Why your aquarium needs nitrates (no3)?

[TokenReefer]

Oh sorry I must have lost the plot along the way. Carry on

 

[Dan_P]

~ 1 year front tank growth progress

Graph 1 year no3:

Proposition/Hypothesis
Who then needs no3 insurance for their aquarium? I don’t

Observation: Substantial growth over one year period of stony coral. Nitrate present throughout growing period, likely much higher than found on natural reefs.

Conclusion: proposition neither supported nor refuted by the observation.

 

[CHSUB]

Proposition/Hypothesis
Who then needs no3 insurance for their aquarium? I don’t

Observation: Substantial growth over one year period of stony coral. Nitrate present throughout growing period, likely much higher than found on natural reefs.

Conclusion: proposition neither supported nor refuted by the observation.

I don’t disagree with your conclusion, however my original hypothesis also includes this:

my position is that we shouldn’t be afraid of “zero” no3 tested with hobby testing. With the understanding that nitrogen is available in multiple sources

Yes currently no3 is not zero with hobby testing, but for most of its existence it was “zero” with Salifert.

 

[Dan_P]

Yes currently no3 is not zero with hobby testing, but for most of its existence it was “zero” with Salifert.

Which is the reason for hedging your bet by maintaining a detectable nitrate concentration: to avoid inorganic nitrogen depletion in an aquarium. The 5-50 ppm range might be relaxed to 0.05 to 50 ppm with the caveat that coral growth can slow or stop under nitrogen depleted conditions. As you pointed out, experienced aquarist who like ULN systems do more than check on nitrate concentration to manage coral growth.