DIY Ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not disinfect mine. I doubt there is much growth in them. Evaporation of the ammonia is more of a concern, but that is not going to be increased by dilution. It may even be decreased.

 

[ethipelagic]

Hey @Randy Holmes-Farley
Great read and glad to see this gaining more traction.
Any thoughts on mixing ammonia with DIY NOPOX or straight vinegar and using a Doser? Have been seeing a lot of good things about heavy in-out systems as well as good side effects to carbon dosing and was wondering if they could be done in tandem.
I have been doing Ammonia through my ATO for the last year or so on and off as needed to maintain readable nitrates but would like to raise my nitrates even further and lightly carbon dose to make the nutrients more readily available. Could this be done in one solution, and if so any weird issues to look out for?

Did you go ahead with trying this out in the end? I'm trying to avoid buying *another* doser so compiling these into one head would be so handy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Did you go ahead with trying this out in the end? I'm trying to avoid buying *another* doser so compiling these into one head would be so handy!

I would proceed to try it.

 

[ethipelagic]

I would proceed to try it.

That's a fair point, I will give it a go. Can you suggest a low-risk starter concentration / recipe for me to try out?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That's a fair point, I will give it a go. Can you suggest a low-risk starter concentration / recipe for me to try out?

Are you doing both to lower phosphate? How high is it?

I’d need to know more, such as the current nitrate, tank size, and maybe a picture of it.

Are you using either one now?

 

[ethipelagic]

Are you doing both to lower phosphate? How high is it?

I’d need to know more, such as the current nitrate, tank size, and maybe a picture of it.

Are you using either one now?

Okay awesome.

This would be to keep nitrate under control and also feed the good bacteria for the corals / filter feeders. I have phosphate under control with lanthanum dripped into the skimmer (Tropic Marin Elimi-Phos diluted to 1% strength), and nitrate somewhat under control with vinegar dosing, and a chaeto fuge (started out with a fuge but started vinegar dosing a few weeks ago so don't expect the fuge to last forever).

Current phosphate is 0.13 - high but mostly because I've been relying on Trident NP daily tests but after calibrating with a Hanna found out it was giving false low readings.

Current nitrate is 8 which I'm pretty happy with. I've stopped vinegar dosing so it doesn't bottom out but would like to start again for the other benefits, so this is where the interest in ammonia dosing comes in.

System volume is about 1200 litres at the moment, though that changes from time to time - never less than 1000 litres and rarely more than 2000 (details of the setup here - I currently have all three tanks on the frame full of water and a fourth roughly the same size plumbed in too). There's not loads of stuff in there at present but being a filming setup the contents and bio-load changes all the time so I'm more trying to establish a regime that accounts for that and that I can tweak depending on test results as things are added or taken away, rather than to rush to set something up when things go awry.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok, we can only guess at relative amounts, but I’d restart using vinegar at the same dose you previously used, and then 0.2 ppm ammonia split into 2 dosing times, one am and one mid afternoon.

Then watch nitrate and if it falls, increase ammonia or reduce vinegar, and if it rises, reduce ammonia or increase vinegar.

 

[ethipelagic]

Ok, we can only guess at relative amounts, but I’d restart using vinegar at the same dose you previously used, and then 0.2 ppm ammonia split into 2 dosing times, one am and one mid afternoon.

Then watch nitrate and if it falls, increase ammonia or reduce vinegar, and if it rises, reduce ammonia or increase vinegar.

Okay grand, thanks for the advice

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Keep us update how things progress. :)

 

[HouseofStark]

Well after talk, going to take the plunge and dose ammonium bicarbonate. Tired of my NO3 testing zero. From what I get 20grams into 1L water and mix well. In regards to dosing amount/schedule. I have around 80gal system. Which would be 7mls to increase .1ppm ammonia (.36 NO3) to the system. What would be a good daily ppm to be to start out...7mls? Then maybe 7mls in the am and then again in pm? Also how often to check in/test the NO3? Couple times a week? Id like to see my tests around 5-10ppm TIA

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s always good to start almost anything new slowly. The 7 mL sounds good to start, then after a few days go to that twice a day. The material dissolves very easily in the ro/di water.

