nitrates. Also have to dose bacteria I think

 

[Salty_Northerner]

I find brightwell has its place, but tbh I found using ESV Calcium nitrate be spot on with no guessing on what else to add.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks! Yes Broghtwell neonitro apparently states it lowers or helps lower phosphates while increasing nitrates. Also have to dose bacteria I think

That claim would only apply in special circumstances: N is low enough that it limits the growth of something that takes up P. Unless nitrate is below about 2 ppm, I do not think it applies.

 

[Cbones1979]

That claim would only apply in special circumstances: N is low enough that it limits the growth of something that takes up P. Unless nitrate is below about 2 ppm, I do not think it applies.

Mine are frequently below 2

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Mine are frequently below 2

I’d recommend dosing then, but you may or may not see any appreciable change in phosphate.

 

[Cbones1979]

I’d recommend dosing then, but you may or may not see any appreciable change in phosphate.

I gotta try something because months of doing nothing is leading to coral loss

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I gotta try something because months of doing nothing is leading to coral loss

From low N? Yes, dose N. I don’t think 0.27 ppm phosphate typically leads to coral loses.

 

[Cbones1979]

From low N? Yes, dose N. I don’t think 0.27 ppm phosphate typically leads to coral loses.

Yes no clue what the cause is other than that

 

[Cbones1979]

Well N is up to 8.3 but phosphates are up to .33. My acans polyps receded and some of my Duncan heads just shrunk. My hydnophora is turning white around the edges.

This was all over the last week.

Of course my monti’s are flourishing

 

[KreativCorals]

Even if it is a frag layout, that is a tad small for any tangs other than a juvenile tomini. The Tang Police be giving you noise even with that. But there are many other good "working" fish to choose from though that bring other benefits besides usable nutrient.

tang police, aka you lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

tang police, aka you lol

He's not been on reef2reef in a while, so likely will miss your comment.