Will adding Vitamin C drop nitrates?

[Fishinwall]

Anyone heard of this or did this?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Vitamin C is an organic compound, and if you add enough to drive bacterial growth as it is consumed, then yes, it will reduce nitrate and phosphate like other organic carbon sources.

It may also boost alkalinity very slightly.

 

[46gReef]

I did it for awhile, I dosed ascorbic acid, powder,1 tsp a day (in a 55g total volume system) for about 6 months. I did it because I read it was supposed to increase zoanthid coloration. I did it for about a year, I never noticed any increase in zoa color. It did kill all my macro (which makes sense) but that's about it.

 

[tigerdragon]

I dont scribe to all these methods personally i like like to stick to natural methods, water changes, dont like adding a ton of chemicals to my tanks. I use things like fuge loaded with macro, ats, rock rubble for bacteria.

 

[Fishinwall]

I dont scribe to all these methods personally i like like to stick to natural methods, water changes, dont like adding a ton of chemicals to my tanks. I use things like fuge loaded with macro, ats, rock rubble for bacteria.

What is ats?

 

[tigerdragon]

Algae turf scrubber

 

[Fishinwall]

Thanks