What are you using to dose Nitrates?

[Oshengems]

Here’s the way I look at this dilemma:

In our tanks (relatively small volume H2O with large biomass in a relatively closed system), we have all of the potential PO4 and NO3 production we could ever want.

That led to, over the years, advancements in our LSS capabilities, chem media capabilities, and things like dosing to further lower nutrient levels. We then went from one side of the issue (too much) to the other side of the issue (too little).

The word you used that got my attention was ‘practical’. To me, how is more practical than contriving even more chem to deal with/control/manipulate than it is to simply dial back the use of nutrient stripping _____? Why add an additional nitrate source when we can just reduce skimming or nutrient uptake by Chaeto or whatever we’re doing to decrease NO3 or PO4?

I removed cheato about 8-9 moths ago to see if it helped them I about 2-3 months ago edited my skimmer to run only 12 hours was still getting zero on salifert. I do skim fairly dry my skimmate is very dark and gunts up fairly fast on the inner chamber of the skimmer and collection cup it’s like a paste when I clean it weekly after I started with the 4-5 feeds a day, would wet skimming be better to reduce export of nutrients?

 

[CMO]

Here’s the way I look at this dilemma:

In our tanks (relatively small volume H2O with large biomass in a relatively closed system), we have all of the potential PO4 and NO3 production we could ever want.

That led to, over the years, advancements in our LSS capabilities, chem media capabilities, and things like dosing to further lower nutrient levels. We then went from one side of the issue (too much) to the other side of the issue (too little).

The word you used that got my attention was ‘practical’. To me, how is more practical than contriving even more chem to deal with/control/manipulate than it is to simply dial back the use of nutrient stripping _____? Why add an additional nitrate source when we can just reduce skimming or nutrient uptake by Chaeto or whatever we’re doing to decrease NO3 or PO4?

I definitely tried reducing skimming and fuge light cycle length but that still doesn't solve my problem within reason. I'm skimming on nearly the lowest speed (with an undersized skimmer) / very dry and running fuge light only 8 hours and still getting 0.00 nitrate. Any furthering reduction enough to get a nitrate reading absent dosing would significantly reduce ph and buffering capabilities. I'm seeing much better growth maintaining higher ph with continuous skimming and packed fuge.

But I agree. For many that is probably a good solution if they're over skimming or running a 16 hour fuge light cycle.

 

[CMO]

I use sodium nitrate from loudwolf.
A doser now adds 100 ml daily to maintain nitrates at 4 ppm.
My corals colored up nicely.

Wow that's a lot. What size tank?

 

[Docdiggy]

Wow that's a lot. What size tank?

That's what I'm wondering. It took me less than 100ml over 3 weeks to get to 4ppm

 

[Docdiggy]

125 gallon with 55 sump.

 

[CMO]

I'm in the 5-10 ml range per day of neonitro on my 165 gallon. I did initially dose heavier to get it up but this seems to be a good maintenance dose.

 

[Wen]

Wow that's a lot. What size tank?

150 gal display, 30+ gal sump, prolific refugiun, light skimming, heavy fish feeding

Potassium nitrate recipe used is 2tsp per 800 ml RODI water, I guess I could make it more concentrated. ?

Corals look great, but I need to start dosing phosphates next.

 

[srad750c]

I use ME Coral nitrate, was using spectracide but I noticed a residue settling at the bottom. Stopped using Flourish cause it contains iron, had algae to start growing about a week after I started using it. I use ME Coral since I don’t have to dose more than 1 ml a week, so cost is not an issue for me.

 

[Oshengems]

I use ME Coral nitrate, was using spectracide but I noticed a residue settling at the bottom. Stopped using Flourish cause it contains iron, had algae to start growing about a week after I started using it. I use ME Coral since I don’t have to dose more than 1 ml a week, so cost is not an issue for me.

I ended up ordering sodium nitrate on amazon but I see that product has potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate and calcium nitrate, I wonder if this makes a difference, I also order the Red Sea test kit

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

Sodium nitrate

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0190TOJUS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Do you have a chart or something that tells you how much to use for gallon of water or something?

 

[Oshengems]

Someone added this link and I assumed it would have calculations for sodium nitrate as well but it does not only potassium nitrate

How are ya calculation the mixing ratio for sodium nitrate?

The link provided was :
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm

 

[jpas]

The reason to dose nitrates is to balance it with your phosphate levels.

