0 Nitrate but turf algae, should I dose Nitrates?

[Trommell]

Hello Everyone,

My tank has been running for 9 months 200gallon and have yet to have any measurable readings of Nitrate via Hannah checker (have back checked with salifert) however I am experiencing a turf algae (?) outbreak. My phosphate has been running 0.02-0.05 (they did get up to 0.09 on the onset of the issue and I have since reduced feeding Presently 0.02) and I would like to get my Nitrates around 5ppm for the corals and have considered dosing something like NeoNitro but would doing so only fuel the algae bloom?

I have been manually removing and going to be adding some more snails but the growth has been too much to keep up with so far. Thanks for any help.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Hello Everyone,

My tank has been running for 9 months 200gallon and have yet to have any measurable readings of Nitrate via Hannah checker (have back checked with salifert) however I am experiencing a turf algae (?) outbreak. My phosphate has been running 0.02-0.05 (they did get up to 0.09 on the onset of the issue and I have since reduced feeding Presently 0.02) and I would like to get my Nitrates around 5ppm for the corals and have considered dosing something like NeoNitro but would doing so only fuel the algae bloom?

I have been manually removing and going to be adding some more snails but the growth has been too much to keep up with so far. Thanks for any help.

In my tanks, I manually scrub and siphon the tall stuff when required, and buy a bunch of snails after. I usually do 1 snail per gallon.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Hello Everyone,

My tank has been running for 9 months 200gallon and have yet to have any measurable readings of Nitrate via Hannah checker (have back checked with salifert) however I am experiencing a turf algae (?) outbreak. My phosphate has been running 0.02-0.05 (they did get up to 0.09 on the onset of the issue and I have since reduced feeding Presently 0.02) and I would like to get my Nitrates around 5ppm for the corals and have considered dosing something like NeoNitro but would doing so only fuel the algae bloom?

I have been manually removing and going to be adding some more snails but the growth has been too much to keep up with so far. Thanks for any help.

Yes, do increase nitrates although I would not use neonitro and use sodium or calcium nitrate instead. If you increase it to 5-10 ppm should help stop the fast growth of algae.

 

[Trommell]

That sounds fantastic! I currenly have about 50 snails will be adding 90 more (trochus, cerith, turbo, nassarius). Just out of curiosity due to my ignorance why not NeoNitro? What considerations would I need to considered to choose between sodium or calcium nitrate? Are there specific brands that are better (quick google brought up ESV- B-Ionic Nitrate)?
Thanks so much

 

[sixty_reefer]

That sounds fantastic! I currenly have about 50 snails will be adding 90 more (trochus, cerith, turbo, nassarius). Just out of curiosity due to my ignorance why not NeoNitro? What considerations would I need to considered to choose between sodium or calcium nitrate? Are there specific brands that are better (quick google brought up ESV- B-Ionic Nitrate)?
Thanks so much

The ingredients of neonitro are unknown although due the time it needs to be available (24 hours according to manufacturers) there is a chance that it may contain organic forms of nitrogen and ammonia, this forms of nitrogen will be counterproductive in my opinion as they all sources of ammonia that will be used by the algae fairly fast making it more difficult to be oxidised into nitrate by the beneficial bacteria, by using sodium or calcium nitrate you are sure that you are adding nitrates that will require algae to use more energy to revert it into usable forms. Nitrates are essential as they will be important to beneficial bacteria that aids the reduction of ammonia by assimilating nutrients into they’re mass before they can become available to other nuisance in addition it will aid the coral to not starve wile all this reactions are happening.

 

[arking_mark]

Use Calcium Nitrate...it's balanced dosing.

 

[KStatefan]

ESV's nitrate is calcium nitrate.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello Everyone,

My tank has been running for 9 months 200gallon and have yet to have any measurable readings of Nitrate via Hannah checker (have back checked with salifert) however I am experiencing a turf algae (?) outbreak. My phosphate has been running 0.02-0.05 (they did get up to 0.09 on the onset of the issue and I have since reduced feeding Presently 0.02) and I would like to get my Nitrates around 5ppm for the corals and have considered dosing something like NeoNitro but would doing so only fuel the algae bloom?

