Repurposing carbon dosing pump for sodium nitrate

[clm65]

I previously had a high nitrate issue. I solved that issue with carbon dosing (vinegar). However, I went too far and now I'm dealing with low nitrate issues. I'm not the most reliable person when it comes to manual dosing, so I would like to automate the process by using the dosing pump I previously used for vinegar. I am currently running plain water through my dosing pump and tubing to flush it out, but I'm concerned that there may be some residual effects that neutralize the sodium nitrate once I put it in service. Is this a valid concern?

 

[GabeM]

As long as it is well flushed I do not think you should be concerned. Many people still use vinegar to clean their equipment and it should rinse out fine.

That being said I would check the tubing inside and out for physical damage before use.

 

[clm65]

Good points and suggestion! Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There’s no concern. This sounds like a fine plan.

 

[clm65]

There’s no concern. This sounds like a fine plan.

Thanks Randy!

 

[Dan_P]

I previously had a high nitrate issue. I solved that issue with carbon dosing (vinegar). However, I went too far and now I'm dealing with low nitrate issues. I'm not the most reliable person when it comes to manual dosing, so I would like to automate the process by using the dosing pump I previously used for vinegar. I am currently running plain water through my dosing pump and tubing to flush it out, but I'm concerned that there may be some residual effects that neutralize the sodium nitrate once I put it in service. Is this a valid concern?

By the way, did you stop dosing vinegar completely?

 

[clm65]

By the way, did you stop dosing vinegar completely?

Yes. Actually several months ago.

 

[Dan_P]

Yes. Actually several months ago.

One more question. Did you stop dosing gradually or stop it abruptly?

 

[clm65]

I planned to stop gradually, but missed the opportunity and it bottomed out so I stopped cold turkey.

 

[Dan_P]

I planned to stop gradually, but missed the opportunity and it bottomed out so I stopped cold turkey.

Super interesting!

I stopped cold turkey and all the nitrate returned in a couple weeks. Clearly, what consumed your nitrate was exported or quickly converted to coral flesh.

 

[clm65]

Super interesting!

I stopped cold turkey and all the nitrate returned in a couple weeks. Clearly, what consumed your nitrate was exported or quickly converted to coral flesh.

I just looked at my test log. I did have a rebound after it first bottomed out almost a year ago. It stayed around 0-0.2 for a couple of months. That is when I started dosing sodium nitrate. It shot up to 50 ppm about 2 months after I started dosing (step change, not gradual). If I recall correctly, I started dosing vinegar again and stopped dosing sodium nitrate. It took a few months, and it dropped again back to or close to 0. That was early March. It has been bouncing between 0 and 10 ever since, without me dosing anything (other than alk and calc). I tend to feed heavy, but I can't keep it from hitting 0. That is why I'm restarting the sodium nitrate dosing.

I do have the trifecta of undesirable corals (xenia, kenya tree, and GSP), and they really are growing like crazy, so that may help keep my nitrates low.