Dosing Potassium Nitrate

Dexter_SA · Jul 5, 2019

Hi guys....I've ran into a slight problem. My no3 dropped to 0. I want to increase it using Potassium Nitrate. But ive been advised that if i use potassium nitrate i need to test for potassium aswell. Is there any truth in this? Problem is locally we don't get potassium test kits. What is my other options if potassium nitrate is not advisable. I see online one can also use seachem flourish nitrogen???

ZaneTer · Jul 5, 2019

I have dozed KNO3 on many occasions. There is absolutely no appreciable increase in potassium.

Don’t worry about it.

dwest · Jul 5, 2019

Dexter_SA said:
Hi guys....I've ran into a slight problem. My no3 dropped to 0. I want to increase it using Potassium Nitrate. But ive been advised that if i use potassium nitrate i need to test for potassium aswell. Is there any truth in this? Problem is locally we don't get potassium test kits. What is my other options if potassium nitrate is not advisable. I see online one can also use seachem flourish nitrogen???

You can also use sodium nitrate if you are worried about it. I got mine from amazon. I agree with Zane though.

Dexter_SA · Jul 5, 2019

thanks for the feedback guys....then dosing potassium nitrate its going to be

Robinson · Jul 5, 2019

Use this calculator to know how munch to dose. http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator. htm
I have been dosing potassium nitrate without any notable increase in potassium, I also do ICP testing from time to time to confirm my water parameters and never had any high potassium reading. Hope this help.

ravi197699 · Jul 5, 2019

thank you for sharing the link to the calculator that helps a lot

SMSREEF · Jul 5, 2019

Robinson said:
Use this calculator to know how munch to dose. http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator. htm
I have been dosing potassium nitrate without any notable increase in potassium, I also do ICP testing from time to time to confirm my water parameters and never had any high potassium reading. Hope this help.

This is awesome! I need to start dosing nitrate and maybe phosphate. This calculator will come in handy
Thank you

ZaneTer · Jul 5, 2019

If I may make a suggestion. Add your PO4/ KNO3 to your ATO to provide a fairly even dosing throughout the day.

SMSREEF · Jul 5, 2019

ZaneTer said:
If I may make a suggestion. Add your PO4/ KNO3 to your ATO to provide a fairly even dosing throughout the day.

Good point!
My top off is kalk with a little vinegar. Dosed via dosing pump at night.
Do you know if kalk or vinegar will affect the potassium nitrate or potassium phosphate?

To the OP, I bought a salifert potassium test on amazon.

ZaneTer · Jul 5, 2019

SMSREEF said:
Good point!
My top off is kalk with a little vinegar. Dosed via dosing pump at night.
Do you know if kalk or vinegar will affect the potassium nitrate or potassium phosphate?

To the OP, I bought a salifert potassium test on amazon.

I will be honest, I have absolutely no idea but I would like to find out also

lbacha · Jul 5, 2019

ZaneTer said:
If I may make a suggestion. Add your PO4/ KNO3 to your ATO to provide a fairly even dosing throughout the day.

Be careful with that. I find you need to adjust nutrient dosing a lot more than Alk/cal dosing so putting it in your ato may make that hard

Len

Variant · Jul 5, 2019

You can use sodium nitrate instead. it's more potent so use 0.84 of what you would use for potassium nitrate.

dwest · Jul 5, 2019

SMSREEF said:
Good point!
My top off is kalk with a little vinegar. Dosed via dosing pump at night.
Do you know if kalk or vinegar will affect the potassium nitrate or potassium phosphate?

To the OP, I bought a salifert potassium test on amazon.

Although adding vinegar will be carbon dosing, which will decrease the nutrients which you are trying to increase.

ZaneTer · Jul 5, 2019

dwest said:
Although adding vinegar will be carbon dosing, which will decrease the nutrients which you are trying to increase.

Wouldn’t that only be true in the presence of a bacteria capable of utilizing it? No bacteria would equal no problem?

dwest · Jul 5, 2019

The carbon is often a limiting food source in our tanks for the bacteria. They’ll quickly multiply to consume carbon, along with nitrates and phosphates.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index...ar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium

SMSREEF · Jul 5, 2019

dwest said:
The carbon is often a limiting food source in our tanks for the bacteria. They’ll quickly multiply to consume carbon, along with nitrates and phosphates.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index...ar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium

The vinegar was to make kalk a little more saturated because it’s much cheaper and doesn’t mess with salinity, vs 2 part.

But yes, I think as you suggest, it is also feeding bacteria. Tank is about 2 years, so probably plenty of different bacteria just waiting for some carbon! I thought getting rid of nitrates and phosphate was a bonus... 0.0 and muted sps color is not a bonus though.

Maybe I just get rid of the vinegar and increase daily 2 part before dosing additional things. I have a 10 gallon nano and keeping it stable with so many variables is really hard.

I’m reading other threads about dosing potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate and increasing potassium to a level too high. Probably more of an issue with nanos.

@Dexter_SA
Let us know how your dosing goes because I’m really interested. Also, how big is your tank?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 6, 2019

SMSREEF said:
Good point!
My top off is kalk with a little vinegar. Dosed via dosing pump at night.
Do you know if kalk or vinegar will affect the potassium nitrate or potassium phosphate?

To the OP, I bought a salifert potassium test on amazon.

It won’t be any problem to mix the nitrate, but phosphate can’t be added to kalkwasser.