Anyone dose nitrate?
- Thread starter tonymission
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Well I guess it can't hurt.
I'd consider also (tony included) purchasing a few Triton test analytics from TritonLabs
TritonLabs">www.triton.de</a>
There's a merchant with in the states that sells these. You can buy one, or in groups for a discount.
Personally I see this as a regular bimonthly if not monthly procedure for my tank. The detailed comprehensive analysis this offers really is a game-changer I think. But specifically here, may conclude the guessing game and identify an area of concern. Tony, the value you have in livestock this is really necessary I think.
You buy the kits from Unique Corals, currently the only US distributed. I believe Scott Fellma owns Unique Corals and is working closely with or partnered with Triton. There's forums out there that have Triton as a sponsor. Pm me if you need the site.
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Other side for me to consider was that I have a carbon source in my salt TMBA and higher alk with carbon dosing can lead to burnt tips.
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I use those myself. I'm going to stick with them knowing they do a great job handling my natural nutrient sources and then use the KNO3 to have direct control over raising the number as they seem to have less effect on my nitrates this way.
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Not sure anyone likes the pale colors. I think the ULNS Zeovit systems that are incorporating the Zeospur2 supplement are definitely going to look like that. Essentially it's a copper source that reduces the Zoox and lets the natural pigments "shine" through although it doesnt look natural to me at all.
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On day two...
So I should have waited a bit for my dose to spread throughout the tanks. 1 tsp with 500ml rodi bumped my nitrate to 2.5 from 0.25. Not 1.0
I see no ill effects and a couple pieces look happier, one of my ugly colonies that I'm trying to color up is showing some lavender on the tips that I didn't notice before but I probably wasn't looking as closely. Way too soon to draw any conclusions. Plus dosing some zeo supplements will make it impossible for this to be even close to a controlled experiment.
Skimmer was off all day yesterday ... Not sure how that could affect consumption. Back on today.
Going to do the same dose, wait awhile and then test. Then I'll chill out and monitor the level and try to get a feel for daily consumption and if the dosing will always add 2.25ppm at that quantity.
So I should have waited a bit for my dose to spread throughout the tanks. 1 tsp with 500ml rodi bumped my nitrate to 2.5 from 0.25. Not 1.0
I see no ill effects and a couple pieces look happier, one of my ugly colonies that I'm trying to color up is showing some lavender on the tips that I didn't notice before but I probably wasn't looking as closely. Way too soon to draw any conclusions. Plus dosing some zeo supplements will make it impossible for this to be even close to a controlled experiment.
Skimmer was off all day yesterday ... Not sure how that could affect consumption. Back on today.
Going to do the same dose, wait awhile and then test. Then I'll chill out and monitor the level and try to get a feel for daily consumption and if the dosing will always add 2.25ppm at that quantity.
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I just had a previous plan and want to stick with that for now. Triton method does require tons of manual testing, especially starting up, and I loathe testing (besides alk/sg) so that was the only turnoff. The theory behind it makes plenty of sense.
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I too been fighting 0 nitrates and low phosphate for a while now, no matter what I do I cannot rise them up. I thought it was my test kit so I send some water to Triton but the readings were the same.
Whenever I turn my skimmer off for few days and turn it back on it just overskim.
My sps colors are pale I am basically starving them.
This might be the answer I am looking for, I saw some food grade potassium nitrates on eBay
Anyone know if they sell this stuff locally other than stump remover.?
Whenever I turn my skimmer off for few days and turn it back on it just overskim.
My sps colors are pale I am basically starving them.
This might be the answer I am looking for, I saw some food grade potassium nitrates on eBay
Anyone know if they sell this stuff locally other than stump remover.?
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Update:
Day 4 no lights on yet. Yesterday I noticed some of my more-brown sticks showing a little color on the tips and coming around. Most corals that were doing well didn't show much difference except my AA Cranberry Plana. That thing looks like it's under blue LEDs now. Previously very picky Bloodbath Unicorn still showing purple/teal body with pink coralites. Never was able to keep that on my last piece.
Still no ill effects at all.
My second dose (Friday) got me up to about 5.0ppm NO3. Yesterday night I tested it around 4.0ppm and this morning it looks closer to 3.0ppm. I'm using Salifert low range so there are still some resolution challenges determining the color variance between 2.5 and 5.0. I'd say my tank is consuming or reducing (not sure how this works) roughly 2ppm per day. Going to test again this afternoon when the lights come on. I think I'll be dosing again today to get up to 6-6.5 ppm and try to come up with a more dependable daily consumption amount from a larger sample size.
Day 4 no lights on yet. Yesterday I noticed some of my more-brown sticks showing a little color on the tips and coming around. Most corals that were doing well didn't show much difference except my AA Cranberry Plana. That thing looks like it's under blue LEDs now. Previously very picky Bloodbath Unicorn still showing purple/teal body with pink coralites. Never was able to keep that on my last piece.
Still no ill effects at all.
My second dose (Friday) got me up to about 5.0ppm NO3. Yesterday night I tested it around 4.0ppm and this morning it looks closer to 3.0ppm. I'm using Salifert low range so there are still some resolution challenges determining the color variance between 2.5 and 5.0. I'd say my tank is consuming or reducing (not sure how this works) roughly 2ppm per day. Going to test again this afternoon when the lights come on. I think I'll be dosing again today to get up to 6-6.5 ppm and try to come up with a more dependable daily consumption amount from a larger sample size.
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What pushed me over the edge with this was this thread on RC:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2470497&highlight=kno3">http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2470497&highlight=kno3</a>
Here is the product I purchased. Pure KNO3. Very cheap. Recommended in the thread above.
[IMG]http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/potassium-nitrate.html">http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/potassium-nitrate.html</a>
One last thing to note right now is the discussion in the above thread about elevated NO3 levels keeping PO4 in check. Other users dosing nitrates have discussed having to take their GFO offline as to not completely starve the tank of PO4. Not sure how the two numbers correlate, but I have not seen any additional algae outbreaks and I haven't cleaned the glass on my tanks during this span.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2470497&highlight=kno3">http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2470497&highlight=kno3</a>
Here is the product I purchased. Pure KNO3. Very cheap. Recommended in the thread above.
[IMG]http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/potassium-nitrate.html">http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/potassium-nitrate.html</a>
One last thing to note right now is the discussion in the above thread about elevated NO3 levels keeping PO4 in check. Other users dosing nitrates have discussed having to take their GFO offline as to not completely starve the tank of PO4. Not sure how the two numbers correlate, but I have not seen any additional algae outbreaks and I haven't cleaned the glass on my tanks during this span.
