Nitrate dosing... need help

Willylumplump · Aug 30, 2017

so I recently posted a thread on my sps dying and related/attached my triton results.
My potassium was 290 and my sps were dying. Since correcting my pot, I have not lost any of my sps, I only had a few left, and some regained some color, although not to original color.
In addition, I began nitrate dosing. I mixed 2 cups nano3 with 1 gallon ro,di.
I added 15ml to my tank which took my nitrates from 0 to 5. In 3 days my nitrate was 2 and after 5 days was once again 0. So, in essence my consumption above tank needs was an extra 1ppm a day. All I seemed to notice from increasing my nitrates was I began to grow cyano in my refug and a little in my main, and my macroalgae grew faster.
Thoughts on correcting potassium will suffice, or needing to continue dosing nitrate in order to keep sps?

Ty Hamatake · Aug 31, 2017

I ran into a similar problem when I began raising my nutrients as far as cyano. I went through like five cycles of slowly raising nutrients - cyano outbreak - lower nutrients - cyano went away. It wasn't until I kept my them elevated for an extended period of time that the cyano went away and corals started looking good. Anytime we change a parameter in the tank it needs time to adjust. Currently I'm at ~5 NO3 and .02 PO4 and my corals have never looked better. It just took me dealing with some uglies for few weeks.

SashimiTurtle · Aug 31, 2017

I haven't tested NO3 or PO4 in about 2 weeks in my tank. I stopped trying to dose nutrients and started actually feeding the corals. NO3 and PO4 is great, but I found it turned my sand brown and the glass needed constant cleaning. I now feed .5ml/10g Red Sea Reef Energy part A&B each, and 1-2ml/10g Reef Nutrition Oysterfeast. I do this with the return pump off and let the powerheads blow it around. You could target feed some sticks if you want but I don't find it necessary in my tank. My sand stays clean longer and my glass doesn't need to be cleaned every day. Corals have better colors now than when I was trying to dose for nutrients.

Ty Hamatake · Aug 31, 2017

Robin Haselden said:
I haven't tested NO3 or PO4 in about 2 weeks in my tank. I stopped trying to dose nutrients and started actually feeding the corals. NO3 and PO4 is great, but I found it turned my sand brown and the glass needed constant cleaning. I now feed .5ml/10g Red Sea Reef Energy part A&B each, and 1-2ml/10g Reef Nutrition Oysterfeast. I do this with the return pump off and let the powerheads blow it around. You could target feed some sticks if you want but I don't find it necessary in my tank. My sand stays clean longer and my glass doesn't need to be cleaned every day. Corals have better colors now than when I was trying to dose for nutrients.

I keep my sand clean with a sand sifter goby. Sure, theres sand literally everywhere in my tank, but at least it's clean sand... ;Facepalm;Shifty

SashimiTurtle · Aug 31, 2017

Ty Hamatake said:
I keep my sand clean with a sand sifter goby. Sure, theres sand literally everywhere in my tank, but at least it's clean sand... ;Facepalm;Shifty

When I upgrade out of the 14g, I plan on getting a little sand blower myself... not sure which one I want yet. Leaning towards the rainfordi.

Ty Hamatake · Aug 31, 2017

Robin Haselden said:
When I upgrade out of the 14g, I plan on getting a little sand blower myself... not sure which one I want yet. Leaning towards the rainfordi.

I do love me some gobies, but honestly I often find myself regretting my sand sifter (gold head sleeper). He makes such a mess!