Pondering dosing nitrates

[Acroporaaddict]

@Acroporaaddict so you use the seachem nitrogen and phosphorus?

Yes

 

[cracker]

I use thr RedSea No3 kit.Is it accurate? I don't know but used to it so. I also like to dose nutrients (Po4,No3) Seems easier to me

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I thought the red sea pro was considered one of the better nitrate kits. I also think it would show at least some nitrates if there are any but the sample is clear as can be.

Same here. Nitrate test with Red Sea Pro is crystal clear. Bright yellow with API. I have a small fuge and cut the light to 4 hours, increased feeding and set my skimmer to run drier all with noneffect on no3. Started dosing Brightwell no3 at 30 ml to increase to 1ppm and it was gone in 24 hours. Not wanting to spend a bunch of money dosing no3 I am dosing 10ml daily to provide some increase in no3. No change yet.

 

[Idoc]

Same here. Nitrate test with Red Sea Pro is crystal clear. Bright yellow with API. I have a small fuge and cut the light to 4 hours, increased feeding and set my skimmer to run drier all with noneffect on no3. Started dosing Brightwell no3 at 30 ml to increase to 1ppm and it was gone in 24 hours. Not wanting to spend a bunch of money dosing no3 I am dosing 10ml daily to provide some increase in no3. No change yet.

My nitrates did the same when i started dosing... what i did was gone the next day. Keep doing it slowly and eventually the system will saturate and you'll start to notice some of the nitrates remaining. For me, I hit my target 10ppm NO3 and stopped dosing... now able to maintain NO3 with feedings. Same went with dosing phosphates as well.

 

[jda]

You have nitrate. The hobby-grade test kits that we have just cannot capture it. I personally think that it is a fools errand to dose nitrate since corals prefer to get nitrogen from ammonia - it takes more energy for a coral to get nitrogen from nitrate. I would feed more over dosing anything. That being said, nitrates at even .1 are no issue (.1 does not even color up a test kit) and I would look elsewhere for your issues like general stability.

Nitrate is not used for energy. It is a building block of life. Think of it as bricks that get laid on your house or a building. Think of the workers as the energy (which comes from light for a coral). You need a steady, but low stream of bricks that cannot be laid too fast or the collapse under their own weight. The jobsite also has to be kept neat and clean with no extra bricks. If you have too many bricks laying around in piles all over the place, then the workers cannot move and get their jobs done and the bricks gum up the works. I can assure you that .1 nitrate and .01 phosphate is enough of if you keep a steady and constant supply - heavy import and heavy export with some always in the mix.

If you have an active anoxic bacteria bed in your tank, they will chew through nitrate fast. In the days of 3+" of sand and lots of real live rock, everybody had nitrate that was undetectable and everything was good. Back then people used to say "zero" but they meant undetectable on a test kit.

 

[Reefnjunkie]

I’ve always had near zero levels on NO3 (knowing there is always a trace) and have been dosing stump remover as well over the last few weeks.

This may help in calculating the amount or at least give you an idea, it was helpful for me.

I also picked up a Kamoer doser that’s blue tooth and made it nice to spread out the dosing in 12 different points throughout a 24 hour period. I could have done the same via my apex but the doser allows more precise measure

https://reefsuccess.com/2017/02/08/nitratecalc/

 

[TexasReefer82]

I have an acropora dominant tank and I dose nitrate. I dose enough to keep the tank at approximately 2ppm as measured by the Salifert test kit. I use the stump remover product from Lowe's which is potassium nitrate. It also adds potassium which I appreciate because my tank consumes potassium at as measurable rate and I have to occasionally add a K+ additive to get it back up to 400ppm.

Jda is correct though... A reading of "zero" just means that consumption equals or exceeds addition. Both numbers could be very high or very low.

However, it's has been my observation that my acros are happier since I started maintaining nitrate in the low single digits. One hypothetical explanation is that my LPS and anemones were consuming the nitrate at a faster rate than the acropora, or maybe my pukani rock is performing denitrification at an exceptional rate. I really have no idea beyond my empirical observation.

 

[Backreefing]

In my opinion if you still grow algae on the glass and rock then your good . I agree with JDA look elsewhere for your problem .

 

[sandswhitson]

I have ordered an ATI ICP test so I will see what the results of that are. Parameters have been held rock steady via calcium reactor that is fed with a peristaltic pump and carbon doser regulator. Running out of ideas other than lack of nitrates and phosphates. If I dont feed at least two cubes and pellets daily my phosphates go to zero in a day or two. Two posters have mentioned to look elsewhere but no suggestions on what that may be?

 

[Backreefing]

If you shut off your skimmer you will get some nutrients for certain
You ain’t useing gfo or phosguard? They are trouble
Good luck

 

[sandswhitson]

No GFO or phosguard. No carbon or bacteria dosing.

 

[Backreefing]

I have an acropora dominant tank and I dose nitrate. I dose enough to keep the tank at approximately 2ppm as measured by the Salifert test kit. I use the stump remover product from Lowe's which is potassium nitrate. It also adds potassium which I appreciate because my tank consumes potassium at as measurable rate and I have to occasionally add a K+ additive to get it back up to 400ppm.

