Nitrate dosing

cee · Nov 20, 2015

OK, I'm in a bit of a predicament and find myself having 0 nitrates with about the right amount of PO4. I've just started dosing calcium nitrate as the SPS are looking a bit on the light (or some might call it "bleached") side. This isn't the case for all of them so as usual, color optimization is a fine line between too light for some, just right for others. I toyed with the idea of using the stump remover (potassium nitrate) but just couldn't see myself dosing a garden product when, low and behold, I could dose a garden product (calcium nitrate is primarily used as a fertilizer) LOL. Fortunately, I don't believe calcium nitrate is used in bombs so I shouldn't be on the ATF watchlist LOL.

Anyone suffer this problem and tried to raise the nitrate levels in their tank? I'm shooting for 2 ppm and going to try to hold that stable.

Dave

Pete polyp · Nov 20, 2015

I only have experience with stump remover. It worked well.

cee · Nov 20, 2015

Pete polyp said:
I only have experience with stump remover. It worked well.

Turns out the dosing rate is about the same as potassium nitrate (10 mL of a solution of 2 tbs of KNO3 (or CaNO3) to 2 cups of H2O raises 100 gallons 1.5 ppm NO3) which makes sense since K and Ca are so close together on the periodic table.

Pete polyp · Nov 20, 2015

I put something like 4 tbsp per gallon in my solution over a year and a half ago. I still have about half of it left. A little goes a long ways

cee · Nov 20, 2015

...and to think I bought 10 lbs. of this stuff ROFL...

Pete polyp · Nov 20, 2015

cee said:
...and to think I bought 10 lbs. of this stuff ROFL...

In that case you could start a sale thread here.

twilliard · Nov 20, 2015

True it does not take a lot to raise and maintain no3.
I use potassium nitrate and through my triton testing has not elevated my potassium

Mark75 · Nov 20, 2015

I also am suffering from pale/light colors, not bleaching. I had this problem in my last tank and I am sure it had to do with my "clean" tank.

I am meticulous about feeding only as much as the fish will eat and always have very low if undetectable nitrates. Everything is growing, just pale.

From my research there seems to be a formula, I am terrible at math but maybe someone can interpret what I am trying to say.

The formula goes something like this> Nitrate 10ppm/Phosphate.05ppm/Par 300=good growth and color
You can increase for faster growth but you have to increase all keeping the same ratio, if you increase Nitrates only= brown colors,, if you increase Phosphates only=algae problems, if you increase par only= bleaching.

The numbers are irrelevant, just the ratio. The reason we limit nutrients is because we have limited par.

Cee, I have been waiting to bring this question up and your nitrate issue reminded me. I hope you don't mind.

cee · Nov 20, 2015

Pete polyp said:
In that case you could start a sale thread here.

I'd prefer to give it away seeing as it is a local forum. Anyone need to increase their nitrate just LMK. I've got enough to raise 19
Georgia aquariums by at least 10 ppm LOL.

cee · Nov 20, 2015

Mark75 said:
Nitrate 10ppm/Phosphate.05ppm/Par 300=good growth and color

My phosphate is about on par (no pun intended), nitrate needs work and PAR is probably over the threshold. I'll report what I find but some corals are quite colorful ATM IMO.

Dave

Jmcdaniel0 · Nov 21, 2015

I always have the exact opposite problem, but then again I have a habit of over loading the fish capacity...

Pete polyp · Nov 21, 2015

Jmcdaniel0 said:
I always have the exact opposite problem, but then again I have a habit of over loading the fish capacity...

I did that with no rise in nitrate.

lyrical · Nov 21, 2015

If you need nitrates just let me know I would be happy to send you some of my water to dose your tank with

Dtackett · Nov 21, 2015

think @Randy Holmes-Farley would be the guy to ask if you want serious answers.

Pete polyp · Nov 21, 2015

Here's the difference between 0 nitrate and 0.5ppm elapsed time was 3 weeks

cee · Nov 25, 2015

OK, now I'm doubting the Red Sea test kit. I've been dosing enough to raise my nitrate by about 1.5 ppm/day but the test kit shows 0 nitrate after about 20 hours after dosing. However, I've never had cyano in my tank but it is starting to show up. I'll do a water change, change the GFO and carbon and stop dosing Ca(NO3).

Mark75 · Nov 25, 2015

Cee,...I have heard that a tank "starved" for nitrates my use the nitrates rather quickly removing them from the water column.

You need to exceed what your tank can absorb before they accumulate enough to be tested,....BUT,...I hate to see you brown out those beautiful sps because of a faulty test kit! Proceed with caution.

cee · Nov 25, 2015

Mark75 said:
Cee,...I have heard that a tank "starved" for nitrates my use the nitrates rather quickly removing them from the water column.

You need to exceed what your tank can absorb before they accumulate enough to be tested,....BUT,...I hate to see you brown out those beautiful sps because of a faulty test kit! Proceed with caution.

That I shall, trust me. I don't see a big change in color but the cyano has me a bit gun-shy ATM.

Mark75 · Nov 25, 2015

I believe cyano is bacteria driven not nutrient?

cee · Nov 25, 2015

Cyanobacteria are a group of photosynthetic, nitrogen fixing bacteria. I'm not a biologist and therefore not an expert but I believe they thrive in conditions where nitrate and/or phosphate are quite prevalent, conditions typical of a new tank, blooms that occur from terrestrial run-off, etc. Since the only real thing I've changed is the addition of Ca(NO3) I suspect that is my problem. I did experiment with dosing some amino acids for a few days but I doubt that is a contributing factor unless the aminos also contained high amounts of NO3/PO4. Given the manufacturer, I wouldn't discount that possibility.