What do you use to dose nitrates?

[Reefahholic]

I have a 20l long packed full of rapidly growing paly colonies and even with 3 striped damsels constantly over fed I struggle to keep nitrate detectable. Nitrate needs to be kept at least 5ppm or paly growth suffers. Stump remover works fine for me.

Stump Remover works and I've used it before, but the quality is not the best. There are much cleaner/pure options such as Loud Wolf or what Triton is selling. I had to move on from Stump Remover.

 

[Reefahholic]

The attached tech paper lists all the nutrient ratios that we have found to be beneficial in closed system reef aquariums.

Julian, I read the paper, but didn't see the recommended ratio for N&P other than the Redfield ratio which to me has never made much sense.

Can you give me your thoughts about the range that you guys see the best results with. Higher PO4, Lower NO3, Lower PO4, Higher NO3??

I've tried to look for a pattern in my own tanks and it seems to be random when the are doing well. Sometimes they do well with higher N&P and other times with Lower. It almost seems like there's a bacterial diversity issue that's connected with it. When my skimmer pulls too much bacteria out of the system I have to add it back or I'll start seeing some funky algae growing or cloudy water.

I think finding the perfect balance with NO3, PO4, and Bacteria is key.

 

[Julian@Triton Verified Sponsor]

Taken from the paper:

Nitrogen, Carbon and Phosphorus* 
 ( N : C : P )

TRITON Ratio in mol... 147 : 12400 : 1

 

[hyprc]

Taken from the paper:

Nitrogen, Carbon and Phosphorus* 
 ( N : C : P )

TRITON Ratio in mol... 147 : 12400 : 1

Greater N vs P compared to Redfield. I've found this to be very true in practice. I love this hobby...

 

[Ashish Patel]

I use Flourish nitrogen by Seachem. I tried Brightwell for 1 bottle and through calculation learned the seachem is actually 3X more potent than BW, resulting it lasting alot longer.

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

I have been burning through the LoudWolf Sodium NITRITE.
That is NaNO2

I recently bought Sodium NITRATE food grade much cheaper.
That is NaNO3

The nitrite solution popularly quoted here is 85g per liter.

Do I make the same solution for an equivalent dosing outcome? @Randy Holmes-Farley or others have some conviction on this question? Many thanks, scott

You use sodium nitrite from loudwolf? How does the help the nitrate? I just bought the sodium nitrite and am trying to make sure I bought the right stuff. How do you use it?

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

This is what I use...

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

How has the sodium nitrite worked for you? You did use the sodium nitrite correct? Not sodium nitrate.

 

[hyprc]

You use sodium nitrite from loudwolf? How does the help the nitrate? I just bought the sodium nitrite and am trying to make sure I bought the right stuff. How do you use it?

Nitrogen cycle. Ammonia => Nitrite => Nitrate. You can add in at any step, being more careful each time you step up the chain (since each step up is an order of magnitude more toxic than the stage after it...).

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

Nitrogen cycle. Ammonia => Nitrite => Nitrate. You can add in at any step, being more careful each time you step up the chain (since each step up is an order of magnitude more toxic than the stage after it...).

So when you dose the nitrite it will eventually turn to nitrate which the corals will use up. I get it now. Just don’t add to much. Have you used sodium nitrite before?

 

[hyprc]

So when you dose the nitrite it will eventually turn to nitrate which the corals will use up. I get it now. Just don’t add to much. Have you used sodium nitrite before?

Nope. I go straight for NaNo3. One day I'll give ammonia dosing a shot (the most bioavailable form but also the most toxic). Check out Triton's Ratios pdf. Great general knowledge that has nothing to do with their "method," which I don't advocate.

 

[ScottB]

You use sodium nitrite from loudwolf? How does the help the nitrate? I just bought the sodium nitrite and am trying to make sure I bought the right stuff. How do you use it?

I have used both NaNO2 and NaNO3 and they both raise measurable nitrates. I switched to NaNO3 because Randy Holmes Farley said I should. And as a bonus it was a LOT cheaper.

