Nitrates staying around zero, should I dose?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 17, 2017

cracker said:
I wonder what the shelf life of mixed Spectracide stump remover is ?

Very long, unless it is so dilute that bacteria may grow in it.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 17, 2017

aeras1131 said:
@solitude127 It does. However, I worked with the reps to create a routine for my reef. As long as you only leave out 2 months of product in the reservoir, adequately stir it, and clean out the reservoir. The Seachem rep stated it would be ok. This information is even included in the Fuel FAQ on their website. If you want to do this as well, I would leave 2 months of product in the reservoir equal to the amount of the recommended dose. The product works, at least for me. It is well worth its requirement of refrigeration for long term storage.

Just be careful that products that are stable on the shelf as received may not be stable if you dilute them before use.

reefruss · Nov 17, 2017

Well I mixed up some stock solutions and dosed the tank and measured today to check my math. I used 10 grams of sodium nitrate in 2 cups ro water (473 ml), dosed 30 ml of solution and in theory this should give me 1 ppm in 100 gallons, it worked perfectly. I used 0.75 gram of monosodium phosphate in 2 cups water, dosed 1 ml of solution and in theory this would yield 0.03 ppm in 100 gallons. Not so accurate on this one, it gave me 32 ppb or 0.096 ppm unless my conversion here is wrong. I just won't dose phosphate again for awhile, it should get consumed. I've already added more nitrate solution.

aeras1131 · Nov 17, 2017

I actually do not dilute @Randy Holmes-Farley I have a GHL Doser 2.1 My doser is accurate down to .1ml I divided my the recommended does to equal does amount for 7 days total, and I let me Doser handle the rest of the heavy lifting. I have auto stirred to keep the product well mixed, and I figured out the amount of product I need to keep in my reservoir to match my parameters. I did not jigger with the dilution of the product, and I make sure the product is adequately stirred. This is the first time I am using the product in this function. I am finding it highly effect, and after evaluating the product. I feel that this is the way it should be dosed. I was dosing the product manually 3x per week per instructions and my skimmer and UV were reducing the effectiveness of the product.