I have been manually removing and going to be adding some more snails but the growth has been too much to keep up with so far. Thanks for any help.

Before throwing in chemicals, first you need to identify the source of the algae and then assure you are Not getting false readings as its very possible that your algae is using ammonia as a fuel source for growth and if you are getting false readings , you are seeing zero due to algae using the no3 and ammonia faster than the tests can detect.
What test kits are you using?
Take a water sample to a trusted LFS that does NOT use Api anything and have them test and see what results they come up with and to compare with yours. You will then know if you are getting false readings or not.
If your tank is at or near a window, UV is powerful and will penetrate shades, blinds and curtains and one method is to place black construction paper on the side that faces the window for 10-14 days and you should see drastic reduction alone.

 

[Sidsreef]

Hello Everyone,

My tank has been running for 9 months 200gallon and have yet to have any measurable readings of Nitrate via Hannah checker (have back checked with salifert) however I am experiencing a turf algae (?) outbreak. My phosphate has been running 0.02-0.05 (they did get up to 0.09 on the onset of the issue and I have since reduced feeding Presently 0.02) and I would like to get my Nitrates around 5ppm for the corals and have considered dosing something like NeoNitro but would doing so only fuel the algae bloom?

I have been manually removing and going to be adding some more snails but the growth has been too much to keep up with so far. Thanks for any help.

Hello,

I know you came here asking about nitrates. However, you have to realize all your nitrates are being eaten up by that algae that’s on the rock. And not to be the bear of bad news but you got a algae problem. So first things first we need to remove the algae or get it under control and then recheck nitrates after that because we fix algae problem then you’re going to see nitrates come back up. If you can, I would up your water changes and then I would start dosing vibrate once a week. Manual remove all algae from rock and siphon it out during your water changes. I would do a water change every other week or so. Turn lights down or decrease intensity and also you need to decrease whatever your feeding. Heavy import needs heavy export. Heavy import with light export in combination with potential light problems equals algae and algae will screw your nutrient readings up

 

[sixty_reefer]

Before throwing in chemicals

all our tank inhabitants survive due to chemicals inputs directly or indirectly, the comment doesn’t have place in this hobby.

there is not such thing as false reading due to algae. It’s a photosynthetic organism just like coral if they are using the nitrogen then adding a source of nitrogen like nitrates that is not easily assimilated by the algae makes sense to avoid the coral and beneficial heterotrophic bacteria from starvation.
it’s the same with any other nutrient if calcium was being used fairly fast im pretty sure you would just add calcium and not go to the lfs to double check if calcium was actually being used by unwanted organisms.

 

[vetteguy53081]

all our tank inhabitants survive due to chemicals inputs directly or indirectly, the comment doesn’t apply to our hobby.

there is not such thing as false reading due to algae. It’s a photosynthetic organism just like coral if they are using the nitrogen then adding a source of nitrogen like nitrates that is not easily assimilated by the algae makes sense to avoid the coral and beneficial heterotrophic bacteria from starvation.
it’s the same with any other nutrient if calcium was being used fairly fast im pretty sure you would just add calcium and not go to the lfs to double check if calcium was actually being used by unwanted organisms.

Nitrates are absorbed by algae, the reason we use algae scrubbers and Chaeto and if at a fast rate will produce zero results. Algae while photosynthetic also feed off organics. Regarding chemicals- Many rely on chemicals to do magic and Im saying before resorting to chemical fix- find the source and do it naturally.
Its too easy to run to a store and start dumping nitrate and phosphate boosters without identifying the source of reduction.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Nitrates are absorbed by algae, the reason we use algae scrubbers and Chaeto and if at a fast rate will produce zero results. Algae while photosynthetic also feed off organics. Regarding chemicals- Many rely on chemicals to do magic and Im saying before resorting to chemical fix- find the source and do it naturally.
Its too easy to run to a store and start dumping nitrate and phosphate boosters without identifying the source of reduction.

