New Experiment.... Nitrate Dosing with Spectracide Stump Remover

roadrashpaul

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
912
Reaction score
84
Location
Portland,TN
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have commented before that my tank just didn't seem to grow coral and color like I thought it should. When I first started my 125 I checked my nitrates and phosphates regularly with both hardly ever showing anything. My nitrates always showed 0 and phosphates would be very low. If I got some cyano or algae I would run some GFO and it would go away. I haven't checked them in probably over a year. I started reading Russ's thread about dosing nitrates to help feed the zooxanthellae found in coral. I bought a new N and P test kit and my P was .04-.08 while my N was 0. Tested again to confirm. So I have decided to dose Spectracide Stump Remover to get my N up in the 2-5ppm range. I have taken some before shots of my SPS and will try to document this as much as I can and track my progress. If I nuke my tank, I will clear it out and start all over again :D

Product being used

071121564207.ashx


Someone posted this link to help with the amount to mix and dose
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm
There are several threads on R2R and ReefCentral on doing this. Easy to find if you want to read up on it.

I figured my water capacity at 140 gallons. I used 355ml (12 oz) of water and mixed it with 2 table spoons of the spectracide. Each ml of solution should raise my tanks N by .12ppm. I will dose 16ml today to raise my N to approximately 2ppm (1.96). I will wait a couple hours and test to see where I came in at.

Here are some before shots
You can see here my green monti is very dull and almost grayish. It is growing well but not colorful at all.
Green Monti.jpg

This is my Tri Color that went from pinkish/redish to green. Little polyp extension.
Tri Color Acro.jpg

This is a green birdsnest. Good PE but not very good colors.
Green Birdsnest.jpg

This is some other type of birdsnest. Great PE but very pale/no color and very little growth.
Birdsnest.jpg



Purple tip stag that is very dull colored and honestly just ugly.
Purple Tip Stag.jpg



Feel free to ask questions or tell me I'm an idiot. Here we go.
 
Last edited:

twilliard

Tank pests..
View Badges
Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Messages
10,332
Reaction score
9,494
Location
Central Washington
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Great. Where did you guys buy it. And is it better to dose sodium nitrates or seachem florist
Well you can use both.. one is more expensive than the other for the same result.
@Russ265 would give good insight also.
I am a firm believer in no3 dosing in a TRUE ULNS tank.
 

iiluisii

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 12, 2012
Messages
3,928
Reaction score
704
Location
Clarksville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok so could it be that your potassium didn't go up due to your tank being able to consume it? This could be different in other people tanks. I been wanting to dose it for a while but a bit nervous about it. My tank never show nitrates
 
OP
OP
roadrashpaul

roadrashpaul

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 17, 2013
Messages
912
Reaction score
84
Location
Portland,TN
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got mine at Lowes. I think it was $6.97. I went to the critter first looking for Flourish and they didn't have any. I figured it was a little more "safe" but I said screw it and used the stump remover.

Well you can use both.. one is more expensive than the other for the same result.
@Russ265 would give good insight also.
I am a firm believer in no3 dosing in a TRUE ULNS tank.

I am not sure I have a TRUE ULNS but test show I have 0 N and colors are not that great. I have about 10 fish already in a 93 cube and didn't feel adding another one or two fish would do much not to mention I hate QT'ing so I decided to go this route.
 

twilliard

Tank pests..
View Badges
Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Messages
10,332
Reaction score
9,494
Location
Central Washington
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok so could it be that your potassium didn't go up due to your tank being able to consume it? This could be different in other people tanks. I been wanting to dose it for a while but a bit nervous about it. My tank never show nitrates

I got mine at Lowes. I think it was $6.97. I went to the critter first looking for Flourish and they didn't have any. I figured it was a little more "safe" but I said screw it and used the stump remover.



I am not sure I have a TRUE ULNS but test show I have 0 N and colors are not that great. I have about 10 fish already in a 93 cube and didn't feel adding another one or two fish would do much not to mention I hate QT'ing so I decided to go this route.
Thanks guys these are excellent questions.
I think Randy can help here @Randy Holmes-Farley
No3 is a touchy subject but is gaining grounds.
 

143MPCo

ASSIST PROTECT DEFEND
View Badges
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
6,696
Reaction score
8,294
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have been dosing this for several months now and have seen zero increase in potassium through the Triton ICP testing.
In my opinion 100% safe
Thoughts @143MPCo
Source of KNO3 online here-->http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/potassium-nitrate.html
I dose about 13ml every 3 -4 days and brings me up to 0.13ppm, caution should be used as it can cause issue it not monitor as I'm sure @twilliard has noted.

No issues with "potassium" but @Randy Holmes-Farley can better explain this.

POTASSIUM NITRATE [KNO3] - 1LB $3.00
 
Last edited:

Russ265

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
2,752
Reaction score
1,940
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Turn off your skimmer. ....
i have no skimmer.

i dose 20 ml of seachem flourish nitrogen daily to retain 5ppm no3.

twilliards method is cheaper over the long term. i use the seachem stuff because it is readily available and ive already done my tests with it.

call me lazy i guess.
 

High pressure shells: Do you look for signs of stress in the invertebrates in your reef tank?

  • I regularly look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 36 31.0%
  • I occasionally look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 28 24.1%
  • I rarely look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 22 19.0%
  • I never look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 30 25.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top