No need to test nitrate more often than weekly, IMO.

 

[chooofoojoo]

I was a bit lazy with testing and darn near bottomed out my nitrates with vinegar-dosing... I used the ammonium-chloride stock solution to pull them back up the past week with tremendous success.

From the first dose (20ml in a ~120gal volume) I noticed my corals and clams perked up immediately - and over the course of the next few days dosing it to pick my nitrates back up to ~8ppm I've seen no issues. Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley ! I really appreciate the knowledge you've provided (and continue to provide) to the community.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was a bit lazy with testing and darn near bottomed out my nitrates with vinegar-dosing... I used the ammonium-chloride stock solution to pull them back up the past week with tremendous success.

From the first dose (20ml in a ~120gal volume) I noticed my corals and clams perked up immediately - and over the course of the next few days dosing it to pick my nitrates back up to ~8ppm I've seen no issues. Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley ! I really appreciate the knowledge you've provided (and continue to provide) to the community.

Glad to hear it was helpful!

 

[ethipelagic]

Okay grand, thanks for the advice

I decided against this in the end. My stock is changing all the time so I reckon it would be a pain to have to be mixing up different ratios every time that happens.

I still think this mix could work if the stocking was going to be stable, but I think I'd still need to dose both separately for a while to work out the right ratio of each for the mixture, which would defeat the aim of having fewer dosers (or be willing to waste a bunch of it mixing up different ratios until you nail it).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That sounds like a good plan. :)

 

[Anonymous'Reefer90]

Eso suena como un buen plan. :)

Hi Randy, I have finally bought ammonium bicarbonate and sodium phosphates, since I have ultra low or undetectable levels of both, calculating my net liter system would be like 800 liters, could you support me to get the rule to dose ammonium and phosphate!

 

[buruskeee]

Hi Randy, I have finally bought ammonium bicarbonate and sodium phosphates, since I have ultra low or undetectable levels of both, calculating my net liter system would be like 800 liters, could you support me to get the rule to dose ammonium and phosphate!

I would start at 10g per 1L and start at 20ml spread across your peak lighting schedule (on a doser). Test every day in the morning and increase 5ml every day until you’re detectable. Once detectable back off by 5ml and keep that as your dose. Test daily to ensure you’re still detectable and adjust accordingly.

For phosphates just feed heavier for fish and feed reef roids for corals - It’s very high in phosphates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi Randy, I have finally bought ammonium bicarbonate and sodium phosphates, since I have ultra low or undetectable levels of both, calculating my net liter system would be like 800 liters, could you support me to get the rule to dose ammonium and phosphate!

Many approaches wll work, but this is what I would do:

For phosphate, I'd dose 0.05 ppm all at once and then test 24 h later. It may still read none due to binding to rock and sand. Repeat as needed.

For ammonia, I'd start by dosing 0.1 ppm once or twice a day for several says and then test for nitrate. :)

 

[Anonymous'Reefer90]

Existen muchos enfoques que pueden funcionar, pero esto es lo que yo haría:

Para el fosfato, dosificaría 0,05 ppm de una sola vez y luego haría la prueba 24 horas después. Es posible que aún marque cero debido a la unión con la roca y la arena. Repita según sea necesario.

Para el amoníaco, comenzaría dosificando 0,1 ppm una o dos veces al día durante varios días y luego haría una prueba de nitrato. :)

¿Tienes la fórmula para preparar el fosfato? Ya vi la del amonio en tu publicación, ¿cómo preparar el fosfato de sodio? ¿Cuántos gramos por litro y qué dosis? Tengo una máquina dosificadora y me gustaría dosificar ambos elementos, amonio y fosfato, en 48 microdosis.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There is no reason to spread out phosphate that much, but its Ok to do.

Phosphate recipes:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-phosphate-dosing-recipe.1109919/#post-13548973