Low nitrates-why now

[watchguy123]

Nutrient control is a major concern for reef keeping, particularly for sps. Recently there have been many threads about dealing with low or zero nitrates. For those tanks that are not carbon dosing, what is taking place.

Most coral tanks with fish have historically required close monitoring and good husbandry to maintain nitrates at a reasonably low level.

Export of nitrates is by skimming, water changes, algae growth and removal, and bacterial consumption.

Skimmers although various brands are favored by some over others, generally are equally efficient I believe and have not recently caused a dramatic improved nitrate removal efficiency.

Those using Triton method, I believe don't do water changes so for them water changes is not playing a role in nitrate reduction. For those who do water changes, typically 10-15% weekly is the amount changed. So water change has not led to a recent dramatic efficiency of nitrate removal.

Chaeto and refugiums I don't think have become more efficient recently. Algae turf scrubbers can be designed I believe for improved nitrate export but I haven't noticed reefers with zero or undedectable nitrates suggesting their scrubbers are the cause .

I understand at least I think I do, how carbon dosing increases food source for bacteria to thrive and then consume nitrates and thereby dramatically reducing nitrates. But again, many of the reefers posting problems with zero or undetectable nitrates don't seem to be carbon dosing.

So if not carbon dosing, what is causing zero or undetectable nitrates in a reef tank full of fish and coral. What has changed and why?

 

[Justiful]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rv/feature/

Improved understanding of nitrogen cycle, combined with increased availability of information, live sand, and high aquality Saltwater. I mean nitrosomonas nitrobactre and beneficial algae is everywhere these days. From our rocks, to our sand, to our saltwater mixes, to our live foods, and lots of other products.

Also there was a time 20 years when the idea of getting answers to any question just by typing it was a thing of science fiction. Or ordering virtually anything with overnight shipping was crazy. When you couldn't find a video demonstrating any product you want online, or video reviews.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am not sure why so many people need and/or want to do this now, except perhaps that export methods such as carbon dosing have gotten quite powerful in some cases, or perhaps it is just trendy at the moment, but it is not a new phenomenon.

I just found a post of mine from 2003 where I said that I had been recommending sodium nitrate for a long time for people who wanted to dose nitrate. :

 

[neupane00]

randy whats a good source for sodium nitrate ? where do i find it? is it like local pharmacy OTC stuff ?

 

[jcdeng]

IMO, ppl did not target nitrate. Nitrates went way down in modern tanks because ppl are rigorously doing anything and everything to drive down and get their PO4 lvls as close to zero as possible. Nitrate just got taken out along the way and it will always reach zero way before po4 does.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

randy whats a good source for sodium nitrate ? where do i find it? is it like local pharmacy OTC stuff ?

Potassium nitrate is often easier to obtain as a stump treatment in this era of potential concern over people making explosives out of nitrate salts. So many sources of sodium nitrate will not sell to an individual.

Googling sodium nitrate in shopping does turn up a bunch of suitable sources, However. Food grade is good.

 

[jcdeng]

Randy, will potassium nitrate increase K levels in tank also? If yes, is that like killing 2 birds with 1 stone?

 

[Pete polyp]

Dosing nitrate was necessary for me. I was not using a skimmer, and my tank actually killed macroalgae. I was not doing continuous water changes either. The live rock I have was consuming every bit of nitrate in the tank. I was overstocked (13 fish in a 40) and overfeeding (6oz rods monthly). More often than not I see people heavily skimming with a fuge full of cheato want to dose nitrate. Something that could possibly occur naturally by unplugging a skimmer to achieve this. Also people want to "bump up" their nitrates when it's under 3ppm. To me nitrate dosing is last resort.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy, will potassium nitrate increase K levels in tank also? If yes, is that like killing 2 birds with 1 stone?

The effect is small, but yes, it will add potassium. Adding 1 ppm of nitrate that way adds 0.6 ppm potassium.

 

[TDTA1181]

I used to run alge scrubber + skimmer + gfo reactor & dosed vodka (talk a/b stripping water) when I first stated my tank. I hated the thought of alge in my DT. Pretty much STN'ed all Acro frags over the course of 1-1.5 months. I beat my brains out blaming Alk swings in the end. A'f discarding doser & replacing w/ CalRx & getting it dialed in correctly I couldn't blame Alk anymore. Still had same issue, so one by one i elimated a nutrient reduction device thinking something's gotta give. Now I'm down to just a skimmer that's been off for going on 3 weeks and only measuring 2ppm Nitrate on Salifert test. I've been feeding mysis, Hikari pellets (not all @ once) & Nori for angel fish, Y.T. Kole & Foxface. I got a buddy to test w/ his R.S. Nitrate test & he got 1ppm. Not sure if I should be glad I'm @ that level or would I be better off around 5ppm? I can't get a reading on Hanna phosphate checker but surely I have some phosphate in there somewhere??? I even got new reagents & replaced the battery in checker and still couldn't get a measurement.

 

[TDTA1181]

The tank is 125gal w/ 40gal breeder as sump. W/ equipment, l.rock, sand displacement I think I have close to 100 liquid gallons. I usually do a 10 gallon water change/wk but I think I'm going to skip that this wk in the hopes that may help a little more getting something on phosphate and a little stronger reading on Nitrate. It just feels weird not running a skimmer to me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I used to run alge scrubber + skimmer + gfo reactor & dosed vodka (talk a/b stripping water) when I first stated my tank. I hated the thought of alge in my DT. Pretty much STN'ed all Acro frags over the course of 1-1.5 months. I beat my brains out blaming Alk swings in the end. A'f discarding doser & replacing w/ CalRx & getting it dialed in correctly I couldn't blame Alk anymore. Still had same issue, so one by one i elimated a nutrient reduction device thinking something's gotta give. Now I'm down to just a skimmer that's been off for going on 3 weeks and only measuring 2ppm Nitrate on Salifert test. I've been feeding mysis, Hikari pellets (not all @ once) & Nori for angel fish, Y.T. Kole & Foxface. I got a buddy to test w/ his R.S. Nitrate test & he got 1ppm. Not sure if I should be glad I'm @ that level or would I be better off around 5ppm? I can't get a reading on Hanna phosphate checker but surely I have some phospha. te in there somewhere??? I even got new reagents & replaced the battery in checker and still couldn't get a measurement.

IMO, 1-2 ppm nitrate is fine.

I'd be surprised if you did not start to accumulate some phosphate in the absence of any export methods.

 

[twilliard]

I feel aquarium research has come a long ways in the last 15 years.
Here is one example of my 0 nitrate experience.
Keeping cespitularia with my sps was impossible
Now that I have maintained a 2ppm no3 I can finally enjoy this beautiful softy.
I spent so much money trying to keep one. Always failed.
Now my frag, 3 months old is gorgeous

Nitrates have a proven reason to exist, sure not in the levels I maintain compared to the oceans but it does serve a purpose.