Your nitrate should be somewhere between 10 & 16 times higher than your phosphate (depending on who’s giving you the advice). You will need to use an ULR phosphate test kit. Do a search on nitratehosphate ratios before you start dosing

When you over feed, your phosphates levels go up even higher.

 

[Crashjack]

I use ME Coral nitrate, was using spectracide but I noticed a residue settling at the bottom. Stopped using Flourish cause it contains iron, had algae to start growing about a week after I started using it. I use ME Coral since I don’t have to dose more than 1 ml a week, so cost is not an issue for me.

Where did you see that Flourish contains iron?

 

[ScottB]

If you are going to dose nitrate that is fine, however as said before, it will deplete your PO4.

Before dosing, get a Hanna checker like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UNK3I8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Within a week of nitrate dosing (1/2 the recommended rate) I had 3-5 reading on nitrate and 0 PO4. I mean 0 repeatedly. I could have then started dosing PO4 (many do) but decided instead to get more fish, dump more food, and remove my skimmer cup.

 

[Oshengems]

I currently have the Po4 Hanna tester but want to replace it with a P tester I been keeping my eye on sale forums for a used one

 

[CMO]

I currently have the Po4 Hanna tester but want to replace it with a P tester I been keeping my eye on sale forums for a used one

Yeah. I have both and only use the ULR P tester now. The Phosphate tester with an error of +- .04 ppm is just too much. The PO4 tester always reads zero while my ULR P tester shows up to 4 ppm at the same time which is definitely a meaningful difference for our tanks.

 

[Crashjack]

I recommend about anything other than Hanna URL phosphorous checker because:

1. The Hanna URL is the most stressful test kit of any I have used for aquariums, wine making or anything else I might have used a test kit or some testing procedure for. It was also verty inconsistent for me.
2. After fighting dinos and then seeing so much more color and growth with measurable nitrates and phosphates, I see no need in distinguishing .02 and .04 ppm of phosphate. In my tank, both are too low. I’ve used Nyos, Elos standard resolution, and Elos high resolution and all work fine. They are all hard to read at very low phosphate levels but that isn’t a big deal because that is too low for my tank.

 

[jpas]

I have had excellent results with the Hanna ULR P colormeter.

You need to test in a very consistent manner and the results are very consistent. Watch a few youtube videos on how to get repeatable results. I'm not sure why it would cause you any stress, unless you cannot handle waiting for the 3 min count down? It would be nice if it beeped when the 3min was up.

 

[CMO]

I have had excellent results with the Hanna ULR P colormeter.

You need to test in a very consistent manner and the results are very consistent. Watch a few youtube videos on how to get repeatable results. I'm not sure why it would cause you any stress, unless you cannot handle waiting for the 3 min count down? It would be nice if it beeped when the 3min was up.

Agreed. No issues with mine either and very consistent / accurate. The only thing that can be a little bothersome is the auto shutoff timer which is awfully close to the required 2 minute mixing requirement. Using a timer removes this stress. There's definitely a learning curve to using the powder packets but really quite easy once you get the hang of it.

 

[Crashjack]

I have had excellent results with the Hanna ULR P colormeter.

You need to test in a very consistent manner and the results are very consistent. Watch a few youtube videos on how to get repeatable results. I'm not sure why it would cause you any stress, unless you cannot handle waiting for the 3 min count down? It would be nice if it beeped when the 3min was up.

For me, it is 4 minutes of test procedures you have to do in 3 minutes. Getting all of the powder out of the packet and into the vial is difficult, and if you quickly push instead of hold down the button after you insert the vial the second time, you’re screwed. Also, my results were all over the place.

In Hanna’s defense, I don’t think they have any control over how it all works. Milwaukee sells a tester that has the same time constraints and uses powder packets. I’m pretty sure they both buy the same Chinese electronics and just package it in their own testers. Admittedly, I’m handicapped so I’m probably slower than most folks. However, I have no problem with the alk checker. Even when I wasn’t handicapped, it still would have beeen near impossible for me to add the powder to the vial, screw the cap on, shake for two minutes, insert into the checker, close the lid, and hold the button down for several seconds before the three minute timeout. The 3 minutes wouldn’t bother me as much if it didn’t shut the unit down and force you to start all over. Handicapped or not, others obviously have problems as there are a plethora of YouTube videos with multiple work-arounds to overcome these deficiencies. With the other tests I mentioned, I get consistent results, and they are easy to perform. The downside is that very low readings are hard to distinguish (typically <.05 ppm). For me, that isn’t an issue.