Nitrate DIY Dosing and Potassium DIY Dosing powders?

[Coronus]

I want to Start using do it yourself recipe to dose potassium and nitrate. I currently use bright well aquatics neo nitro and potassion.
It becomes expensive so I am looking for alternatives that are very pure and fully safe to use with mixing instructions for a stock solution.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I want to Start using do it yourself recipe to dose potassium and nitrate. I currently use bright well aquatics neo nitro and potassion.
It becomes expensive so I am looking for alternatives that are very pure and fully safe to use with mixing instructions for a stock solution.

For potassium, use potassium chloride, such as:

NOW Foods, Potassium Chloride Powder, 8 oz (227 g)

www.iherb.com

for nitrate, I'd use food grade or ACS AR (Reagent) grade sodium nitrate, such as:


There are lots of threads on DIY dosing, but we can guide for dosing if you don't see one.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

+1 on Randy's advice. It's so cheap and it really works, better in my experience than the expensive pre made potions.

 

[blasterman]

Are you sure you mean potassium and not phosphate? If your potassium is low check your salt mix. Even with no water changes and large coral loads I've never seen potassium go down much.

I've had salt mixes test 100 and some test 400 for potassium.

 

[jurgenph]

For potassium, use potassium chloride, such as:

NOW Foods, Potassium Chloride Powder, 8 oz (227 g)

www.iherb.com

for nitrate, I'd use food grade or ACS AR (Reagent) grade sodium nitrate, such as:


There are lots of threads on DIY dosing, but we can guide for dosing if you don't see one.

what are your thoughts on potassium nitrate, and dose both, with just one product?


J.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

what are your thoughts on potassium nitrate, and dose both, with just one product?


J.

If you need both potassium and nitrate, its OK (its complicated to control both when it is dosed in a fixed ratio), otherwise, I'd stick to sodium or calcium nitrate and potassium chloride (or potassium sulfate, if you can find it)

 

[Coronus]

Are you sure you mean potassium and not phosphate? If your potassium is low check your salt mix. Even with no water changes and large coral loads I've never seen potassium go down much.

I've had salt mixes test 100 and some test 400 for potassium.

Yes I mean Potassium.

 

[Coronus]

For potassium, use potassium chloride, such as:

NOW Foods, Potassium Chloride Powder, 8 oz (227 g)

www.iherb.com

for nitrate, I'd use food grade or ACS AR (Reagent) grade sodium nitrate, such as:


There are lots of threads on DIY dosing, but we can guide for dosing if you don't see one.

Thank you Randy. I want to make 1 gallon stock solution to dose when needed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you Randy. I want to make 1 gallon stock solution to dose when needed.

Use this calculator.

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

For potassium from potassium chloride, use the entry for potassium from potassium nitrate, and make the stock solution using 3/4 of what it suggests (so 75 grams if it says 100 g).

For nitrate from sodium nitrate, use the entry for nitrate from potassium nitrate. it is close enough. To be super exacting, use 15% less than it says.

 

[jurgenph]

If you need both potassium and nitrate, its OK (its complicated to control both when it is dosed in a fixed ratio), otherwise, I'd stick to sodium or calcium nitrate and potassium chloride (or potassium sulfate, if you can find it)

cool, i have both calcium nitrate and potassium nitrate handy.


J.