Dosing KN03, need the gurus

TCK Corals
Jump to Last
InspectorGadget

InspectorGadget

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2017
Messages
107
Reaction score
90
Location
North Carolina
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I know there has been several threads and posts about dosing KN03. Here is my situation and any help will be greatly appreciated.

I have a 40 gallon Nano sps only tank. I originally got on the boat of a “ULNS” system by using AF probiotics. I had tons of trouble and my tank was not stable. Using drops, I never could get the dose right. Decided to switch to NOPOX and had better results. Went lower and lower with the doses to all together stop using NOPOX. I started a refugium when I started getting off NOPOX. I still have 0 Nitrates and undetectable Phosphates using Red Sea Pro kits. I use Red Sea energy to help with coral health but I really want to get my nitrates up to bring balance into my system. I was thinking about bringing the nitrates up to .1 or .2. So here are the questions: Should I use stump killer or is there another way? What is safer for my delicate sps corals? How much do I dose? I have a GHL 2.1, when is the best times to dose? How much do I dose to achieve .2 in a 40 gallon tank?
 
Last edited:
AS
Deltec
How long have you been off of the nopox? This just might need some time.

A tank with a healthy population of anoxic bacteria will struggle to keep nitrates up. For example, I have a lot of established rock and sand and introducing KNO3, or whatever, would just cause them to multiply more and the NO3 would be back down to nothing very quickly. Bare bottom tanks with fresher dead/dry rock without huge populations of bacteria will not process N as well.

IMO, if you are not driving N artificially low with organic carbon, then it is not a problem to have it near zero. Mine constantly tests at zero on a Salifert kit, but ICP shows it at .1 to .2 - the coral and everything thrive. I don't think that a standard hobby grade test kit is good enough to test this low - or at least I have not found one. If you let the tank handle this, there will always be a bit to drive the equilibrium, but not too much.
 
jda said:
How long have you been off of the nopox? This just might need some time.

A tank with a healthy population of anoxic bacteria will struggle to keep nitrates up. For example, I have a lot of established rock and sand and introducing KNO3, or whatever, would just cause them to multiply more and the NO3 would be back down to nothing very quickly. Bare bottom tanks with fresher dead/dry rock without huge populations of bacteria will not process N as well.

IMO, if you are not driving N artificially low with organic carbon, then it is not a problem to have it near zero. Mine constantly tests at zero on a Salifert kit, but ICP shows it at .1 to .2 - the coral and everything thrive. I don't think that a standard hobby grade test kit is good enough to test this low - or at least I have not found one. If you let the tank handle this, there will always be a bit to drive the equilibrium, but not too much.
Click to expand...
I have a bare bottom tank and artificial rock. I stopped nopox about two weeks ago. Even then I was dosing half the lowest recommended dose (1ml for 40 gallons when Red Sea recommends 1ml per 26 gallons I think)
 
Tagged for interest. My n & p are both too low. I'd like to raise them up as well. Have thought about stump remover as well. Need to study up a bit more.
 
Nutramar Foods
TCK Corals

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%

  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
See comments…

New Posts

Top Shelf Aquatics
Tidal Gardens
Chewy.com
Deltec
World Wide Corals
Nutramar Foods
Dinkins Aquatic Gardens
TCK Corals
New Posts
Back
Top