What is the best way to increase Phosphate and Nitrate?

[Thomas B]

I am suggesting that if you used this product on a regular basis, what amount would you be adding to the aquarium from the product and how long would it be before lethal? I mean I could test that, however, if someone has the information, it would be useful and time saving? Also, is there any other compound in stump remover?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The recommendations for using the stump remover and it being OK from a purity standpoint are purely based on user reports (quite a few now), rather than any data on impurities in it, which I have never seen published.

Assuming no depletion of potassium or changes due to water changes while using it, it will add 63% as much potassium as nitrate.

So 2 ppm nitrate per day will add 1.3 ppm of potassium. I wouldn't want to add that much for too long without monitoring potassium, and is why I recommend sodium nitrate.

 

[spiraling]

Following along. However, I have a question. If you used a less expensive non aquarium product, such as stump remover to increase nitrate, would it drive up the potassium levels to a lethal concentration?

Seachem / aquavitro make nitrogen,phosphate, and potassium products for freshwater. Once you remove the source that is consuming your N/P, then you should be able to get in balance again, so IMO its not worth risking using stump remover. If you have a bunch of $20 corals then why not spend an extra $5 to make sure you are using a safe product? The seachem products are not developed for reef tanks, but do give the composition, and are intended for use around fish and invertebrates. Anecdotally several reefers have done well with them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, food grade sodium nitrate is cheap.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/222604...MI9aGOpOrt1QIVBShpCh35eAlFEAQYBSABEgIb7fD_BwE

 

[bfsaunde]

I added enough NeoNitro to get my nitrates to 2ppm yesterday evening and this morning they were already down to 1ppm. I do have a refugium that gets light for 8 hours during the night. I had to add 20ml of the NeoNitro to get it up to 2ppm. I added 10ml more this morning and I will recheck this evening. Sorry to highjack but seems my issue is same as the OP.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I added enough NeoNitro to get my nitrates to 2ppm yesterday evening and this morning they were already down to 1ppm. I do have a refugium that gets light for 8 hours during the night. I had to add 20ml of the NeoNitro to get it up to 2ppm. I added 10ml more this morning and I will recheck this evening. Sorry to highjack but seems my issue is same as the OP.

You may find that there is a backlog of demand that slows over time as the organisms "fill up".

 

[bfsaunde]

You may find that there is a backlog of demand that slows over time as the organisms "fill up".

Thanks for the tip. I think the system is still adjusting from my regular dosing of carbon(NoPox) with a doser. To complicate things, I'm in the process of moving everything into a larger system. I'm going from about 60 gallons to about 105 gallons total system volume. I'm going to be able to add a few more fish and maybe get this think maintaining itself a bit more. I really don't like having to dose phosphates and nitrates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks for the tip. I think the system is still adjusting from my regular dosing of carbon(NoPox) with a doser. To complicate things, I'm in the process of moving everything into a larger system. I'm going from about 60 gallons to about 105 gallons total system volume. I'm going to be able to add a few more fish and maybe get this think maintaining itself a bit more. I really don't like having to dose phosphates and nitrates.

If you find you need to dose nitrate and phosphate, I'd stop NOPOX unless the goal is primarily to feed bacteria to filter feeders.

 

[bfsaunde]

If you find you need to dose nitrate and phosphate, I'd stop NOPOX unless the goal is primarily to feed bacteria to filter feeders.

I did about 6-8 weeks ago. I'm only going to dose a carbon source manually from now on, when needed to push the numbers down a bit. If I remember correctly, I think this is what you do "when needed".

 

[bfsaunde]

funny that you said "feed bacteria to filter feeders". I wondered why the sponges in my tank were multiplying like crazy and growing. I have blue, orange, red and yellow sponges. Thought I might convert to a species tank. ha! I didn't know this was how I was feeding them.

