Check my math please

[Mikeltee]

I've got some Trisodium Phoshate and Calcium Nitrate inbound from Loudwolf. I'm dosing 40gal directly to display as I have no sump:


Trisodium Phospate... is this okay to add to display all at once?

40gal (150l) raise .05ppm with 7.5ml solution:
1.88g/1l



Calcium Nitrate... is this okay to add to display all at once?

40gal raise 5ppm with 20ml solution:
61.5g/1l

 

[Seven Year Nap]

I don't think you can use a calculator for potassium nitrate with calcium nitrate. Different molar mass, you will get a higher nitrate ppm with calcium nitrate than the same mass of potassium nitrate.


For the trisodium phosphate, I think raising by 0.05 ppm phosphate is a lot at once though no? Don't most people target 0.03ppm total phosphate?

 

[Gribbles]

I asked a similar question not too long ago. Check this out:

Thread 'Is my dosing math correct?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/is-my-dosing-math-correct.1030131/

 

[Mikeltee]

I don't think you can use a calculator for potassium nitrate with calcium nitrate. Different molar mass, you will get a higher nitrate ppm with calcium nitrate than the same mass of potassium nitrate.


For the trisodium phosphate, I think raising by 0.05 ppm phosphate is a lot at once though no? Don't most people target 0.03ppm total phosphate?

.03 if they want dinos. I aim for .1/10. I fought dinos for 2.5 years and will gladly deal with a little algae to prevent dinos. I also have an algae scrubber.

I understand that Potasium and Calcium are different, but I'm pretty sure Randy said that they are close enough. This is why I presented the question.

 

[Mikeltee]

I asked a similar question not too long ago. Check this out:

Thread 'Is my dosing math correct?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/is-my-dosing-math-correct.1030131/

We are using different chemicals bro. I'm using trisodium and it's not on the calculator. Randy posted the formula on here quite some time ago.

 

[joaocdestro]

DIY Ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems

I've been dosing 0.4ppm of ammonia (ammonium carbonate stock solution as described by Randy, 0.1ppm four times per day) and so far so good. I'm still getting zero nitrates but growth has resumed and maxima's mantles more expanded. are you dosing .1 ppm x4 or spread out .1 through 4 times , I...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Garf]

I also have an algae scrubber

Are you growing algae on that screen ok?

Edit - why are you running it and adding nitrate and phosphate?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, you can add daily doses of calcium nitrate and trisodium phosphate all at once.

calcium nitrate is 75.6% nitrate by weight

potassium nitrate is 61.4% nitrate by weight.

Using the entry for nitrate from potassium nitrate in the James Planted tank calculator when using calcium nitrate is plenty close enough for our purposes (you likely don't even know your water volume that well and if you dose 2.5 instead of 2.2 ppm, is that a concern? You are going to adjust doses going forward based on testing anyway).

For trisodium phosphate, the entry for potassium phosphate is close enough.

 

[Gribbles]

We are using different chemicals bro. I'm using trisodium and it's not on the calculator. Randy posted the formula on here quite some time ago.

Yea, that calculator doesn't give the exact chemicals we're using. You're using trisodium and I was using monosodum. Similar but not exact Hopefully Dr. RHF got you sorted out with your dosing. Happy Reefing!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In general, the dosing has lots of uncertainties and little need for exactness, so differences are generally not very important. Any user will just use that as a starting dose and adjust as needed going forward.

 

[Mikeltee]

In general, the dosing has lots of uncertainties and little need for exactness, so differences are generally not very important. Any user will just use that as a starting dose and adjust as needed going forward.

Sorry I didn't see your other post thanks!

 

[Mikeltee]

Are you growing algae on that screen ok?

Edit - why are you running it and adding nitrate and phosphate?

No I'm not. I just put it in there. My Nutrients were fine until I started dosing Microbacter7. I went from .15 to .03 in a week.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

No I'm not. I just put it in there. My Nutrients were fine until I started dosing Microbacter7. I went from .15 to .03 in a week.

Just following along as I don't know a lot about using non "reef-labeled" additives... but have a question - why not just stop using the MB7? If the nutrients were fine beforehand, wouldn't that be the easiest solution?

 

[Mikeltee]

Just following along as I don't know a lot about using non "reef-labeled" additives... but have a question - why not just stop using the MB7? If the nutrients were fine beforehand, wouldn't that be the easiest solution?

New tank and dinos.

 

[Garf]

New tank and dinos.

I'd take the scrubber out personally or it may just grow brown slime.

 

[Mikeltee]

I'd take the scrubber out personally or it may just grow brown slime.

Yea that's the case. Is it because nutrients are low? I have one in my other tank too thats much bigger and just as young. The rocks are phosphate locked and it grows algae real good. I think that I can contribute the lack of hair algae in the display towards it. The rocks are covered in diatoms though.

 

[Garf]

Yea that's the case. Is it because nutrients are low? I have one in my other tank too thats much bigger and just as young. The rocks are phosphate locked and it grows algae real good. I think that I can contribute the lack of hair algae in the display towards it. The rocks are covered in diatoms though.

All depends on the tank the scrubber is attached to. Its normal to get diatoms in the scrubber first but some folk get perpetual brown or yellow slimes. I expect these are dinos or chrysophytes. I've asked a few times if anyone could throw some under a microscope to ID them, but alas, I've had nobody willing to find out yet, lol.

 

[Mikeltee]

All depends on the tank the scrubber is attached to. Its normal to get diatoms in the scrubber first but some folk get perpetual brown or yellow slimes. I expect these are dinos or chrysophytes. I've asked a few times if anyone could throw some under a microscope to ID them, but alas, I've had nobody willing to find out yet, lol.

I recently cleaned it out, but I can put them under a Microscope in a few days and see once it builds back up. There is confirmed LCA dinos in the tank though. I will post pics. My other Scrubber grew turf algae immediately, but the Phosphates were .25 at the time. It has since reduced them to .1. It's going on 2 months old. The Pic of the tank is about a month old. The rock is now covered in brown diatoms.