Opinion(s) needed - Best way to raise nitrate?

[CasperOe]

Hi Reefers!

I am running my 135 gallon lightly stocked (for now!) reef tank according the Triton method with a large, well lit refugium, a skimmer and thats it for filtration.

I am in a completely new situation in my reef keeping journey - I am reading consistently 0 PPM nitrate (Hanna HR)- with phosphate consistently being in the range I am aiming for of 0.03-0.08 (tested with Hanna HI774 / RF Smart Tester).

Q: Now; what will be my best options for increasing my nitrates without affecting phosphate (too much)?

Luckily, I have a few options:

1. Feed more!
2. Reduce lighting period / Light power in refugium
3. Switch off skimmer for XX hours during the night
4. Dose nitrate up

... or something else; or a combination?

I would love to hear your experiences and advice

I should say that I see no indication that the tank is not thriving, but I would like to at least have detectable levels.

Cheers - and happy new year!

 

[Spare time]

Feeding more or dosing amino acids are my preferred ways of raising nitrate. Aminos are nice as they are "tasty" and contain no phosphate. Having the skimmer off during the day would also help.

 

[CasperOe]

Feeding more or dosing amino acids are my preferred ways of raising nitrate. Aminos are nice as they are "tasty" and contain no phosphate. Having the skimmer off during the day would also help.

That's a good one- and one I did not consider! Here's a silly question; Red Sea's AB+? Amino?

Gosh - I feel so stupid asking that and should probably just google it instead and save myself the shame!

 

[Spare time]

That's a good one- and one I did not consider! Here's a silly question; Red Sea's AB+? Amino?

Gosh - I feel so stupid asking that and should probably just google it instead and save myself the shame!

Red sea's reef energy ab+ is a mix of aminos, vitamins, and carbohydrates so it would work too. It shouldn't have much if any phosphate but the exact vitamins are not listed so it could have some but not that much from my experience if it does contain some).

 

[Idech]

Brightwell Neonitro. It works almost instantly.

 

[CasperOe]

Brightwell Neonitro. It works almost instantly.

I have that one one on a wee dosing pump - it does do the job for sure, I was wondering if something else might do a better job not having to add chemicals with the sole purpose of rising my nitrates though!

Thanks though, really! Appreciate it!

 

[CasperOe]

Red sea's reef energy ab+ is a mix of aminos, vitamins, and carbohydrates so it would work too. It shouldn't have much if any phosphate but the exact vitamins are not listed so it could have some but not that much from my experience if it does contain some).

Cool! Will try and up my amino input and reduce my Neonitro a bit! Might as well dose something that my corals directly benefits from..

 

[RIC13]

Instead of feeding more, which can cause uneaten food to sit in the tank and then decompose, I dose ammonium chloride or sodium nitrate.

 

[CasperOe]

Instead of feeding more, which can cause uneaten food to sit in the tank and then decompose, I dose ammonium chloride or sodium nitrate.

I do have a bottle of Dr. Tims ammonium chloride sitting on the shelf, not sure why but I might have some reservations using it for this purpose. No doubt it would get the job done knowing the chemistry behind it but maybe the sodium nitrate is a better (safer?) way to go?

I gather you hand dose this?

 

[Miami Reef]

but I would like to at least have detectable levels.

If detectable levels of nitrate is what you desire, there is no faster way than dosing nitrate.

You can dose pure, food-grade sources of sodium nitrate, which will be much cheaper than Brightwell’s source.


Here’s the calculator for it (select potassium nitrate; it is close enough for our purposes)

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

 

[CasperOe]

If detectable levels of nitrate is what you desire, there is no faster way than dosing nitrate.

You can dose pure, food-grade sources of sodium nitrate, which will be much cheaper than Brightwell’s source.


Here’s the calculator for it (select potassium nitrate; it is close enough for our purposes)

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

.. and that's where that "Excellence Award" badge comes from! Cheers mate..

