Nutrients bottomed out.. Maybe? LFS says no.

Reefin' Alaska · Dec 30, 2021

Was ready to add coral to the tank this week, went ahead and tested with 2 different Red Sea Algae Control kits. Nitrate and Phos both showed undetectable, twice, on both test kits. Some Dino's started showing up this week, so I went to my LFS and had them test it, they got 0 nitrate on API and a Salifert kit. They did Phosphate on a Hanna Master Marine tester, and it came back .10.

I went ahead and bought a Hanna LR checker today, and three times it came back 0.

I have NeoPhos and NeoNitro coming today so I can dose, but I'm a bit nervous of starting to dose because of their PO4 reading.

Not totally sure what to start doing. I'm fairly confident in my testing, and now that some Dino's have started to show up I think nutrients are definitely bottomed out. Just go with my plan of dosing? or?

Lost in the Sauce · Dec 30, 2021

Get Something detectable on both asap.

You got to remember that the margin of error exists on all of these test kits. I think Hannah low range has a margin of three... As ridiculous as that is

((FORDTECH)) · Dec 30, 2021

Kurant said:
Was ready to add coral to the tank this week, went ahead and tested with 2 different Red Sea Algae Control kits. Nitrate and Phos both showed undetectable, twice, on both test kits. Some Dino's started showing up this week, so I went to my LFS and had them test it, they got 0 nitrate on API and a Salifert kit. They did Phosphate on a Hanna Master Marine tester, and it came back .10.

I went ahead and bought a Hanna LR checker today, and three times it came back 0.

I have NeoPhos and NeoNitro coming today so I can dose, but I'm a bit nervous of starting to dose because of their PO4 reading.

Not totally sure what to start doing. I'm fairly confident in my testing, and now that some Dino's have started to show up I think nutrients are definitely bottomed out. Just go with my plan of dosing? or?

You need Hanna ulr phophate not sure if it is same as your stated LR phophates tester.

Reefin' Alaska · Dec 30, 2021

((FORDTECH)) said:
You need Hanna ulr phophate not sure if it is same as your stated LR phophates tester.

I have the ULR, we just moved and I have no idea where it is ATM. Never actually thought I'd have a use for it at this point. Lol.

Reefin' Alaska · Dec 30, 2021

Lost in the Sauce said:
Get Something detectable on both asap.

You got to remember that the margin of error exists on all of these test kits. I think Hannah low range has a margin of three... As ridiculous as that is

I'm just waiting for the Neo stuff to show up. Hoping today.

Lost in the Sauce · Dec 30, 2021

I wouldn't be waiting personally. . Two days ago, I fed a whole cube of mysis to a 30g frag tank with one fish in it after getting a second confirming 0 on phos. Tested an hour later and .016.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 31, 2021

I agree, feed more now.

In the future, food grade sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate may be much cheaper and have a purity guarantee that Brightwell doesn't provide.

Reefin' Alaska · Dec 31, 2021

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I agree, feed more now.

In the future, food grade sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate may be much cheaper and have a purity guarantee that Brightwell doesn't provide.

Hey Randy,

Where would you suggest getting these from? I'm in a small town in Alaska, I doubt we have this stuff available anywhere locally. Are there products on the shelf in a grocery store that I can use?

Lost in the Sauce · Dec 31, 2021

Kurant said:
Hey Randy,

Where would you suggest getting these from? I'm in a small town in Alaska, I doubt we have this stuff available anywhere locally. Are there products on the shelf in a grocery store that I can use?

I just purchased sodium nitrate via Amazon.

Reefin' Alaska · Dec 31, 2021

Lost in the Sauce said:
I just purchased sodium nitrite via Amazon.

Likely what I'll end up doing as well.

Lost in the Sauce · Dec 31, 2021

Kurant said:
Likely what I'll end up doing as well.

I found a really helpful calculator online for making the solution. Had to use potassium nitrate in the calculator and I believe the factor vs sodium nitrate was 0.83 but please confirm that.

I knew I wanted to add 5ppm No3 to my given volume in 10 ml doses. Was able to work back and upon confirmation testing, landed at +4.8 / 10ml.

Reefin' Alaska · Dec 31, 2021

Lost in the Sauce said:
I found a really helpful calculator online for making the solution. Had to use potassium nitrate in the calculator and I believe the factor vs sodium nitrate was 0.83 but please confirm that.

I knew I wanted to add 5ppm No3 to my given volume in 10 ml doses. Was able to work back and upon confirmation testing, landed at +4.8 / 10ml.

BRS? Or?

Lost in the Sauce · Dec 31, 2021

Kurant said:
BRS? Or?

Here ya are!

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

It's .84 factor. I was mistaken.

homer1475 · Dec 31, 2021

I know saltpeter is pottasium nitrate, and probably something you can find on the shelves(short term this would be fine, but I know Randy would rather us dose sodium nitrate).

Not sure what you could use off the store shelves for phosphates though.

Dan_P · Dec 31, 2021

Kurant said:
Was ready to add coral to the tank this week, went ahead and tested with 2 different Red Sea Algae Control kits. Nitrate and Phos both showed undetectable, twice, on both test kits. Some Dino's started showing up this week, so I went to my LFS and had them test it, they got 0 nitrate on API and a Salifert kit. They did Phosphate on a Hanna Master Marine tester, and it came back .10.

I went ahead and bought a Hanna LR checker today, and three times it came back 0.

I have NeoPhos and NeoNitro coming today so I can dose, but I'm a bit nervous of starting to dose because of their PO4 reading.

Not totally sure what to start doing. I'm fairly confident in my testing, and now that some Dino's have started to show up I think nutrients are definitely bottomed out. Just go with my plan of dosing? or?

Quick question. What is in the aquarium right now? Curious about where dinos came from.

Reefin' Alaska · Jan 1, 2022

Dan_P said:
Quick question. What is in the aquarium right now? Curious about where dinos came from.

Fish, CUC and rock.

Reefin' Alaska · Jan 1, 2022

I made the first dose yesterday AM. The formula provided by Brightwell came out to 27ml for 2 PPM nitrate, I did 30, and was tested on my Red Sea kit and a Hanna nitrate checker, slight pink on the RS kit for about 2 PPM, the Hanna said 2.3.. I added another 10ml today, and I'll retest tomorrow.

Phosphate was about 9ml by their calculation to get to .02. I dosed 10, Hanna reads .03 this morning.

I was a bit concerned my test kits were incorrect, but looks like they weren't.. In 20+ years I've never had a tank that didn't have nutrients.. Lol.