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

I have used both NaNO2 and NaNO3 and they both raise measurable nitrates. I switched to NaNO3 because Randy Holmes Farley said I should. And as a bonus it was a LOT cheaper.

I just got loud wolf sodium nitrite. And I was wondering how did you use the NoNa2 solution? And how was your experience with it? Thanks!

 

[ScottB]

I just got loud wolf sodium nitrite. And I was wondering how did you use the NoNa2 solution? And how was your experience with it? Thanks!

I mixed at 85 grams per liter.
To figure out how much to dose was honestly some trial and error. I think it is harder with NaNO2 as it has to be broken down by the bacteria converting it to NO3.

I began at 1ml per gallon of volume per day and tested daily for a week or so before finally overshooting a rough target of 15 NO3. Then just dialed back a bit.

I did this just to get past a dino outbreak. Eventually I added enough fish load and stopped dosing NO3 (but still dose PO4). You may want to dose more conservatively to start if you don't have dinos soaking up stuff so quick.

 

[ReefReadyYouTube]

I mixed at 85 grams per liter.
To figure out how much to dose was honestly some trial and error. I think it is harder with NaNO2 as it has to be broken down by the bacteria converting it to NO3.

I began at 1ml per gallon of volume per day and tested daily for a week or so before finally overshooting a rough target of 15 NO3. Then just dialed back a bit.

I did this just to get past a dino outbreak. Eventually I added enough fish load and stopped dosing NO3 (but still dose PO4). You may want to dose more conservatively to start if you don't have dinos soaking up stuff so quick.

Thanks for the info. Very helpful

 

[Tuffloud1]

$4.50 - this will last you forever.

GLA Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) Aquarium Fertilizer - 1lb Jar

Green Leaf Aquariums Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) delivers vital nitrogen and potassium to fuel healthy, robust aquatic plant growth.

greenleafaquariums.com

 

[Andres Ricardo perez]

I have a 20l long packed full of rapidly growing paly colonies and even with 3 striped damsels constantly over fed I struggle to keep nitrate detectable. Nitrate needs to be kept at least 5ppm or paly growth suffers. Stump remover works fine for me.
[/CITAR]
my aquarium is addicted to kno3 {stump remover ithas no long-term negative effects I ask

 

[mattfish]

I mixed at 85 grams per liter.
To figure out how much to dose was honestly some trial and error. I think it is harder with NaNO2 as it has to be broken down by the bacteria converting it to NO3.

I began at 1ml per gallon of volume per day and tested daily for a week or so before finally overshooting a rough target of 15 NO3. Then just dialed back a bit.

I did this just to get past a dino outbreak. Eventually I added enough fish load and stopped dosing NO3 (but still dose PO4). You may want to dose more conservatively to start if you don't have dinos soaking up stuff so quick.

Trying to bring up Nitrate too , the calculator a bit confusing and i want to be sure , for 120 gals at 1 ml per gal, i get about 4 ounces , that sounds like a lot , do you think that is correct ?Hope you can help.

 

[Zan's Aquatica]

does a 0 nitrate tank mean you never do water changes?

 

[mattfish]

I mixed at 85 grams per liter.
To figure out how much to dose was honestly some trial and error. I think it is harder with NaNO2 as it has to be broken down by the bacteria converting it to NO3.

I began at 1ml per gallon of volume per day and tested daily for a week or so before finally overshooting a rough target of 15 NO3. Then just dialed back a bit.

I did this just to get past a dino outbreak. Eventually I added enough fish load and stopped dosing NO3 (but still dose PO4). You may want to dose more conservatively to start if you don't have dinos soaking up stuff so quick.

Scott -- just to be clear -- 85 grams per liter as a stock solution ?, then use at 1 mil per gal per day to get to 15ppm NO3 ?

 

[SudzFD]

I have an SPS dominate tank. My nitrates are near zero. I am considering dosing nitrates. Can anyone tell me what to use?

A fish.