What do you use to dose Nitrates?

happysalt · May 19, 2019

HI So I'm having a recent issue of having trouble keeping my nitrates in the acceptable range. I am currently running my tank fallow as I got ich from some new addition in my tank and I'm having a hard time trying to keep nitrates up. What is a simple way to dose them without overfeeding the tank and allowing my algaes to grow because there are no tangs in there to keep them in check. Thanks!

Hitman · May 19, 2019

I use sodium nitrate, you can also use potassium nitrate. Just make sure it’s Pharmacy grade or 99.9% pure from my understanding. Sodium nitrate is stronger so if you go that way subtract 19% from the potassium nitrate mix in this calculation.
Here’s a calculator to help you when you need to mix your stock for dosing.
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 19, 2019

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jtl · May 19, 2019

Brightwell, NeoNitro works for me.

jmsalt1 · May 19, 2019

That calculator is great. Can anyone confirm the point at which you begin to have trouble getting sodium nitrate to dissolve into solution and if being dosed not need to worry about agitation? For example, if you tried to dissolve all of a Loudwolf 4 oz or 113 grams container into 1 gallon (3784 ml) would that be a big no no. At what point would 1 gallon become fully saturated?

CrissyCoralsGirl · May 19, 2019

I use stump remover

KrisReef · May 19, 2019

jmsalt1 said:
That calculator is great. Can anyone confirm the point at which you begin to have trouble getting sodium nitrate to dissolve into solution and if being dosed not need to worry about agitation? For example, if you tried to dissolve all of a Loudwolf 4 oz or 113 grams container into 1 gallon (3784 ml) would that be a big no no. At what point would 1 gallon become fully saturated?

from the web, soubility of sodium persulfate (Loudwolf)
Melting point 180 °C (356 °F; 453 K) decomposes
Solubility in water 55.6 g/100 ml (20 °C)

So it would take about 200 mls to dissolve the 4 oz of Loudwolf, it should dissolve completely in a gallon of water. I'm not certain how likely it is to precipitate out on dosing surfaces but there seems to be plenty of solvent in a gallon to dissolve 4 oz.

PatW · May 19, 2019

I used stump remover at first. I shifted to an analytical grade reagent sodium nitrate from Amazon. When I use that up, I will switch to a pharmacy grade or food safe sodium nitrate. Randy made the point that anything passed for human consumption had to pass pretty rigorous tests for toxic metals. So it is probably the safest to use.

sghera64 · May 19, 2019

I use Calcium Nitrate: Ca(NO)2.

It’s sold on Amazon for hydroponics and used by tomato growers.

happysalt · May 19, 2019

Using Calcium Nitrate does it impact your actual calcium value at all?

sghera64 said:
I use Calcium Nitrate: Ca(NO)2.

It’s sold on Amazon for hydroponics and used by tomato growers.

KrisReef · May 19, 2019

happysalt said:
Using Calcium Nitrate does it impact your actual calcium value at all?

Yes, using "CaN" will impact nitrate, but since nitrate is only a few ppm if it is dosed properly the impact will also only be a few ppm of calcium. If you use a lot of nitrate, your Ca use will also be high, but it is negligible with Ca at +400 ppm.

sghera64 · May 19, 2019

KrisReef said:
Yes, using "CaN" will impact nitrate, but since nitrate is only a few ppm if it is dosed properly the impact will also only be a few ppm of calcium. If you use a lot of nitrate, your Ca use will also be high, but it is negligible with Ca at +400 ppm.

Correct!

I dose it NOT to impact Ca, but to impact NO3 (per the thread topic). Using Ca(NO)2, I don’t need to worry about K levels or salinity bro g out of balance. Theoretically my Ca and Alk should be getting out of whack, but it’s not (yet). I’ll dump on a little NaHCO3/Na2CO3 if that happens.

SliceGolfer · May 19, 2019

Brightwell NeoNitro or Greenleaf Aquariums https://greenleafaquariums.com/products/potassium-nitrate-kno3-1lb-bag.html

happysalt · May 22, 2019

I appreciate all of the help. I live in canada so only thing readily available is seachem flourish nitrogen. Does anybody know an accurate calculator for using this product?

7237689918 · May 22, 2019

Brightwell NeoNitro. Accurate concentration so far for me.

happysalt · May 22, 2019

Yea Don't know if that calculator would work for the seachem product though. I might try using the freshwater calculator and see how it goes

SliceGolfer · May 22, 2019

There is a calculator on the Seachem site. Click dosage calculator half way down the page under directions.

https://www.seachem.com/flourish-nitrogen.php

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 24, 2019

jmsalt1 said:
That calculator is great. Can anyone confirm the point at which you begin to have trouble getting sodium nitrate to dissolve into solution and if being dosed not need to worry about agitation? For example, if you tried to dissolve all of a Loudwolf 4 oz or 113 grams container into 1 gallon (3784 ml) would that be a big no no. At what point would 1 gallon become fully saturated?

Sodium nitrate is very soluble. You can dissolve it almost 1:1 with water, though that isn't what I'd do for a dosing solution.