DIY Ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I would agree on the socks, but isn’t one of the main draws of a roller fleece that it does not leave the captured organics in the water column for any significant period of time?

I think, with mine anyway, that they stay there plenty long. The filter only advances enough to just allow the water level to drop and reset the switch. So (guesstimating here) approx 18 inches worth of dirty fleece is always in contact with the water column, while maybe 2 inches of clean fleece is advanced into the water. Some quote smart rollers can be programmed to change the amount of fleece advanced, mine is dumb (just like me!)

 

[taricha]

I will say that the fleece was historically dark brown (think used coffee filter) before ammonium. While dosing ammonium it’s changed to a much lighter yellow/green/brown? Much more opaque if that makes any sense. It also doesn’t stink half as bad as it used to.

Good evidence in favor of nitrifiers.
...but also chance it could be something increased carbonate particles in the water.
When I hang a filter in my tank, it mostly accumulates CaCO3 dust particles. Acid dissolves them, unlike bacterial particulates.

 

[Fenral]

Well... I think I just joined this experiment set :) as I can't keep nitrate in my system for any length of time.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Good evidence in favor of nitrifiers.
...but also chance it could be something increased carbonate particles in the water.
When I hang a filter in my tank, it mostly accumulates CaCO3 dust particles. Acid dissolves them, unlike bacterial particulates.

It’s also quite smooth and slick/slimy. I don’t think it’s accumulating much in the way of solids/debris. At least nothing like it used to. If I decrease my ammonium dose at all, nitrate starts to drop. I probably have less than two weeks left on this roll. By then I should have some red ogo in the sump and I’ll go fleeceless for a stretch to see what happens. I assume I’ll have to step up my sump cleaning regimen as I’ll be accumulating more detritus and mulm I’m sure.

 

[drawman]

Sure thing. The code “When On > mmm:ss Then OFF” can be used to turn any outlet off if it has been running continuously for the time specified in the mmm:ss field. It will override any auto setting and flip the outlet permanently to the OFF position. You will need to keep tabs on the outlet because if that line of code trips the power off, it will not turn back on or go back to your automation until you manually flip the slider in apex back to “auto”. This way it forces you to investigate and fix the problem before going back to dosing. I also use this code for my ATO just with a longer duration.

That's wonderful I didn't know that was a thing. I can't remember would this be best as a first line or last?

 

[Formulator]

That's wonderful I didn't know that was a thing. I can't remember would this be best as a first line or last?

For this particular line, it doesn’t really matter. I think I have it last in mine.

 

[Bob The Reefer]

Just a small update. Started dosing 15ml/24hrs on Friday and left things running over the weekend. Tested for Nitrate this morning and have gone from 0 to 0.8 ppm. No measurable effect on Phosphate. Small but measurable decrease in dKh resulting in an automatic adjustment of the dosing volume of Core 7. Slight increase in film algae on the front glass - which could also be explained by a +1°C increase in temperature. So far a happy reefer.

 

[JulesH]

I have started adding Ammonium Bicarbonate, 5.0ml in solution to my 300 litre tank as per RHF's recommendations (a bit less). Nitrates have always been ultra low in my tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have started adding Ammonium Bicarbonate, 5.0ml in solution to my 300 litre tank as per RHF's recommendations (a bit less). Nitrates have always been ultra low in my tank.

Sounds good. Let us know if anything apparently changes.

 

[Bob The Reefer]

Nitrate test today shows 0.2ppm down from 0.8ppm yesterday so I have increased the dosing amount of Ammonium Bicarbonate solution. As @Randy Holmes-Farley predicted ....

I also have increased consumption/take up of Alk ..... everything in the tank looks happy except my palythoa but I'm not sure there's a causual relationship there - I suspect light acclimatization is more likely.

 

[BR260354]

Just a bit of an update....
I started at 0.6 NO3 and 0.02 PO4 prior to Ammonium Bicarb. On my 130g system (including refugium), my initial dose was 24ml broken up in three doses a day. That was around the beginning of September. I increased over a couple of weeks all the way up to 45ml. Around the 3rd week of October, my NO3 got up to 25.9ppm. PO4 still low at 0.03. I have since pulled back on Ammonium Bicarb to around 27ml and NO3 dropped to 16.4.

Currently I'm back to 24ml Ammonium Bicarb and will continue to test weekly. I have my PO4 up to 0.05 after dosing NeoPhos a couple of days. That reminds me, I have to check again to see if I need to dose more Phos.

So far, so good. SPS frags are growing and my LPS are doing great.

I also switched to TM AFR (35ml) a couple of weeks ago away from Red Sea Foundation ABC. I'm also dosing 2ml of manganese via the DIY mix.

 

[Arellano]

I agree that using a doser is often a risk, including with this product, and should come with fail-safes of various sorts. Options include a pump that is on much of the time so that a stuck on pump is not dosing so much of an excess. The product can be diluted as much as you want to attain that goal. And diluted less as you desire to ramp up dosing.

I was thinking of using 2 dosing pumps in series, first pump filling a small bottle with the intended amount, and a few minutes later, the second pump pulling from that bottle and pouring to the tank, if first pump is stuck on, the small bottle will spill over to the floor, but will not make it to the tank, if second pump is stuck on, it can only take the amount of fluid that was originally intended to be dosed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was thinking of using 2 dosing pumps in series, first pump filling a small bottle with the intended amount, and a few minutes later, the second pump pulling from that bottle and pouring to the tank, if first pump is stuck on, the small bottle will spill over to the floor, but will not make it to the tank, if second pump is stuck on, it can only take the amount of fluid that was originally intended to be dosed.

That sounds like it would work, but, of course, doubles the cost.

 

[JulesH]

Well I have been dosing 5.0ml (2.0ml less than recommended) of Ammonium Bicarbonate for three days now my NO3 has gone from 0.3 to 6.4. What do fellow reefers aim for wrt to NO3 levels, I have a 300 litre mixed reef tank? How long is that piece of string?

 

[bradreef]

Well I have been dosing 5.0ml (2.0ml less than recommended) of Ammonium Bicarbonate for three days now my NO3 has gone from 0.3 to 6.4. What do fellow reefers aim for wrt to NO3 levels, I have a 300 litre mixed reef tank? How long is that piece of string?

Trate 10. phos .1

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well I have been dosing 5.0ml (2.0ml less than recommended) of Ammonium Bicarbonate for three days now my NO3 has gone from 0.3 to 6.4. What do fellow reefers aim for wrt to NO3 levels, I have a 300 litre mixed reef tank? How long is that piece of string?

IMO, that’s plenty. :)

 

[Bob The Reefer]

For me dosing 24ml/day in to a 320l mixed reef tank ... I have gone from 0.3ppm yesterday to 1.4ppm today so I will ease back a little and see what happens after the long weekend.

 

[Pistondog]

That's wonderful I didn't know that was a thing. I can't remember would this be best as a first line or last?

FOr apex, last statement executed wins. So in this case, the statement should be last.

 

[JulesH]

Since I have been dosing Ammonium Bicarbonate I have noticed a slight drop in pH and a 0.5 increase in dKH. Is that coincidence, or is there a biochemical reaction happening that I dont know about or understand? I dose two part and the amounts added to the tank have not changed.

 

[BR260354]

For those that have been dosing Ammonium Bicarb and have a Red Sea ReefMat and ATO+, do you find you must clean the contact sensors more often? My ATO+ started having false readings a lot. Also, the ReefMat sensor stop detecting the overflow. Cleaning in citric acid and brushing helped, but now it seems I can only go a week or so before I must clean again.