Dosing nitrate

[Acroporaaddict]

I started my tank with the intent to dose everything, that way have complete control. So far everything has gone great. No algae problem, great growth imo and stable parameters. I am now chasing color as that is what my tank is lacking. I have been dosing vinegar since day 1 as my goal was a ulns. Now that I am in that range I want to start dosing nitrate in order to get deeper colors.

40 breeder
Sbreeflights 30" led 35% white, 65% blue, 100% uv ( ramps up to these setting and stays at the peak for 3 hours)
Rlss 5i skimmer
2 vortex mp10

1.026
7.62dkh (Hanna checker)
430ppm ca (red sea titration)
1300ppm mg (red sea titration)
.25ppm No3 (red sea titration)
0ppm Po4 (Hanna phosphorus checker)
These numbers are repeatable and stable

5" melanarous wrasse
4 1" chromis
Fish are fed a quarter size chunk of rods food every other day
I don't want and more fish because I plan on moving the tank in the next month or so

I currently dose daily:
12ml vinegar
42ml brs alkalinity
25ml brs calcium
7 drops each red sea coral colors a-d
2 drops kz amino acids
2 drops kz sponge power
2 drops kz coral Vitalizer

I have read alot of threads where people dose kno3 to import colors in ulns. Would that be a good idea for my tank?

 

[Acroporaaddict]

Fts, some acros have great color, some are very pale almost white (great growth and pe) will know help with my pale acros?

 

[Acroporaaddict]

Red planet

 

[Acroporaaddict]

Just realized how terrible these cell phone pictures look. I'll take some with my dslr tomorrow

 

[Slm222]

Before nitrate dosing could you cut back on carbon dosing to raise nitrates?

 

[Acroporaaddict]

Before nitrate dosing could you cut back on carbon dosing to raise nitrates?

I'm not sure if I have enough fish to increase nitrates if I cut back on the carbon dosing

 

[Tautog]

I was always told my tank was too clean, so I dirty it up. Now, I'm fighting No3's. Started dosing NoPox and it's killing the gray algae, but now more green algae is appearing. I'm adding O2, mini bubbles to the DT, to help clean the rock. The extra O2 seems to be doing a great job. Yep, came back from vacation to find this stuff going on.
Acroporaaddic, try extra food, or stop cleaning the bottom of your tank. I was away for 14 days, so only feeding once every other day, but nothing else. My No3's were thru the roof, from poop and decay.

 

[rovster]

I make a concoction of 8g NaNO3 to 100 mL RO. I dose 2-4ml in a 120 gal system 1-2 times a week as needed. Not sure how the math works but my concoction I did pull from a big thread on nitrate dosing.

 

[Aznxgqboyx]

So your po4 is 0.00?

 

[Aznxgqboyx]

I brought this piece from reefapooza however you spell it in april, it was pale at the time i brought it and now the branches are slowly coloring up, not sure tbe name of this one some tyoe of aussie acro from pacific east aquaculture. Po4 0.05 hanna phosporus, n03 not sure(api) less then 0.25?

 

[Aznxgqboyx]

You shouldnt have to dose nitrate if your feeding your corals with supplements and the red sea color program.

 

[Aznxgqboyx]

Red planet

I see some green at the top of your red planet, maybe your corals arent getting enough light, my redplanet is all red, deep red under 14k halides. With super low nutrient

 

[Graffiti Spot]

How old is that tank?

 

[Triggreef]

That no3 you have is fine, add some po4 by feeding heavier corals will color right up. Your also washing the color by blasting them with that super white light. I'd bet you'd get better growth and color by going much heavier blue and less white. Like 90 percent on the blues to 60 percent on your white channel. I can tell looking at your pics you are about even on both channels.

Reef breeders lights are great quality but Logan needs to get A LOT more blues and less whites into those fixtures. They they would be unbeatable. He'll figure it out eventually. (Just poking at you Logan, but seriously).

 

[Acroporaaddict]

So your po4 is 0.00?

Yes, I check po4 twice a week using the hanna phosphorus checker. Last week it was at .024ppm and then .018ppm. This week both tests have read 0

That no3 you have is fine, add some po4 by feeding heavier corals will color right up. Your also washing the color by blasting them with that super white light. I'd bet you'd get better growth and color by going much heavier blue and less white. Like 90 percent on the blues to 60 percent on your white channel. I can tell looking at your pics you are about even on both channels.

Reef breeders lights are great quality but Logan needs to get A LOT more blues and less whites into those fixtures. They they would be unbeatable. He'll figure it out eventually. (Just poking at you Logan, but seriously).

The light is actually from Mike at sbreeflights. It's running at 35% white, 65% blue and 100% uv.

 

[Acroporaaddict]

You shouldnt have to dose nitrate if your feeding your corals with supplements and the red sea color program.

I considered dosing more to increase color. I noticed if I add 1 more drop of the supplements I'm dosing then I start to get a brown or green film type algae on certain areas of the sand.

I see some green at the top of your red planet, maybe your corals arent getting enough light, my redplanet is all red, deep red under 14k halides. With super low nutrient

I have 2 mini colonies of red planet, both are 4-6" under the waterline. The light is 8" above the waterline. I could increase the light intensity, but I worry about bleaching my acros.

 

[Acroporaaddict]

Here is my other red planet mini colony for reference. It is very pale. The base is the only part that has any color. All the branches and new shoots are tan or white ( still has great Pe)

 

[Aznxgqboyx]

Yea your red planets have no red whatsoever, the greens are turning into yellow.. im sure its your lighting and lighting cycle. For sps dont even worry about ramping lights on led. its useless just go str8 to lighting the tank.

 

[Aznxgqboyx]

Also, you could be low on some other element that you didnt check for. How often you do water change,

 

[Aznxgqboyx]

Also, you could be low on some other element that you didnt check for.