Can I pre-mix and keep in a dosing container or will it precipitate / settle at the bottom?

 

[Miami Reef]

.. and that's where that "Excellence Award" badge comes from! Cheers mate..

Can I pre-mix and keep in a dosing container or will it precipitate / settle at the bottom?

Thank you.

Yes, you may certainly make a stock solution of Sodium nitrate. It won’t precipitate, and you can even put it in a dosing pump with no issues either.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Hi Reefers!

I am running my 135 gallon lightly stocked (for now!) reef tank according the Triton method with a large, well lit refugium, a skimmer and thats it for filtration.

I am in a completely new situation in my reef keeping journey - I am reading consistently 0 PPM nitrate (Hanna HR)- with phosphate consistently being in the range I am aiming for of 0.03-0.08 (tested with Hanna HI774 / RF Smart Tester).

Q: Now; what will be my best options for increasing my nitrates without affecting phosphate (too much)?

Luckily, I have a few options:

1. Feed more!
2. Reduce lighting period / Light power in refugium
3. Switch off skimmer for XX hours during the night
4. Dose nitrate up

... or something else; or a combination?

I would love to hear your experiences and advice

I should say that I see no indication that the tank is not thriving, but I would like to at least have detectable levels.

Cheers - and happy new year!

I’m currently dosing nyos nitrate. My tank rips threw it

 

[CasperOe]

I’m currently dosing nyos nitrate. My tank rips threw it

Nyos Nitrate? Noted! Will have a look at that, thanks!

 

[RIC13]

I do have a bottle of Dr. Tims ammonium chloride sitting on the shelf, not sure why but I might have some reservations using it for this purpose. No doubt it would get the job done knowing the chemistry behind it but maybe the sodium nitrate is a better (safer?) way to go?

I gather you hand dose this?

Ammonia is a great food source for coral. I use ammonium chloride from Brightwell and have been dosing it manually as desired for at least 1/2 a year. As with everything, be conservative and go slow
See thread for more info: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

 

[CasperOe]

Ammonia is a great food source for coral. I use ammonium chloride from Brightwell and have been dosing it manually as desired for at least 1/2 a year. As with everything, be conservative and go slow
See thread for more info: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

Will definetly give that a look as well, if anything I can get through that bottle that just standing on the shelf!

 

[spsick]

If you have a lot of coral, ammonium bicarbonate has been working well for me.

If you don’t, calcium nitrate has also worked well in the past. Calcium nitrate doesn’t raise sodium so maybe a touch better for balance but not as easy or cheap.

 

[CasperOe]

If you have a lot of coral, ammonium bicarbonate has been working well for me.

If you don’t, calcium nitrate has also worked well in the past. Calcium nitrate doesn’t raise sodium so maybe a touch better for balance but not as easy or cheap.

Not too many corals yet sadly; had about a 12 months set back from fannying around trying things! thank you, I will have a look at that as well!

 

[RIC13]

If detectable levels of nitrate is what you desire, there is no faster way than dosing nitrate.

You can dose pure, food-grade sources of sodium nitrate, which will be much cheaper than Brightwell’s source.


Here’s the calculator for it (select potassium nitrate; it is close enough for our purposes)

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

Agree. This is what I dose and how I arrived at my calculations. It is an immediate way to raise nitrate and is my primary method for fighting dinos when my nutrients are out of whack.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you want to experiment with dosing ammonia instead of sodium or calcium nitrate (both also recommended), here is a DIY thread:

DIY Ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems

Some reef aquaria have chronic low nitrogen availability. One indicator is very low nitrate. Nitrate dosing is a fine remedy, but it is possible that ammonia dosing may be more beneficial for some organisms since ammonia can be energetically easier to assimilate than is nitrate. For this...

www.reef2reef.com

i personally would not dose an ammonia source that was intended for cycling (or any other purpose) unless it listed a purity.