KNO3 and PO4
- Thread starter Dhoggs
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Even if you can figure out proper ratio - how to do you guarantee constant utilization by the lifeforms?
There isnt really a ratio.
I would do 2 solutions.
And determine a target for each parameter.
Say 10ppm no3 and .05 po4 just random numbers chosen from middle of the spectrum of where most reefers keep these, dont have to use these exact numbers
Then mix your stock solutions to reach these when dosed at x ml daily.
I would use 2 solutions as po4 is going to bind to rock and sand and is going to be harder to reach your target at first. If put together you will overshoot your no3 target by a lot, trying to hit po4 one.
I would do 2 solutions.
And determine a target for each parameter.
Say 10ppm no3 and .05 po4 just random numbers chosen from middle of the spectrum of where most reefers keep these, dont have to use these exact numbers
Then mix your stock solutions to reach these when dosed at x ml daily.
I would use 2 solutions as po4 is going to bind to rock and sand and is going to be harder to reach your target at first. If put together you will overshoot your no3 target by a lot, trying to hit po4 one.
I’d imagine that they would monitor and adjust their dosing amounts like with dosing for any other parameter.
If you have your baseline levels and have an idea of average daily consumption, you can create your dosing solution based on the desired volume you want to dose per day (I am making a weaker solution that allows me to dose 15 ml of solution split up over 5 doses per day from a container that gets me 10 days. This lets me get away with a slightly less precise doser and gives me a few days leeway with making a new solution. The plan is making a new solution to top up the dosing container every 7 days). Base the solution on consumption and manually dose the difference needed to bring phosphates up to the level you are trying to hit to compensate for what gets bound up in the rock and sand. Once you hit equalibrium, the doser can maintain that level. You will need to periodically check levels and adjust accordingly as consumption changes with growth.
I am not sure how those chemicals will behave in a concentrated solution or what the maximum concentration is, so you will need someone else to chime in on that. If you know how many parts per million you need to dose per day and what the volume you plan to dose per day, you can determine how much of each chemical to add based on the volume of the dosing container. Plan your dose volume based on the dosing container volume and how many days you want to go between refilling, plus a little for reserve incase something comes up and you can’t refill the container for a day or two (keeping in mind the accuracy of your dosing pump and how fine it can control smaller volume doses. A non-stepper motor driven doser may have difficulty dosing .1 ml accurately). You will have to make sure that the required chemical concentration doesn’t exceed the maximum concentration that will disolve into solution.
If you have your baseline levels and have an idea of average daily consumption, you can create your dosing solution based on the desired volume you want to dose per day (I am making a weaker solution that allows me to dose 15 ml of solution split up over 5 doses per day from a container that gets me 10 days. This lets me get away with a slightly less precise doser and gives me a few days leeway with making a new solution. The plan is making a new solution to top up the dosing container every 7 days). Base the solution on consumption and manually dose the difference needed to bring phosphates up to the level you are trying to hit to compensate for what gets bound up in the rock and sand. Once you hit equalibrium, the doser can maintain that level. You will need to periodically check levels and adjust accordingly as consumption changes with growth.
I am not sure how those chemicals will behave in a concentrated solution or what the maximum concentration is, so you will need someone else to chime in on that. If you know how many parts per million you need to dose per day and what the volume you plan to dose per day, you can determine how much of each chemical to add based on the volume of the dosing container. Plan your dose volume based on the dosing container volume and how many days you want to go between refilling, plus a little for reserve incase something comes up and you can’t refill the container for a day or two (keeping in mind the accuracy of your dosing pump and how fine it can control smaller volume doses. A non-stepper motor driven doser may have difficulty dosing .1 ml accurately). You will have to make sure that the required chemical concentration doesn’t exceed the maximum concentration that will disolve into solution.
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Dhoggs
Active Member
I was already able to increase my no3 and po4 to were my tank seems happy and only dosing consistent amount daily to maintain it at that level. I have been dosing for 2 months now. I am currently dosing 30ml of diluted KNO3 solution and 2 ml of PO4 (seachem phosphorus) daily. I use BRS doser to dose NO3 and I dose manually for PO4.
That's exactly what I am concerned about, since I am not a chemist, if there is an adverse reaction if I combine the 2 more concentrated solutions before I dose them in the tank.
That's exactly what I am concerned about, since I am not a chemist, if there is an adverse reaction if I combine the 2 more concentrated solutions before I dose them in the tank.
Dhoggs
Active Member
Since I have test kits available for both, I could do some test. What I am thinking is get a small amount of KNO3 and dilute it with RODI and then test and record the reading. I will then do the same for PO4, dilute with RODI a small amount of PO4 then test and record reading. I will then combine both solutions and then test the new solution with same test kits to see if I get a different reading. It make sense in my mind... BUT not sure if it actually works. Lol!
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You can mix kno3 and kh2po4 together. It is done often for planted aquaria they in fact many add k2so4 in the same solution. Problem is i have no idea what is in the seachem phosphorus.