Jda is correct though... A reading of "zero" just means that consumption equals or exceeds addition. Both numbers could be very high or very low.

However, it's has been my observation that my acros are happier since I started maintaining nitrate in the low single digits. One hypothetical explanation is that my LPS and anemones were consuming the nitrate at a faster rate than the acropora, or maybe my pukani rock is performing denitrification at an exceptional rate. I really have no idea beyond my empirical observation.

I have ordered an ATI ICP test so I will see what the results of that are. Parameters have been held rock steady via calcium reactor that is fed with a peristaltic pump and carbon doser regulator. Running out of ideas other than lack of nitrates and phosphates. If I dont feed at least two cubes and pellets daily my phosphates go to zero in a day or two. Two posters have mentioned to look elsewhere but no suggestions on what that may be?

just kicking it around but . You have 6 t5 bulbs plus sb reefs ? What bulbs . And how old ? How deep is your aquarium? Sorry to ask dumb questions like how many watts per gallon?

 

[Backreefing]

Water changes are done every month. Reef Crystal's salt. Around 20%

Bingo : ReefCrystals = death crystals that salt mix has a of DKH 13 when mixed with ro water.
There ain’t no way you’re alkalinity is stable at 8.5 useing that crap ! Believe me I know ( former death crystals user here ) with 20% changes buy the time it comes down your changing the water again repeat repeat repeat . Here’s a plan stop changing the water for now and get a saltwater mix that is 8ish DKH . Here is a chart of the different brands with parameters order up something else. Then change water 10-15% each month. I now use Red Sea blue bucket and my aquarium is so much happier.

 

[TexasReefer82]

just kicking it around but . You have 6 t5 bulbs plus sb reefs ? What bulbs . And how old ? How deep is your aquarium? Sorry to ask dumb questions like how many watts per gallon?

My lighting consists of 4x T5 bulbs that are half ATI Blue+ and half ATI True Actinic. I also have 2x AI Hydra HD fixtures. I'm pretty sure the T5 does the heavy lifting since the LEDs are only at 40% max at mid day. Tank is a 40 gallon breeder. Bulbs are less than six months old.

The tank is 16" deep and the lights are 13" above water level.

I don't really consider watts per gallon a useful metric.

 

[sandswhitson]

just kicking it around but . You have 6 t5 bulbs plus sb reefs ? What bulbs . And how old ? How deep is your aquarium? Sorry to ask dumb questions like how many watts per gallon?

Tank is the standard 120 24" deep. The T5 bulbs are only 2 months old. I have 2 SB reefbars with them, cant remember the wattage of them but the t5s puts it at 2.7 watts per gallon, which I dont think is a good rule to follow either.

 

[sandswhitson]

Bingo : ReefCrystals = death crystals that salt mix has a of DKH 13 when mixed with ro water.
There ain’t no way you’re alkalinity is stable at 8.5 useing that crap ! Believe me I know ( former death crystals user here ) with 20% changes buy the time it comes down your changing the water again repeat repeat repeat . Here’s a plan stop changing the water for now and get a saltwater mix that is 8ish DKH . Here is a chart of the different brands with parameters order up something else. Then change water 10-15% each month. I now use Red Sea blue bucket and my aquarium is so much happier.

Thanks for the chart. I have a 65 gallon salt mixing tank and allow the fresh salt water to circulate for 3 or 4 days before doing a change and that brings the alkalinity down in the reef Crystal's. I have contemplated trying a new salt but I know many beautiful reefs are maintained with RC salt. I am almost out of salt so may try a different brand for a while

 

[Backreefing]

Thanks for the chart. I have a 65 gallon salt mixing tank and allow the fresh salt water to circulate for 3 or 4 days before doing a change and that brings the alkalinity down in the reef Crystal's. I have contemplated trying a new salt but I know many beautiful reefs are maintained with RC salt. I am almost out of salt so may try a different brand for a while

Don’t get me wrong about death crystals lol they have a use ( besides the trash can )
They are good for the aquarium that is very heavily stocked and useing a lot of alkalinity and calcium. But everyone else it’s trash .
Reef crystals have availability and a very professional looking label going for them .

 

[jda]

If you cannot keep a nice reef with Reef Crystals, then you should not be reefing. Look elsewhere for your issues.

 

[sandswhitson]

If you cannot keep a nice reef with Reef Crystals, then you should not be reefing. Look elsewhere for your issues.

@jda I agree that reef Crystal's isn't my only issue. You have posted twice now in this thread to "look elsewhere for my issues" but haven't had any suggestions. What are you thinking is the issue?

 

[jda]

I cannot really say without a full spread of routine, equipment, parameters and even some photos. I can only say what it is likely not to be... or more to advise not to go down the easy-thinking rabbit holes. Your first post was about nitrates, so just answered that. Post some more detailed info and some photos and you will likely get some good help.