Time to dose Nitrates!

[Chrisss]

Hi! So this is a update thread for myself and anyone else that's wants to tag along to see how my SPS does with the addition of Nitrates. Few things about my tank.

I have a 55g long with a 30g sump for around a total volume of 75g. I'm running 4x54w T5HO. I have a huge protein skimmer (Reef octopus 160int) rated for 200 gallons I run it from 6pm to 8am so its on about half the day. I am running biopellets and carbon. Turned off the BRS GFO. and I have no Refugium only around 90Ibs of live rock.

Day 1 Parameters-
Alk - 9.8
Calcium - 475
PH - 8.2
Ammonia - 0

Nitrate - 0 (Red Sea PRO)
Phosphate - 0 (Hanna checker)

Here are some shots of my tank before the initial dose. Sorry I don't know why the photos came out as bad as they did. I tried to edit them so you can see them better but that might have made them worse haha. My Nexus 6 phone takes horrible pictures of my tank. Also probably dude to all the Blue plus!

The tips are all very white, maybe due to bleaching but I mainly think due to lack of nutrient.

Bottom of coral and tips are starting to become white so also same reason as above.

Can't really see in this image but the grown tips are very white but it has been growing.

Right side of tank (LPS side) All open with none to minimal growth.

So the main reason I'm adding Nitrates is to see some actual growth rather then corals just being open. I don't know for how long I've been sitting at 0 nitrates? Maybe 2 years with a spike around 8 months ago when I actually saw growth but then got a bigger protein skimmer and they all went back to 0.

4pm first Dose of 10ml of Seachem Flourish Nitrogen.
Waiting a hour before testing again. Will update in a hour.

Any tips or suggestions are always helpful!

And a thanks to @Russ265 and @twilliard for there awesome threads that convinced me to do this!
Russ265-https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/help-my-sps-are-paling-and-i-dont-know-what-to-do.210035

Twilliard-https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/potassium-nitrate-spectracide-stump-remover-dosing-steps.215730/

 

[Russ265]

oh i love this thread already....
however!

10 alk will wreack havoc on an ulns system. please drop alk to 8 and get at least 2 nitrates and .02 phosphate

will be following

 

[KingTriton]

Since your Alk is close to 10 dkh I think you'll see a difference once you start raising your NO3

 

[twilliard]

@Russ265
Opinions on that birdsnest?


I am happy to see you are looking into avenues to help the coral.
Now if your reading 0 on po4 I would bring that up just a little.
I like to hold about .014
Keep it up!!

 

[Russ265]

@55g i would dose 30 ml seachem flourish nitrogen. should get you around 5ppm nitrate. and it may get absorbed quick.

doesnt matter. sps systems can easily handle 20 ppm

 

[Chrisss]

oh i love this thread already....
however!

10 alk will wreack havoc on an ulns system. please drop alk to 8 and get at least 2 nitrates and .02 phosphate

will be following

Yes of course! A week and a half ago my DKH was around 13.5 so its progress! I've stopped dosing Kalk in my top off water and purely going with Salt Mix for now. I have 2 Part when needed. 2 nitrates right now is target. And i just turned off GFO2 days ago so no increase yet. I'm getting a new fish when they have it in stock at my LFS >.> so who knows when that will be.

But am feeding more + feeding corals every other with reef frenzy and BRS chili (also just started this 2 days ago)

 

[Russ265]

tips are just white because alk is high for 0 nutrients.

drop to 7 and retain ulns. or drop to 8.5 and raise nutrients :)

 

[Chrisss]

@Russ265
Opinions on that birdsnest?


I am happy to see you are looking into avenues to help the coral.
Now if your reading 0 on po4 I would bring that up just a little.
I like to hold about .014
Keep it up!!

Birdnest wasn't growing until last week. First time I actually see growth since I ran skimmer at half power. But tips are really really white. Going to try to get po4 up with feeding. Fingers cross that works haha. But I will shoot for 2ppm right now. If no increase in Nitrates next dose will be 20mL at around 5

 

[Russ265]

Birdnest wasn't growing until last week. First time I actually see growth since I ran skimmer at half power. But tips are really really white. Going to try to get po4 up with feeding. Fingers cross that works haha. But I will shoot for 2ppm right now. If no increase in Nitrates next dose will be 20mL at around 5

shut that skimmer off for 3 days. trust me. you will need doc.

an indicator of excess doc is when you look at the sump and see that brown stuff where the waterfall meets the edge of the sump. its brown and mucky looking

if you have no buildup. then you do not have an excess ime.

 

[twilliard]

shut that skimmer off for 3 days. trust me. you will need doc.

an indicator of excess doc is when you look at the sump and see that brown stuff where the waterfall meets the edge of the sump. its brown and mucky looking

if you have no buildup. then you do not have an excess ime.

Good answer Russ!!

 

[Russ265]

Good answer Russ!!

ill be following this.

good luck buddy. just let alk drop naturally

 

[Pete polyp]

Why are you running biopellet Ave over sized on your skimmer if your tank is lacking nutrients? The quickest Abe most simple way to fix this is to turn off the pellet reactor and stop skimming.

 

[Russ265]

Why are you running biopellet Ave over sized on your skimmer if your tank is lacking nutrients? The quickest Abe most simple way to fix this is to turn off the pellet reactor and stop skimming.

lol running pellets too?

missed that

 

[twilliard]

Ya water is wiped clean

 

[jaguars4263]

Is this the stuff you are using?

 

[Squibbles]

Would the white tips on some of my pieces be from the same lack of nutrients?

 

[twilliard]

Would the white tips on some of my pieces be from the same lack of nutrients?

Hi alk vrs available nutrients
I call it pushing growth with no support

 

[Pete polyp]

Would the white tips on some of my pieces be from the same lack of nutrients?

It's because your alkalinity is too high for the amount of nutrients you have in the system

 

[Russ265]

Would the white tips on some of my pieces be from the same lack of nutrients?

i would say a combination of growth tips and lack of nutrients.

when i see white new tips... only the fast growers like birdsnest can get away with it. that milli doesnt fit the bill.

however!
you know that coral best. is he growing quickly?

 

[Russ265]

Hi alk vrs available nutrients
I call it pushing growth with no support

bingo....