Nitrate dosing via ATO???

[Toxic727]

im having an issue getting my nitrates to stay above 1ppm. I got some potassium nitrate to try my hand at dosing nitrates. Does anyone see an issue with using my ATO. I do currently use kalk in my ATO.

 

[mcarroll]

Should be fine, but you might find a tendency of growing algae in the ATO res. if it gets ANY light at all.

 

[Flippers4pups]

im having an issue getting my nitrates to stay above 1ppm. I got some potassium nitrate to try my hand at dosing nitrates. Does anyone see an issue with using my ATO. I do currently use kalk in my ATO.

I would dose it directly into the system. I've used this calculator to dose it in the past. Worked well:

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm

 

[siggy]

@Toxic727 how goes the the dosing? I am having the same problem with Zero nitrates and my sps are paled out. Been heavy feeding and Phos is .36 (hanna) from zero but No3 is still 0 (salifert) So what product did you go with? @Flippers4pups any suggestions? I have removed most chaeto and light is off most of the time

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[Toxic727]

Well, unfortunately I have a horror story. But first of all, I do not wish to attribute blame to the product, although I will not use the product again. I want to be clear that the product was spectracide stump remover, heavily noting that this product was never claimed to be used for reef hobbiests.

I began manual dosing and testing daily. I dosed 1ml of soliution daily, which by my calculations, should increase N ppm by 0.16 per Ml of solution. So in theory, I was increasing between 0.10-0.16 per day for approximately 2 weeks. The highest reading of nitrate that I got to was 2ppm according to my salifert test kit.

Around the two week mark I found that my montipora began fading slightly white. At this time i discontinued dosing and watched my monti. Over the next few days, my monti contributed to fade white and I noticed that my acros and birds nests began browning a bit. I did an emergency WC, but it seems to have been too late. I had lost a sizable monti colony, a birds nest colony, and a really nice acro frag.

I made a post looking for advice or help. In that post I learned that potassium levels can be detrimental especially to monti’s.

I cannot say that it was specifically the spectracide, but I can say that it was the ONLY change in my tank in months.

There are many success stories with nitrate dosing, unfortunately I am not one of them. IF I dabble again it, it will be in one of the “expensive name brand products” because that $5-$10 that I saved on the product cost me several hundred dollars in coral...

 

[LuizW13]

I didn't even think about doing that- that actually sounds like a good idea. Anyone here have experience with that or have any concerns?

 

[siggy]

Well, unfortunately I have a horror story

Man so sorry to hear. I seen those treads and always wonder what the heck. Chad @BRS recommended NeoNitro so thats what I am going to try.

 

[LuizW13]

I've been thinking- i probably manually dose around 1ml of NeoNitro in the morning and the evening(still not seeing any No3), I don't see why it would be bad to have the No3 dosed directly to the ATO bucket and have that trickle in to the system throughout the day.
I'll start tonight and report back if with more info, maybe i'll start off with half the dose or something..just in case ;Playful

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well, unfortunately I have a horror story. But first of all, I do not wish to attribute blame to the product, although I will not use the product again. I want to be clear that the product was spectracide stump remover, heavily noting that this product was never claimed to be used for reef hobbiests.

I began manual dosing and testing daily. I dosed 1ml of soliution daily, which by my calculations, should increase N ppm by 0.16 per Ml of solution. So in theory, I was increasing between 0.10-0.16 per day for approximately 2 weeks. The highest reading of nitrate that I got to was 2ppm according to my salifert test kit.

Around the two week mark I found that my montipora began fading slightly white. At this time i discontinued dosing and watched my monti. Over the next few days, my monti contributed to fade white and I noticed that my acros and birds nests began browning a bit. I did an emergency WC, but it seems to have been too late. I had lost a sizable monti colony, a birds nest colony, and a really nice acro frag.

I made a post looking for advice or help. In that post I learned that potassium levels can be detrimental especially to monti’s.

I cannot say that it was specifically the spectracide, but I can say that it was the ONLY change in my tank in months.

There are many success stories with nitrate dosing, unfortunately I am not one of them. IF I dabble again it, it will be in one of the “expensive name brand products” because that $5-$10 that I saved on the product cost me several hundred dollars in coral...

How long did you dose it? Potassium nitrate (e.g., Spectracide) adds less potassium than nitrate, and a few ppm potassium is not a coral killer. Some salt mixes have it quite elevated.

.I might suspect low phosphate (from the nitrate dosing spurring uptake) before than elevated potassium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There are many success stories with nitrate dosing, unfortunately I am not one of them. IF I dabble again it, it will be in one of the “expensive name brand products” because that $5-$10 that I saved on the product cost me several hundred dollars in coral...

An alternative to either approach is an appropriately pure DIY. Food grade potassium nitrate is not expensive and is readily available. :)

 

[Toxic727]

How long did you dose it? Potassium nitrate (e.g., Spectracide) adds less potassium than nitrate, and a few ppm potassium is not a coral killer. Some salt mixes have it quite elevated.

.I might suspect low phosphate (from the nitrate dosing spurring uptake) before than elevated potassium.

It was dosed for approximately 2 weeks at 1Ml per day. My peak nitrate reading was 2ppm, however I do not have a way of testing potassium. Interesting about a potential dip in phosphate when increasing nitrate. My tank naturally have very little phosphate.

 

[LuizW13]

.I might suspect low phosphate (from the nitrate dosing spurring uptake) before than elevated potassium.

Is there a way to know if Phosphates are too low in comparison to Nitrates? Like let's say for example, you're dosing No3 to bring nutrients up, but you're not dosing Phosphates? When can that be problematic?

Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is there a way to know if Phosphates are too low in comparison to Nitrates? Like let's say for example, you're dosing No3 to bring nutrients up, but you're not dosing Phosphates? When can that be problematic?

Thanks!

I do not really think it is a matter of too low with respect to nitrate, but just too low for uptake by corals. Too low of nutrients can lead to burnt tips , especially if alk is elevated.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It was dosed for approximately 2 weeks at 1Ml per day. My peak nitrate reading was 2ppm, however I do not have a way of testing potassium. Interesting about a potential dip in phosphate when increasing nitrate. My tank naturally have very little phosphate.

Then it wouldn't be elevated potassium, IMO. Yours may even still be below normal, as the boost was minimal.

It is common and expected for phosphate to drop when dosing nitrate, and some folks have run into issues with that, or the reverse, dosing phosphate and nitrate getting too low.

 

[mcarroll]

I began manual dosing and testing daily. I dosed 1ml of soliution daily, which by my calculations, should increase N ppm by 0.16 per Ml of solution. So in theory, I was increasing between 0.10-0.16 per day for approximately 2 weeks. The highest reading of nitrate that I got to was 2ppm according to my salifert test kit.

I don't see where you looked at phosphate.....if it was also zero, then you just "overheated the photosynthetic engines" of your corals' dino's by dosing nitrates alone.

Let me know if you were testing phosphate then. Also if you have a kit, what are phosphates testing at now?

Maybe just for reference, but here's a solid guide for using KNO3 as well as a calculator for dosing:
A Nitrate Dosing Calculator For Better Tank Health (And Better Coral Color!)