 

[Thomas B]

Thanks, Randy. That is exactly why I asked. I was looking for a bulk supply of nitrate without the cost overrun or markup. You say key words in this world, like wedding, and the next thing you know that same cake on the shelf is $500. Again, thanks. Would you happen to know a similar source of phosphate?

 

[jwshiver]

I wouldn't remove the light 100%, just reduce the photoperiod. Too many drastic changes can have the opposite effect.

Take a serious look at dosing stump remover (NO3) and a powdered phosphate suppliment (PO4). They'll let you get to the exact levels you want to have. I have mine on dosers so I stay right around 10ppm NO3 and 0.03ppm PO4.

Here are the products I used:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GVYXKC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BRBVZW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

How are you mixing and dosing the monosodium phosphate? I am considering trying this product.

 

[ebushrow]

ME corals makes additives....I trust them more than stump remover...

 

[DarkSky]

ME corals makes additives....I trust them more than stump remover...

Yeah I mean if you want to pay a 10000% markup on the same stuff, go for it. Your choice.

 

[DarkSky]

How are you mixing and dosing the monosodium phosphate? I am considering trying this product.

Check here.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-monosodium-phosphate.314502/

I detailed the math and formulas.

 

[ebushrow]

Yeah I mean if you want to pay a 10000% markup on the same stuff, go for it. Your choice.

If rather add coral tested reagents than stump remover to my tank....I'll pay the mark up thank you very much! I refuse to cheap out on something like this. It's like using silica sand over aragonite sand because it cheaper....I have too much to loose in my tank to take a risk like that.

 

[DarkSky]

If rather add coral tested reagents than stump remover to my tank....I'll pay the mark up thank you very much! I refuse to cheap out on something like this. It's like using silica sand over aragonite sand because it cheaper....I have too much to loose in my tank to take a risk like that.

But, they're using the same chemical. You're paying the markup for them to ship you 2 grams of stump remover and 1 liter of RODI.

 

[rcpalmer1]

Last week shut off the lights in the refugium and took out most of the matrix. I has turned off the skimmer and haven't done a water change in two weeks. I have increased the feeding. Phosphate is still 0 and nitrate is now up to 1. Some of my acans are looking better. Not where I want it but getting closer.

 

[jwshiver]

Check here.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dosing-monosodium-phosphate.314502/

I detailed the math and formulas.

Thanks

 

[bfsaunde]

You may find that there is a backlog of demand that slows over time as the organisms "fill up".

I'm still adding approximately 40 ml every 3-4 days of Neonitro and my Nitrates keep decreasing to nearly zero on the RedSea Pro Nitrate test kit. I also use a Lamotte Nitrate kit to compare. Not sure how long it will take for things to fill up.

FWIW, food grade sodium nitrate is cheap.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/222604...MI9aGOpOrt1QIVBShpCh35eAlFEAQYBSABEgIb7fD_BwE

I've ordered some of this. If I am going to continue to add Nitrates, I want to be sure about everything I am adding. The Neonitro says proprietary salts. Unfortunately, that's not enough transparency for me to be comfortable adding approximately 80 ml per week to a 100 gallon system.

I really need to start my new reefer build thread so I can reference it to others. I don't mind dosing the nitrates, I just don't want to throw a bunch of other parameters off in the process. I'm currently dosing the Triton (other methods) additives ALK currently at about 7.5dKH. I think it may be time to see why my system is so aggressive at reducing Nitrates. As my nitrates drop from 2-3ppm to .5-.75ppm, I have started noticing a cooresponding increase of my phosphates from .03ppm to ~.07 ppm. Then I dose 30-40 ml of the Neonitro and the phosphates drop back to .02-.03 ppm over the next couple days. I am currently not using any GFO in the system. I do have a very large mass of Chaeto in the sump with Brightwell aquatics Xport brick and a Kessil H380 fuge light. Maybe I could remove half of that brick and trim back the Chaeto to see if the Nitrate consumption will slow.

I just mailed a water sample off for ATI ICP testing. Looking forward to comparing that to my Triton ICP test.