Raising nitrates with spectricide?

[Rp8]

Spoke with a helpful employee at LFS (rare), asked about ways to raise nitrates. Mine have bottomed out at 0. So he suggested instead Specteicide stump remover. He said he uses it in his tank and even gave me a mixture to use. Has anyone ever done this? The only ingredient is potassium nitrate. I looked up MSDS. Pictures are the brand and his mixture. Thanks in advance.

 

[Cory]

That used to be the go to for potassium nitrate. Many people used it. Ive used a brand sold as stump remover in Canada with no problems. Only issue is impurities but with small amounts shouldn't likely be a problem.

 

[PatW]

I have used Spectracide without issue. It is Potassium Nitrate. I now use either Analytical Grade Sodium Nitrate or food grade Sodium Nitrate. If you do regular significant water changes, the small amounts of impurities in Spectracide will probably never accumulate enough to be an issue.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I cannot see any reason to use an uncontrolled agricultural product when high quality food grad sodium nitrate is readily available and inexpensive.
Loudwolf and Modernist Pantry are good brands that folks use.

 

[Cory]

I agree with Randy. Id use Loudwolf brand or Modernist Pantry. In my case it wasnt a viable option to purchase those brands in Canada. But in the usa id do that.

 

[Futuretotm]

I cannot see any reason to use an uncontrolled agricultural product when high quality food grad sodium nitrate is readily available and inexpensive.
Loudwolf and Modernist Pantry are good brands that folks use.

Thank you Randy, is there by any chance a dosing calculator for those food grade NaNo3?

 

[Futuretotm]

Answer to my question for future searchers...

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

Choose potassium nitrate
Example: 10grams of NaNo3 will raise Nitrates by 16.2ppm in a 100 gallon