DIY Ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems

[BriDroid]

Without a doubt this ammonia dosing does bring down phosphates! I’ve experienced it first hand and has everyone I’ve talked too using this method.

Yep! Between my rocks and sand absorbing P and the NH3 dosing bringing them down, I'm adding crazy amounts of P to keep it readable. Yesterday i started at 0ppm P, ended up dosing 0.9ppm trisodium phosphate throughout the day just to end up at 0.052ppm P this morning.

It's worth it though, my corals have never looked better.

 

[Shirak]

Just an update. Tuesday morning: Currently Alk 8.4dkh, PO4 .04ppm, NO3 14ppm
Thursday morning: Alk 8.3dkh, PO4 .07ppm (yay reefroids), NO3 12.2ppm Dosed 1.5g dry sodium nitrate into the 'sump'
Friday morning NO3 17.8ppm

 

[rishma]

Anyone notice less film late on their glass since dosing ammonia?

I have been low dosing ammonium bicarbonate daily except one 5 day stretch for about the last 6 weeks. I have felt like the algae on my glass was noticeably less, but lots of things can cause this. My phosphate is stable in the same range as prior to dosing ammonia, but I had to make adjustments because the ammonia seemed to push it lower in the beginning.

I am away from home and had not thought about it, but my wife just mentioned she hasn’t had to wipe the tank. The only real change is the addition of daily ammonia.

No idea, could just be in my head, but figured I’d ask to see if anyone else observed this.

@Troylee

 

[Troylee]

Anyone notice less film late on their glass since dosing ammonia?

I have been low dosing ammonium bicarbonate daily except one 5 day stretch for about the last 6 weeks. I have felt like the algae on my glass was noticeably less, but lots of things can cause this. My phosphate is stable in the same range as prior to dosing ammonia, but I had to make adjustments because the ammonia seemed to push it lower in the beginning.

I am away from home and had not thought about it, but my wife just mentioned she hasn’t had to wipe the tank. The only real change is the addition of daily ammonia.

No idea, could just be in my head, but figured I’d ask to see if anyone else observed this.

@Troylee

I have! I used to get a white biofilm on my glass daily most likely bacteria and now it’s taking like 3-4 days before I see anything! It’s kinda nice haha! I’m guessing cause the phosphates tank that’s helping but idk all the science. I’m currently dosing phosphates and still not having to clean the glass much so maybe my theory is wrong.

 

[rishma]

I have! I used to get a white biofilm on my glass daily most likely bacteria and now it’s taking like 3-4 days before I see anything! It’s kinda nice haha! I’m guessing cause the phosphates tank that’s helping but idk all the science. I’m currently dosing phosphates and still not having to clean the glass much so maybe my theory is wrong.

Interesting. Maybe the addition of ammonia helps something consume the phosphates faster and than algae can. I’d like to know if any others observe this.

 

[BR260354]

Finally, after dosing Ammonium Bicarb 24ml spread out over 3 doses and Trisodium Phosphate at 4.5ml, I got my NO at 17 and my PO at 0.21 from struggling to get above 0.03. Backing down each a bit for now. Lowered AmBi to 15ml and TriPhos to 3.5ml. I'll check again next week.

Overall tank volume is about 130g - display, sump, refugium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Interesting. Maybe the addition of ammonia helps something consume the phosphates faster and than algae can. I’d like to know if any others observe this.

Or maybe trace elements are becoming limiting.

 

[Troylee]

Or maybe trace elements are becoming limiting.

I’ll tell ya in the next couple days as I just did a hefty water change yesterday! I’ll see if my glass gets dirty quicker with new water and replenished traces.

 

[drawman]

My glass is dirtier now with daily additions of ammonia chloride, phos feed, and trace elements.

In my case nutrients were previously tanked with ostreopsis dominating. The ammonia and phos feed turned it around for me.

 

[rishma]

Or maybe trace elements are becoming limiting.

Ahh, coincidentally I did an ICP 2 weeks ago. Which trace?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ahh, coincidentally I did an ICP 2 weeks ago. Which trace?

Don’t know. lol.

Could be any of the important ones. Any low?

 

[rishma]

Don’t know. lol.

Could be any of the important ones. Any low?

Must be barium!

Manganese is important and a little low. Here are the others too.

Mn 0.36 ug/l
V 0.49
As, Be, Cr, Se, Ag not detectable.

 

[rishma]

My glass is dirtier now with daily additions of ammonia chloride, phos feed, and trace elements.

In my case nutrients were previously tanked with ostreopsis dominating. The ammonia and phos feed turned it around for me.

Glad you are beating the dinos!

 

[Shirak]

Update Monday morning:
Tuesday morning: Currently Alk 8.4dkh, PO4 .04ppm, NO3 14ppm
Thursday morning: Alk 8.3dkh, PO4 .07ppm (yay reefroids), NO3 12.2ppm Dosed 1.5g dry sodium nitrate into the 'sump'
Friday morning NO3 17.8ppm
Sunday 12/22 afternoon Alk 8.2, PO4 .11, NO3 16.1 Bumped AFR to 3ml/day from 2 and dosed baking soda to raise alk to 8.5dkh

Thinking of increasing Ammonia dosing to 3ml twice a day. Or setting up my other dosing pump..
Going to try the increased dosing starting this morning

 

[rishma]

Update Monday morning:
Tuesday morning: Currently Alk 8.4dkh, PO4 .04ppm, NO3 14ppm
Thursday morning: Alk 8.3dkh, PO4 .07ppm (yay reefroids), NO3 12.2ppm Dosed 1.5g dry sodium nitrate into the 'sump'
Friday morning NO3 17.8ppm
Sunday 12/22 afternoon Alk 8.2, PO4 .11, NO3 16.1 Bumped AFR to 3ml/day from 2 and dosed baking soda to raise alk to 8.5dkh

Thinking of increasing Ammonia dosing to 3ml twice a day. Or setting up my other dosing pump..
Going to try the increased dosing starting this morning

Sorry if I missed it earlier, what is the goal?

 

[Shirak]

Sorry if I missed it earlier, what is the goal?

Fishless system so I am trying this to see how the corals respond. It's a goni garden

It's a tank that I had neglected and now revitalizing. So it had crazy hair algae and nitrates were dropping like a stone and needing major sodium nitrate dosing while I get the algae in control with my army of hermits and snails.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It's a goni garden

Cool!

 

[Shirak]

Cool!

Couple bad pictures under my T5 and LED strip of my goni uh frag garden! One is full size.. Orange filter over the phone lens

 

[Shirak]

Couple shots under blue led with the digital SLR on some of the frags and one shot of the big colony
Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley for all you do!!!

 

[drawman]

Glad you are beating the dinos!

That along with the nutrients are really turning the tank around!