DIY Ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems

[tbrown]

If you don't care about alk lowering, then it is fine. I recommend 7-11 dKH.

Why do you prefer it? Baking ammonia (ammonium bicarbonate) is cheap and good purity.

I have no preference, I'm just trying to figure out which would be best for my tank. I know all tanks are similar but different. I just don't want to get the wrong one.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Right, and 2 ppm ammonium is equivalent 0.1 ppm ammonia? So 2 ppm ammonium is 0.36 ppm nitrates or 1 ppm ammonium is 0.18 ppm nitrates.

No that is not right. 1 ppm ammonia has the same N as 3.4 ppm nitrate. The conversion to free ammonia is not appropriate in this context.

 

[Troylee]

If you don't care about alk lowering, then it is fine. I recommend 7-11 dKH.

Why do you prefer it? Baking ammonia (ammonium bicarbonate) is cheap and good purity.

Agreed! This little bag goes a long way!

 

[VDC]

Can someone please tell me why my stock solution of ammonium chloride did not test for any ammonia when tested with an ammonia test kit?

Is it because it is not ammonia? Sorry for my ignorance in advance, thank you

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Can someone please tell me why my stock solution of ammonium chloride did not test for any ammonia when tested with an ammonia test kit?

Is it because it is not ammonia? Sorry for my ignorance in advance, thank you

What exactly did you do to test it? The way would be to add some to a seawater sample at a known concentration and test that.

 

[VDC]

What exactly did you do to test it? The way would be to add some to a seawater sample at a known concentration and test that.

I tested the stock ammonium solution with an ammonia test kit.

 

[VDC]

When I make a nitrate solution I like to test the solution I made with a nitrate kit to see how dark the color can get.

When I tested the ammonium solution with a ammonia test kit the color was clear and did not change to anything.

My question is why did it not change to reflect the ammonia.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I tested the stock ammonium solution with an ammonia test kit.

I would not assume that will work. There’s way too much ammonia and pH effect to assume one can test it directly. Test it as I suggest.

 

[tbrown]

It could be "flashing" when you try to test it. As Randy suggested there may be too much ammonia. Some color changing tests will flash the color really quickly and then go back to clear again once all the reagent is used up. I've seen it with chlorine and nitrates both while working in the wate industry so I would assume that ammonia could flash as well.

 

[VDC]

it makes sense.

I Just thought with every other solution i make, im always able to test it with its respected test kit and get a color.

 

[6272862829]

Randy I read that ammonium bicarbonate will gradually especially the way we are using it in a dosing container that is not air tight. I notice mine has already a strong ammonia odor which could mean is past its potency right ? Should this be does manually instead of a dosing pump to prevent this from happening?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy I read that ammonium bicarbonate will gradually especially the way we are using it in a dosing container that is not air tight. I notice mine has already a strong ammonia odor which could mean is past its potency right ? Should this be does manually instead of a dosing pump to prevent this from happening?

Where did you read that? Its a complicated issue, and I do not know whether the smell is expected to get stronger or weaker as it slowly evaporates since I’m not sure which comes out faster, CO2 or ammonia. I’d keep it reasonably closed and then not worry too much about it. :)

Whoever wrote it may have expert knowledge, or just a wild guess. lol

 

[6272862829]

I do not know whether the smell is expected to get stronger or weaker as it slowly evaporates since I’m not sure which comes out faster, CO2 or ammonia. I’d keep it reasonably closed and then not worry too much about it. :)

I have it in a dosing bottle with a small breathing hole.

 

[rishma]

Where did you read that? Its a complicated issue, and I do not know whether the smell is expected to get stronger or weaker as it slowly evaporates since I’m not sure which comes out faster, CO2 or ammonia. I’d keep it reasonably closed and then not worry too much about it. :)

Whoever wrote it may have expert knowledge, or just a wild guess. lol

I noticed absolutely no smell right after mixed it and wondered if I did something wrong. A month later it stinks inside in my stand after leaving the cap slightly loose.

My dosing container is closed now, not tight, but enough to reduce the smell. I am dosing a very small amount each day so I think the slight vacuum I’m pulling equilibrates between doses. I cracked the lid after a week to see if it had suction, it did not.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I noticed absolutely no smell right after mixed it and wondered if I did something wrong. A month later it stinks inside in my stand

Assuming that is purely a timing issue, it means CO2 is leaving faster. It doesn’t really say if the solution has lost much ammonia or not.

 

[rishma]

Assuming that is purely a timing issue, it means CO2 is leaving faster. It doesn’t really say if the solution has lost much ammonia or not.

Yes, didn’t mean to imply anything about ammonia loss or potency because I have no idea. Just remarking that it changed over time.

 

[rishma]

Assuming that is purely a timing issue, it means CO2 is leaving faster. It doesn’t really say if the solution has lost much ammonia or not.

Oh, one other thing. I mixed another batch (1/2 concentration) and sealed the container. The next day the container walls were converted in bubbles. No smell when I opened it. Must be CO2!

 

[VDC]

My first batch smelled nothing like ammonia either

 

[BriDroid]

Mine smelled more like ammonia after a day or two.

 

[Miami Reef]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

Can you help me figure out how much ammonium bicarbonate is needed to raise my 20 gallon tank to 0.5ppm free ammonia? The tank is uncycled with no inhabitants.

The conversion between free and total ammonia will always confuse me. In the first post you suggested a starting dose of 0.1mg/L. Is that free or total ammonia?

Also, how does one use Jame’s Planted Tank Calculator for ammonium bicarbonate? It says ammonium from ammonium nitrate.