What are you using to dose Nitrates?

[Oshengems]

I manually test for a lot of things Hanna Po4 is not that bad just have to prep before you start the ritual lol. I test for nitrates, phosphate, salt, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, Iodine and strontium lol. When I’m bored I do all of them takes me about an hour and half the Iodine and strontium are a bit annoying.


My usual readings are 0-.03

 

[jpas]

For me, it is 4 minutes of test procedures you have to do in 3 minutes. Getting all of the powder out of the packet and into the vial is difficult, and if you quickly push instead of hold down the button after you insert the vial the second time, you’re screwed. Also, my results were all over the place.

In Hanna’s defense, I don’t think they have any control over how it all works. Milwaukee sells a tester that has the same time constraints and uses powder packets. I’m pretty sure they both buy the same Chinese electronics and just package it in their own testers. Admittedly, I’m handicapped so I’m probably slower than most folks. However, I have no problem with the alk checker. Even when I wasn’t handicapped, it still would have beeen near impossible for me to add the powder to the vial, screw the cap on, shake for two minutes, insert into the checker, close the lid, and hold the button down for several seconds before the three minute timeout. The 3 minutes wouldn’t bother me as much if it didn’t shut the unit down and force you to start all over. Handicapped or not, others obviously have problems as there are a plethora of YouTube videos with multiple work-arounds to overcome these deficiencies. With the other tests I mentioned, I get consistent results, and they are easy to perform. The downside is that very low readings are hard to distinguish (typically <.05 ppm). For me, that isn’t an issue.

You can try to prepare two vials at the same time, one with the reagent and the other just tank water. I havent tried this, but it seems like a lot of people do it like this.

 

[Oshengems]

You can try to prepare two vials at the same time, one with the reagent and the other just tank water. I havent tried this, but it seems like a lot of people do it like this.

I always assumed the 2nd vile was for this to have one ready with tank water and the 2nd to add the pouder as one is calibrating this makes it so much easier and faster

 

[Crashjack]

You can try to prepare two vials at the same time, one with the reagent and the other just tank water. I havent tried this, but it seems like a lot of people do it like this.

I always assumed the 2nd vile was for this to have one ready with tank water and the 2nd to add the pouder as one is calibrating this makes it so much easier and faster

This does make it quicker, but I had bigger issues with consistency after doing that way. There have been problens with certain batches of the reagent, and it might have been that, but I gave up and started looking for other test kits. The two Elos and the Nyos work great. Not only are they consistent, but I get similar results with all 3. The Elos High Res does a little better at the low end of the scale. But like I said, if my test kits register so low I can’t determine a reading, my phosphates are too low.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Why add an additional nitrate source when we can just reduce skimming or nutrient uptake by Chaeto or whatever we’re doing to decrease NO3 or PO4?

Why? Because it is adding back exactly what you want, and because there are big benefits skimming and macroalgae growth that have no relationship to nutrient export.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I ended up ordering sodium nitrate on amazon but I see that product has potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate and calcium nitrate, I wonder if this makes a difference, I also order the Red Sea test kit

It doesn't, except that you'll be boost one of those three as well as nitrate. Whether that is good or bad or (most likely, neutral) depends on whether those are already high, low, or just right.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Where did you see that Flourish contains iron?

There are different Fluorish products. Check the ingredients before you go this route, but I'd personally prefer a product with known purity (Seachem doesn't provide such info).

 

[Revos]

There are different Fluorish products. Check the ingredients before you go this route, but I'd personally prefer a product with known purity (Seachem doesn't provide such info).

What product do u recommend?

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Why? Because it is adding back exactly what you want, and because there are big benefits skimming and macroalgae growth that have no relationship to nutrient export.

Of course. I get all that. Which is why I didn’t advocate removing the refugium or shutting down the skimmer, but rather changing up the management.

I guess I’m just a guy who doesn’t like to pay for things I can get for feee.

 

[srad750c]

Where did you see that Flourish contains iron?

On the label

 

[srad750c]

I ended up ordering sodium nitrate on amazon but I see that product has potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate and calcium nitrate, I wonder if this makes a difference, I also order the Red Sea test kit

Not sure but it keeps my NO3 at the level I need using small amounts. Never had a problem, does what it says.

 

[srad750c]

I have had excellent results with the Hanna ULR P colormeter.

You need to test in a very consistent manner and the results are very consistent. Watch a few youtube videos on how to get repeatable results. I'm not sure why it would cause you any stress, unless you cannot handle waiting for the 3 min count down? It would be nice if it beeped when the 3min was up.

+1

 

[Crashjack]

On the label

That is Flourish Comprehensive not Flourish Nitrogen. Comprehensive is trace elements, not for increasing nitrates or phosphates.

 

[srad750c]

That is Flourish Comprehensive not Flourish Nitrogen. Comprehensive is trace elements, not for increasing nitrates or phosphates.

Bottle says Flourish and it if you read the label it also has nitrogen. I said I stopped using it cause it caused algae to grow at a faster rate than I needed. I don’t need to increase NO3, just maintain. I also didn’t tell you or anyone else to use it. Just stated my experience with it. I use ME coral NO3 to keep my levels between .75 - 1.0 ppm of nitrate. Different things work for different tanks. I know what product works best in my tank. You just have to know your tank.

 

[Crashjack]

Bottle says Flourish and it if you read the label it also has nitrogen. I said I stopped using it cause it caused algae to grow at a faster rate than I needed. I don’t need to increase NO3, just maintain. I also didn’t tell you or anyone else to use it. Just stated my experience with it. I use ME coral NO3 to keep my levels between .75 - 1.0 ppm of nitrate. Different things work for different tanks. I know what product works best in my tank. You just have to know your tank.

The OP was asking about what to use to dose nitrates. Flourish Comprehensive is not designed for managing nitrates any more than it is designed to manage calcium or magnesium (also on the label). I’m not saying it is a good or bad product, just that it isn’t designed to increase or maintain nitrogen/nitrate levels.

 

[VJV]

I use Flourish Nitrogen to dose Nitrates as well. As per above, not the same as Flourish Comprehensive.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What product do u recommend?

Food grade (or USP grade, ACS reagent grade, etc.) sodium or potassium nitrate and phospahte. They are available from many sources, including amazon.

Example:

https://www.loudwolf.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=160

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Of course. I get all that. Which is why I didn’t advocate removing the refugium or shutting down the skimmer, but rather changing up the management.

I guess I’m just a guy who doesn’t like to pay for things I can get for feee.

You do not get the same effect "for free" if you reduce the other benefits of those systems (added O2, exported organics, more CO2 export and resulting higher pH, etc.)

 

[KTTX]

Those witH SPS, what is the optimal nitrate and phosphate you are working towards with this dosing?

 

[Skedaddle]

Food grade (or USP grade, ACS reagent grade, etc.) sodium or potassium nitrate and phospahte. They are available from many sources, including amazon.

Example:

https://www.loudwolf.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=160

@Randy Holmes-Farley , when I bring up this link it is for nitrite, your description of what to use is nitrate. Which one would be best to use if trying to increase nitrates, just want to make sure I order the correct stuff.

Thanks for all you do for us.