Nitrates staying around zero, should I dose?

[Cscultho]

I'm tempted to go buy some of that spectracide stump remover, unless there is something else similar.

i just started dosing the stump remover yesterday.

hoping for good results.

 

[Catchemall]

Feed your fish more, at least daily if not more.

But remember this will add phosphate as well

 

[Cscultho]

But remember this will add phosphate as well

what are the negatives of high phosphates?

 

[Catchemall]

Algae. Higher phosphates than nitrates is an imbalance you want slightly higher nitrate. I've dosed stump remover for awhile now and hold it at 2ppm and undetectable phosphate but it's there ever time I feed. Coloration and growth will explode when you dose this stuff.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

what are the negatives of high phosphates?

And potentially slower hard coral growth.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

But remember this will add phosphate as well

Of course it will also add phosphates, but it will add them in proper balance with added nitrate. Regardless, you need a phosphate reduction strategy for your tank same as nitrate.

I just don't think starving your fish is good husbandry in the absence of a nutrient control strategy. As someone pointed out above, it's about nutrient processing - natural reefs are not low nutrient areas, but they are low AVAILABLE nutrient areas. There is tremendous nutrient input and processing.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I just don't think starving your fish is good husbandry in the absence of a nutrient control strategy. As someone pointed out above, it's about nutrient processing - natural reefs are not low nutrient areas, but they are low AVAILABLE nutrient areas. There is tremendous nutrient input and processing.[/QUOTE]


Agree.. Malnourished fish are more susceptible to disease and fighting. If one really wants to avoid nutrients by underfeeding then they should reduce their bioload so they can at least keep the small amount of fish fat and healthy. The ocean processes tons of nutrients and a lot of which goes through the corals and fish so fast that they end up undetectable.. What if that nutrient load was cut into half in the ocean? Nutrients will be still close to 0 but the animals will suffer as they will be competing for 50% less nutrient. ... My fish are fed very heavy as is my corals and I am undetectable on nitrates but I know by the growth of the acros that they are still being fed.

 

[telsonman]

Is the spectracide stuff the cheapest option, while still providing results?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Food grade options are not very expensive:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/222604...MIoc6gmKy51QIVx2F-Ch1tDwshEAQYBSABEgI_dfD_BwE

 

[Cscultho]

Is the spectracide stuff the cheapest option, while still providing results?

$6 a bottle.

 

[reefruss]

My phosphate and nitrate levels are 0. I feed twice a day and they remain at 0 and I'm talking 0 PPB using a Hanna ULR meter. I do have a brown growth that I have to scrape off the tank weekly which is probably depleting nutrients. I'm not sure if it's dinos, diatoms or a brown algae. My yellow tang is endlessly grazing on it so I'm assuming it's an algae. I have a few stoney corals that are bleaching now and I'm ready to dose. Is there any reason why I shouldn't dose both sodium nitrate and monosodium phosphate at the same time? I also have a question for Randy, the calculator linked in another post, http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm, doesn't list monosodium phosphate as a parameter, is there a conversion for potassium phosphate to monosodium phosphate to use?

 

[aeras1131]

Start dosing Aminos. I would not dose pure nitrate and dose an amino product instead. It will have the desired effect of raising your nutrients, and the side benefit of adding more to aquarium for your corals then dosing nitrate alone.

 

[aeras1131]

I prefer drip dosing Aquavitro Fuel.

 

[reefruss]

I've been dosing Korallen-Zucht coral system which does have aminos in part 3.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is there any reason why I shouldn't dose both sodium nitrate and monosodium phosphate at the same time? ?

That's fine.

I also have a question for Randy, the calculator linked in another post, http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm, doesn't list monosodium phosphate as a parameter, is there a conversion for potassium phosphate to monosodium phosphate to use?

I'm assuming they mean tripotassium phosphate in the calculator, so you'd add Use 56% as much of the monosodium phosphate as the calculator says. So when it says 1 mL of the liquid, you'd add 0.56 mL.

 

[reefruss]

Thanks. Checking the calculator using http://www.aquariumcalculators.com/parts-per-million/tank-ppm-calculator/ the results are the same using monopotassium phosphate. So if that's the case, what would the conversion to monosodium phosphate be? I'm sure it's going to be better to start low and adjust by testing, just want to have an approximate starting point.

 

[solitude127]

I prefer drip dosing Aquavitro Fuel.

Have you looked at the storage instructions of Aquavitro fuel? It says to keep refrigerated after opening so I switched to TLF brand because it did not have that requirement.

 

[reefruss]

Red Sea reef energy combo pack requires refrigeration too.

 

[aeras1131]

@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.

 

[cracker]

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