KNO3 how much do I need?

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

Hello gents... @twilliard @Russ265

what are your usual water parameters? 1.026, Po4 0.00ppm Hanna, NO3 0.00 redsea
tank size? 150 + 20 gallons in the sump = 170net
flow? 2 Mp40, 2 Hydors, 1 Sicce (ball park 3750 to 4,500), return pump 1750gph
model of lighting? 6 x T5 , 2 Ecotech Radions

that will give us ALL the tools to chime in.
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Followed @twilliard dosing thread to mix a batch of Kno3, no algae issues, few patches of cyano only on sand bed... So what do you recommend as a starting point?

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1443651797.880914.jpg

twilliard · Sep 30, 2015

Hey hey!!
My no3 is 3 ppm and my po4 is .016 (triton ICP)
Tank is a 46g bowfront with 40g sump/fuge. Diverse macro algae (full triton)
Depending on the po4 level bring the no3 up to about 2ppm.

That is one clean test!

Todd

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

twilliard said:
That is one clean test!

Ran it 2 time just to be certain

twilliard said:
Depending on the po4 level bring the no3 up to about 2ppm.

What's a good starting dose?

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

Also back to normal feeding regiment so my PO4 level should be coming back up, slowly but surely.

Russ265 · Sep 30, 2015

143MPCo said:
Also back to normal feeding regiment so my PO4 level should be coming back up, slowly but surely.

with your tank size.

id get seachem flourish nitrogen and phsophate.

5ml of phosphate
20ml of nitrogen

you will have a small bloom for 3 days on the glass of algae. this will go away with your lighting and kickstart measurements.

take a measurement of no3 and po4 1-2 hours after the dose.
every 24 hours for 72 hours take a measurement.

lets get a biopsy of this tank and how much it eats up.

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

Russ265 said:
id get seachem flourish nitrogen and phsophate.

So don't use the KNO3 I already have?

Russ265 · Sep 30, 2015

143MPCo said:
So don't use the KNO3 I already have?

oh sorry. im unfamiliar with this product.

can you take a gallon of regular water and drop 2-5ml in it and see what the no3 reads?

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

Russ265 said:
oh sorry. im unfamiliar with this product.

can you take a gallon of regular water and drop 2-5ml in it and see what the no3 reads?

...give me a few to run the test.

fishmommy · Sep 30, 2015

I have a 150 gallon total system. I mixed 1tbs Spectracide in a half liter of water. Then I had to dose 8ml of that to get my system to read 0.2 nitrate.
I suggest making the mix and dosing 1ml at a time like I did with tests in between to get up to where you want to be.

masterbuilder · Sep 30, 2015

Here is a small program you can download to calculate how to mix and dose KNO3. I've used it in my SPS tank and its spot on.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080601051640/http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_aquacalc.htm

p.s. When I used it, I mixed 8 tbsp of KNO3 with 1 liter (1000ml) of distilled water for the stock solution. My tank seems happiest with 2-3 ppm Nitrate.

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

Russ265 said:
oh sorry. im unfamiliar with this product.

can you take a gallon of regular water and drop 2-5ml in it and see what the no3 reads?

Looks like a solid 4ppm at 5ml by 1gallon...

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1443655949.553884.jpg

Russ265 · Sep 30, 2015

143MPCo said:
Looks like a solid 4ppm at 5ml by 1gallon...

means you would need 500ml to attain the same at 100 gallons.

not exactly the most potent stuff. i would definitley retest several times to be sure. that is a ton of ml for a 120.

please try the calculator and make sure that is what you would need.

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

Russ265 said:
not exactly the most potent stuff.

lol, that was only 4 tsp to 550ml of RO/DI water I can mix it as noted above.

note tsp, not tbsp

Russ265 · Sep 30, 2015

143MPCo said:
lol, that was only 4 tsp to 550ml of RO/DI water I can mix it as noted above.

note tsp, not tbsp

ok. i was gonna have a heart attack. lol.
ok so you have your baseline.

target 3ppm. the first dose is usually sucked up like a sponge.

others generally retain their dose if they feed. 3 is a good baseline.point is. 1 dose. then monitor for 3 days.

you may need some traceable po4 still

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

Ok, I'll order the po4 tomorrow and won't start till I have both in hand...

@Russ265 @twilliard @masterbuilder @fishmommy, Thank You!

Will post updates soon as I have them!

Russ265 · Sep 30, 2015

143MPCo said:
Ok, I'll order the po4 tomorrow and won't start till I have both in hand...

@Russ265 @twilliard @masterbuilder @fishmommy, Thank You!

Will post updates soon as I have them!

please tag us when you do!

also i want before pictures!!!!!
(itll make afters soooo much sweeter)

twilliard · Sep 30, 2015

Sorry guys busy with the kids and dinner.
Sounds like stuff is going as planned here.

Is that pure potassium nitrate?? That kno3 seems to be a low concentration of it.

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

100% pure its for planted tanks.

143MPCo · Sep 30, 2015

I just didn't mix it strong enough, was airing on the side of caution.

twilliard · Sep 30, 2015

143MPCo said:
100% pure its for planted tanks.

Oh ok. I have never seen that before.
I would follow how I dose my 80 gallons of volume and test an hour later.
I am starting to see huge improvements in the month or so I have been testing.