Potassium nitrate (Spectracide stump remover) dosing steps

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know with any certainty if adding more is desirable (to prevent dinos) or undesirable (possibly more algae).

personally, I might be more worried about dinos.

 

[Schgred]

I do not know with any certainty if adding more is desirable (to prevent dinos) or undesirable (possibly more algae).

personally, I might be more worried about dinos.

Was that in response to my question, Randy?

Somebody mentioned to me that the Redfield Ratio being out of whack was the reason I probably had a GHA outbreak. My phosphates were at .14 with 0 nitrates. I added GFO to bring the phosphates down thinking that would take care of the algae outbreak, but now I still have GHA, and cyano but simply have undetectable nitrates and phosphates (Salifert for Nitrates and Hanna for phosphates). I also have pale acropora which was also why I was thinking of dosing the stump remover.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for all this great info. Question for you. I currently have 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates with a GHA problem. If I dose stump remover to get the nitrates up will that just encourage the GHA? I know the nitrates and phosphates are in the system, but they are just bound up in the algae. I’m actively doing what I can to manually remove as much as possible.

It was meant in response to this post. Sorry, I didn't make that clear.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Was that in response to my question, Randy?

Somebody mentioned to me that the Redfield Ratio being out of whack was the reason I probably had a GHA outbreak. My phosphates were at .14 with 0 nitrates. I added GFO to bring the phosphates down thinking that would take care of the algae outbreak, but now I still have GHA, and cyano but simply have undetectable nitrates and phosphates (Salifert for Nitrates and Hanna for phosphates). I also have pale acropora which was also why I was thinking of dosing the stump remover.

I think meany people blame ratios for stuff that, IMO, has nothing to do with ratios.

If there is "enough" N and "enough" P for algae to thrive, the specific ratio between them is unimportant, IMO.
I will add that defeating algae by lowering nutrients can be a tricky business as you do not want to starve corals, or get into a world where dinos may begin to dominate.

 

[Schgred]

I think meany people blame ratios for stuff that, IMO, has nothing to do with ratios.

If there is "enough" N and "enough" P for algae to thrive, the specific ratio between them is unimportant, IMO.
I will add that defeating algae by lowering nutrients can be a tricky business as you do not want to starve corals, or get into a world where dinos may begin to dominate.

Thank you very much for the thoughts. Seems like I'm walking a fine line... What do you think about this as a plan of attack?

1. Keep feeding as we have been (reef roids twice a week, LRS reef frenzy daily, FUEL twice a week)
2. Keep skimmer on (or off to bring up N and P?)
3. Keep refugium light on at night (or turn off to bring up N and P?)
4. Turn off GFO reactor (I did this a couple days ago when the Phosphates went down to 0)
5. Manually remove as much GHA as I can every day.
6. Dose stump remover to get the Nitrates to 3 and not higher.
7. Trust the CUC and yellow tang to help me with manually removing the GHA.
8. Trust that this is a phase that will pass eventually.

We have a bunch of acropora that I really don't want to lose, and I really don't want Dinos.

I'm replacing my RODI filters/membrane because I know the filters are past the date they are recommended to be changed even though TDS is 0. I'm wondering if they are leaching phosphates.

 

[rx7ven]

Hi, i just stumbled onto this thread since i need to raise my nitrates. i have a 28 gallon, the recipe to use is
"1 cup RODI + 1 Tablespoon stump remover". but how much do i put in my tank at a time? do i pour the whole cup in?

 

[dmantz1]

If you google James' planted tank calculator. It should find a dosing calculator. Fill in the blanks and you can customize your dosing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I hope by this time folks are moving away from using "stump remover" and are using the readily available and inexpensive materials with a quality control assurance.

Food grade or other high grade sodium nitrate preferably, or potassium nitrate, if you monitor potassium.

For example:

 

[scabbedwings616]

I hope by this time folks are moving away from using "stump remover" and are using the readily available and inexpensive materials with a quality control assurance.

Food grade or other high grade sodium nitrate preferably, or potassium nitrate, if you monitor potassium.

For example:

Can you put a few more things we could use for nitrates? Which one would be better, sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate?

 

[gideon2086]

I hope by this time folks are moving away from using "stump remover" and are using the readily available and inexpensive materials with a quality control assurance.

Food grade or other high grade sodium nitrate preferably, or potassium nitrate, if you monitor potassium.

For example:

Well shoot.. I just bought stump remover. Is there a brand people are gravitating to?

 

[ru4serious]

Well shoot.. I just bought stump remover. Is there a brand people are gravitating to?

How far does 2 oz go,

 

[ru4serious]

I hope by this time folks are moving away from using "stump remover" and are using the readily available and inexpensive materials with a quality control assurance.

Food grade or other high grade sodium nitrate preferably, or potassium nitrate, if you monitor potassium.

For example:

How far does 2 ounces go?

 

[gideon2086]

How far does 2 ounces go?

No idea, just made it yesterday. Did very rough measurements and haven't tested yet after yesterday's dose. Now that I see Randy's comment I went ahead and ordered bottled Nitrates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How far does 2 oz go,

2 ounces of sodium nitrate will raise 100 gallons by about 100 ppm nitrate

 

[Pelagikos]

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