The root cause it’s obvious as in any case of algae take overs. There is a lack of competition that allowed the algae to take over the other photosynthetic organisms present in the system.
I am strongly against the solution being starve all photosynthetic organisms (including coral) wile we increase competition that being CUC, other beneficial macro algaes or bacteria.
Bacteria and algae has been my go to methods to avoid nuisance algaes to take over.
If we were to take into consideration that Nitrogen is a very large group of nutrients that include many forms of organic and inorganic forms of nitrogen we could see that nitrates is the form that photosynthetic organisms spend more energy to revert to more usable forms of nitrogen and ammonia the most easily assimilate we could determine that is safe to add nitrates wile having algae problems wile the aim is to reduce compounds that release ammonia like organic matter, the most effective ways to reduce them is by having a effective skimmer and other mechanical filtration although those won’t help now as many are trapped on the rock surface and sand bed. The way I find efficient is to add macro algaes and stimulate the growth of heterotrophic bacteria (decomposers) to trap those organic forms of nitrogen into the algae and bacteria mass.

 

[Koty]

My 0.02: do not add anything your algea will come and go as part of the tank developing. Its nothing to do with nitrate or phosphate.

 

[Trommell]

I am going to be trying ESV B-Ionic Nitrate, would it be better set up on a dosing pump and dosed very slowly over the day or is manual dosing be fine?

 

[njreefkeeper]

My 0.02: do not add anything your algea will come and go as part of the tank developing. It’s nothing to do with nitrate or phosphate.

VERY TRUE! Algae can grow in even a low nutrient system. Stripping the “cause” to me is one of the most trumpeted mantras in reefkeeping. Often times, people who have algae issues often have pale corals as well. And the assumption is that the algae is overtaking the corals and consuming nutrients faster than they “can be tested for or that corals can consume them”. By that rationale, if corals are already stressed and consume the same nutrients that nuisance algae does…which pray tell does one think will perish first…stressed corals or algae in full bloom? Many who run algae scrubbers grow algae like no tomorrow. Im one of them. Sometimes corals can get pale. No amount of dialing back the scrubber seems to help most times. Recently it’s come to light that algae scrubbers remove EVERYTHING; from nutrients to heavy metals to trace elements. A recent ICP when my corals looked pale showed I was almost completely depleted on almost all trace elements; even with a 10% weekly water change.

So why am I talking about algae scrubbers? Whether it’s in a fancily lit externally plumbed box or growing inside your display tank, algae is consuming nutrients and trace elements the same; especially in a well lit aquarium. Dosing trace elements and feeding your fish more (yes that’s right) can help get your Redfield ratio back in line so that corals are actually consuming nutrients and trace elements rather than being starved further and further until they shut down while one tries to eradicate algae.

Algae comes and goes. Pluck what you can. It’s from an imbalance. It can grow in ULNS systems. Once your ratio is back on track, then add some more snails and herbivorous fish. Our entire reef tank is made up of nutrient consuming organisms. Starving one while feeding another has always seemed counterintuitive to me unless you go the chemical route and play with algaecides; which I don’t recommend.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, sodium nitrate is perfectly fine, unless you are trying to maintain calcium and alk with a fixed ratio alk and calcium additive, such as All for Reef or kalkwasser or a CaCO3/CO2 reactor. Anyone using methods such as a two part that can independently adjust alk and calcium dosing will not have an apparent benefit from calcium nitrate, which can be harder to find and/or more expensive.

 

[Rmckoy]

I am going to be trying ESV B-Ionic Nitrate, would it be better set up on a dosing pump and dosed very slowly over the day or is manual dosing be fine?

Keep an eye on alkalinity .
with the increase if nitrates using this product it will also increase alkalinity .
but …. When zero nitrates are the issue, this product works great !