Nitrates

[scotty333]

Hi guys
So, what’s the difference between say 1 and 10ppm nitrates?
I mean, for keeping corals is 1 too low or doesn’t it make any difference if it’s 10? It’s still available isn’t it?

 

[Jekyl]

I would be concerned having only 1 nitrate. Hitting zero is not a good thing as nitrate serves as food for corals and well as can bring on dinos.

Anything other than that will be decided by your tank and the response given. The rest is just chasing numbers.

 

[scotty333]

I think you missed the point, I’ll try again another way…

Nitrate ( as said) is food so as long as there is some does it matter how much ( by a number) is enough ?

 

[Troylee]

I think you missed the point, I’ll try again another way…

Nitrate ( as said) is food so as long as there is some does it matter how much ( by a number) is enough ?

Nitrate is our only means of measuring nitrogen which the corals use not really nitrates. That’s my understanding anyways lol. so if you’re showing some that’s a good thing! Bottoming out will feed the Dino’s to over take the good things in our tanks.

 

[ErikVR]

My personal experience with my lps and softie dominated tank is that I don't want it dropping below 12. I try to manage it around 15 by tuning my refugium light.

 

[Pistondog]

What test kit are you using, can it resolve 1 ppm nitrate? Or can the actual be 0 or 3 ppm?
If a hypothetical question (actual 1 vs 10ppm), some corals do better with more nitrate than 1 ppm.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I think you missed the point, I’ll try again another way…

Nitrate ( as said) is food so as long as there is some does it matter how much ( by a number) is enough ?

Yes... it does. We measure nitrate in ppm (parts per million) so, if you only have 1ppm, 0.0001% of the water has nitrates. That is very little and not sufficient enough for corals. On the other hand, if you have 10ppm, 0.001% of the water is nitrates. So, it may not seem like a big difference, but it is. If on your plate when you were starving, if you had a little food would that be sufficient? In most cases, no. Youd need more food. Hope that helps.

 

[Biokabe]

The difference between 1 ppm nitrates and 10 ppm nitrates is 9 ppm nitrates.

More usefully, yes, there is a difference. Corals are simple animals, meaning that most of their biological processes happen via simple mechanics like diffusion. Diffusion relies on relative concentration, and the higher the concentration of the desired substance in your source material, the more and faster it will diffuse into your target.

 

[scotty333]

Thanks guys , I’m now at 3
Had a bit too much vodka being dosed

 

[Spare time]

It's always good to remember that test kits have a error range and that there is also the chance of error on the human side of things that could throw it off a few ppm.

 

[Spare time]

Thanks guys , I’m now at 3
Had a bit too much vodka being dosed

The same thing happened to my friend in Vegas last weekend.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

corals do not need any detectable levels of nitrate IF they have other adequate sources of N, such as ammonia or organics (dissolved or particulate) such as in the ocean.

But since we often cannot ensure these others are in adequate supply, having at least 2-3 ppm nitrate ensures there is adequate N.

I generally recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate with values above that range better than below it. Some great tanks can have as much as 100 ppm nitrate.

 

[scotty333]

Fair enough boss

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Hi guys
So, what’s the difference between say 1 and 10ppm nitrates?
I mean, for keeping corals is 1 too low or doesn’t it make any difference if it’s 10? It’s still available isn’t it?

Mine stays between 10 and 20 ppm. It is also about the balance / ratio with phosphate. It should be roughly 10:1. So if your nitrates are at 10, then your phosphate should be at .1

 

[scotty333]

I hear about this ratio but it’s impossible to maintain
I’m currently at 3 and 0.1

 

[Reign1]

corals do not need any detectable levels of nitrate IF they have other adequate sources of N, such as ammonia or organics (dissolved or particulate) such as in the ocean.

But since we often cannot ensure these others are in adequate supply, having at least 2-3 ppm nitrate ensures there is adequate N.

I generally recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate with values above that range better than below it. Some great tanks can have as much as 100 ppm nitrate.

Instead of starting a new thread about already covered information I thought I would ask in here Randy.
my tank 115 cube about 11 weeks old starting to have uglies and may be dinos (will have to pull out microscope) .
parameters
Sg 1.026
tmp 78.2-9F
Ca 448 (was lower a few weeks ago but slowly brought up)
Mg 1300 (" ")
Alk 8.3
Ammonia <.1
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 (waiting on a Hanna test as LFS testers keep reading 0)
Phospate .02
4 fish feed 1-2x daily
dosing smalls amounts of micbacter 7 every other day
I likely (after I test later today, come on UPS) will need to dose Nitrate to inhibit algae/Dinos
What is your recommended best way to dose?
Dose Ammonia or dose Nitrate?
Thanks

 

[ryanjohn1]

Instead of starting a new thread about already covered information I thought I would ask in here Randy.
my tank 115 cube about 11 weeks old starting to have uglies and may be dinos (will have to pull out microscope) .
parameters
Sg 1.026
tmp 78.2-9F
Ca 448 (was lower a few weeks ago but slowly brought up)
Mg 1300 (" ")
Alk 8.3
Ammonia <.1
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 (waiting on a Hanna test as LFS testers keep reading 0)
Phospate .02
4 fish feed 1-2x daily
dosing smalls amounts of micbacter 7 every other day
I likely (after I test later today, come on UPS) will need to dose Nitrate to inhibit algae/Dinos
What is your recommended best way to dose?
Dose Ammonia or dose Nitrate?
Thanks

I know in my sps dom reef tank I have always suffered low low nitrate. Personally I dosed straight nitrate from nyos. Seems to be among the cleanest. I did this till I was @8-10. Then stopped. Tank mostly carried it from there. I’ve been doing some reading about ammonia dosing. It seems a good way but personally I don’t want to risk that. Everyone always says oh just feed more. Well I had to dose even though I feed 3 times daily and run skimmer very seldom. No reactor or nothing either. Just filter sock.