...

[SMSREEF]

edited out

 

[AfaceInTheCrowd]

A little is beneficial

 

[SPR1968]

I would say you need some nitrate and a good general target is 5-10 and that’s the target in my new ’big tank’

My Red Sea S650 runs around 18-20 which never changes and that’s fine as well.

Basically you don’t want zero nitrate or bad things can happen with dino’s etc.

 

[SMSREEF]

A little is beneficial

I would say you need some nitrate and a good general target is 5-10 and that’s the target in my new ’big tank’

Thank you both for the info.

 

[Lasse]

If the corals need or not need NO3 - I do not know - I think they prefer NH3/NH4 but NO3 levels below 2 ppm often cause trouble with mat building cyanobacteria for me and other I know.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[SMSREEF]

If the corals need or not need NO3 - I do not know - I think they prefer NH3/NH4 but NO3 levels below 2 ppm often cause trouble with mat building cyanobacteria for me and other I know.

Sincerely Lasse

Do you think maybe nitrate dosing increases green algae growth, snails/hermits eat algae, excrete ammonia is a possible pathway to get NH3/NH4 to coral when dosing nitrate?

 

[Lasse]

I think that they can use nitrate but prefer NH3/NH4. It is a question if the zoox have a special enzyme or not. There is a lot of processes - like DNRA bacteria that can convert NO3 to NH3/NH4. Your path can be one of them too. IMO

Sincerely Lasse

 

[fishguy242]

hi,sorry,yes nitrate ,how much?? i run bare bottoms have not tested ,ammo,nitrite,nitrate in 15+ years,

 

[MnFish1]

@Lasse is by far the expert.... @SMSREEF I just tested mine = thinking they would be high - but no.... 5...

 

[SMSREEF]

@Lasse is by far the expert.... @SMSREEF I just tested mine = thinking they would be high - but no.... 5...

Thanks @MnFish1

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As posed, the question asks if they need a nitrogen source. There is no possible other answer than yes to that.

It need not be nitrate as ammonia or organic nitrogen compounds can suffice, but they definitely need nitrogen.