Measuring nitrogen

[jonone]

In a tank using the tropic Marin carbon system, nitrogen seems to take priority over nitrate to a point where it’s suggested if your using there carbon dosing products there will be nitrogen in the system even if nitrate is not measurable
I guess there’s not a way to measure nitrogen ? So if it’s hard to gauge how much there is , does that mean if there’s measurable nitrate that mean there is enough nitrogen ?
As a newbie I guess nitrate is the end product of the cycle so if measurable then there must be nitrogen ?

 

[KrisReef]

I am not familiar with this product line and/or their reasoning. I do know that testing for N(x) is not an easy straight line anwser with most testing kits having difficulty for resolution between the species of N that are present.

Based upon your description I would expect that they include some N-molecules in their products to ensure that its available for action?

I did get a strong suggestion from @Lasse who sincerely recommended using their test kit to sort out Nitrate/Nitrite confusion (complications) in our tanks. I found that usually my reef is low but not zero, as in there is generally some to detect in low concentrations in the tank that I feed regularly?

Tropic Marin Pro Nitrite/Nitrate-Test the nitrite and nitrate concentrations can be determined using a finely-tuned color chart

The issue I have currently is slowly increasing phosphorus and I am thinking that I will start adding ammonium nitrate to the tank to see if I can get the P to move out of the water and into the coral and or skimmer?

 

[rishma]

The issue I have currently is slowly increasing phosphorus and I am thinking that I will start adding ammonium nitrate to the tank to see if I can get the P to move out of the water and into the coral and or skimmer?

Do you carbon dose? Just curious.

When my nitrate is low, I see a strong correlation between ammonium bicarbonate dosing and phosphate reduction.

I carbon dose. I have been wondering if carbon dosing is related to the impact in phosphate or it would happen without carbon dosing.

 

[KrisReef]

Do you carbon dose? Just curious.

When my nitrate is low, I see a strong correlation between ammonium bicarbonate dosing and phosphate reduction.

I carbon dose. I have been wondering if carbon dosing is related to the impact in phosphate or it would happen without carbon dosing.

No, I am too lazy but I have thought about it. I do add NH3 now and again when the P is push .1ppm, as it makes the corals happier to have a full plate.

I am not running a low nutrient system, but I do think folks see declines in P when dosing Carbon

 

[rishma]

In a tank using the tropic Marin carbon system, nitrogen seems to take priority over nitrate to a point where it’s suggested if your using there carbon dosing products there will be nitrogen in the system even if nitrate is not measurable
I guess there’s not a way to measure nitrogen ? So if it’s hard to gauge how much there is , does that mean if there’s measurable nitrate that mean there is enough nitrogen ?
As a newbie I guess nitrate is the end product of the cycle so if measurable then there must be nitrogen ?

I’ll give my thoughts though very interested in what others think.

I doubt there is a hobby available test for N because it would include a huge number of N-containing molecules from food and additives. I think it’s a useful concept but not one we can validate with a test.

 

[rishma]

No, I am too lazy but I have thought about it. I do add NH3 now and again when the P is push .1ppm, as it makes the corals happier to have a full plate.

I am not running a low nutrient system, but I do think folks see declines in P when dosing Carbon

I don’t run a low nutrient system either. I target 0.1 ppm phosphate and preferably >5ppm nitrate. I also see happy LPS corals when I dose some ammonia, but interestingly I only see a response when nitrate is lower than my target.

 

[KrisReef]

I don’t run a low nutrient system either. I target 0.1 ppm phosphate and preferably >5ppm nitrate. I also see happy LPS corals when I dose some ammonia, but interestingly I only see a response when nitrate is lower than my target.

They prefer ammonia over nitrate, but they can use both. The uptake (removal) of nitrate is an interesting situation with lots of possible sinks for the N to be moved into.

I think the best way to manage a tank is to do what makes your corals happy. Testing is great to keep an eye on the parameters but keeping an eye on the corals helps make living sense for keep parameters where we actually want them, that magic sweet spot that hopefully will be fully described by reef scientists someday.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In a tank using the tropic Marin carbon system, nitrogen seems to take priority over nitrate to a point where it’s suggested if your using there carbon dosing products there will be nitrogen in the system even if nitrate is not measurable
I guess there’s not a way to measure nitrogen ? So if it’s hard to gauge how much there is , does that mean if there’s measurable nitrate that mean there is enough nitrogen ?
As a newbie I guess nitrate is the end product of the cycle so if measurable then there must be nitrogen ?

There are many nitrogen molecules that organisms can take up. Nitrate is the one I recommend to be sure there is enough N available since the others are not as easy to monitor.

As a newbie, I suggest not complicating this aspect of the hobby for now. :)

 

[jonone]

There are many nitrogen molecules that organisms can take up. Nitrate is the one I recommend to be sure there is enough N available since the others are not as easy to monitor.

As a newbie, I suggest not complicating this aspect of the hobby for now. :)

Where’s the fun in that