dose urea in mixed tank ?

[Lobophyton]

Hello, i have a mixed reef tank, 50% soft coral, 50% SPS and one LPS. SPS are doing good regarding the high phosphate level ~0.8 ppm, i think dry rock leach some phosphate because i only feed a little the fish with frozen food only and my RODI is phosphate free. the hammer LPS is thriving, majority of soft coral are okay but some was better when nitrate was higher.

My nitrate level is 1.0 ppm, due to the already high phosphate level, i can't feed the fish more, i was thinking about dosing urea to only increase nitrate, is that a good idea ? how high should i go ? thx

SPS : Montipora digitata, stylophora stellata, Pocillopora damicornis
LPS : Hammer coral
Soft : lobophytum sp, pipe organ coral, sinularia dura, GPS, kenya tree, purple gorgonian, rhodactis indo...

 

[Spare time]

Just dose aminos or ammonium chloride (I prefer aminos).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m not a fan of dosing urea since one cannot readily determine if it is accumulating.

 

[Lobophyton]

Thx guys, i don't have ammonium chloride or amino available, i have ammonium sulfate or potassium nitrate, could that do the job ? thx

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thx guys, i don't have ammonium chloride or amino available, i have ammonium sulfate or potassium nitrate, could that do the job ? thx

I do not recommend potassium nitrate dosing as potassium will rise substantially.

Ammonium sulfate would be like dosing ammonium chloride:

DIY ammonia dosing for low N systems

See the thread here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Lobophyton]

I do not recommend potassium nitrate dosing as potassium will rise substantially.

Ammonium sulfate would be like dosing ammonium chloride:

DIY ammonia dosing for low N systems

See the thread here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

www.reef2reef.com

Thx, i've read it, my ammonium sulfate is 99.5% pure, i have calcium ammonium nitrate which is 100% pure so it would be safer, can i dose that instead ? thx

 

[mtraylor]

If you just want to raise nitrates until they are established. Esv nitrate works well. Keep an eye on phosphates

ESV B-Ionic Nitrate

Provide your reef with nitrogen essential to great growth and color, with no unwanted by-products. B-Ionic was introduced to address the low nitrate conditions found in many modern reef aquaria, in a formulation that would avoid some of the side-effects of other similar supplements, such as...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Lobophyton]

If you just want to raise nitrates until they are established. Esv nitrate works well. Keep an eye on phosphates

ESV B-Ionic Nitrate

Provide your reef with nitrogen essential to great growth and color, with no unwanted by-products. B-Ionic was introduced to address the low nitrate conditions found in many modern reef aquaria, in a formulation that would avoid some of the side-effects of other similar supplements, such as...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I had more nitrate back then but coral seems to consume it. For phosphates, either my rocks are leaching phosphate or there is a nitrogen limitation that won't allow bacteria to consume phosphates