Looking for a good source for KNO3

[bhodges82]

my nitrates are always too low. In the past I’ve used stump remover as my source of kno3, but I’ve read some bad things about doing this so I discontinued my dosing with it. I am moving toward a more sps dominated tank but struggle with growth, even though I am successful in keeping sps alive long term. I have few fish and don’t like adding new ones, so my bioload is smaller. Is there a good source to get pure kno3? Is saltpeter the same thing?



any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[york1]

http://nilocg.com/potassium-nitrate-kno3-1lb/

 

[Adam]

Adding to the bioload and feeding more may help and give you more to look at. What's your export like, Skimmer, Fuge, ATS?

If you start using KNO3 again, as it is cheap, you should test for Potassium just before water change time. If it starts rising too high it could lead to problems. If that happens look for food grade or reagent grade Sodium Nitrate NaNO3 to use instead.

 

[bhodges82]

120 display, 20 gallons in sump, 20 in frag tank

4 tangs, 3 clowns, two gobies, mandarin, hawkfish.

10 gallon cheato fuge

reef octopus 225 skimmer (runs 18hrs a day)

2 cups gfo

 

[bhodges82]

forgot two fish 🤦🏻‍♂️, wrasse and blenny

 

[Adam]

That's a decent bioload for a 120 and I see you're already cutting the time on the skimmer. So I have two questions.

Has you're PO4 been so high that you need to keep the GFO online?

Have you thought about reducing the photoperiod on the fuge some?

I've read about quite a few people having problems when running GFO, I keep some around from when I first started in case of a big spike. With the fuge, if you're getting really good growth out of it cutting the time the light is on could help slow down the export. I would start either feeding heavier or cutting the light time on the fuge, not both. Then see if you start getting detectable levels of NO3, If not start adding the other into the mix.

On another note. After looking up the skimmer it is pretty big for a 120 if its the Classic 225INT and not the Diablo.

 

[bhodges82]

I like the suggestion to reduce the fuge light cycle. I have in the past had extremely high Po4, but it was due to a r/o malfunction. I run the gfo and still get a .05 reading using Hanna.



You are correct my skimmer is over sized as it isn’t the diablo. I think it can handle around 300g with a light load.

Again thanks for the suggestions, I do prefer to adjust my filtration rather than add more “stuff” to the water.

 

[Adam]

If that’s 0.05ppm it’s not horrible, I know that’s with GFO. Do you know how high it will go without it or reducing the amount you’re using and are you using the Hanna ULR checker? The thing with GFO is that it doesn’t only take PO4 out. It pulls many other elements too, some of those will effect color. If it goes crazy high with out the GFO then look to see what the food you’re feeding has in it and try removing the ones that are the highest in Phos.

I’d at least try dropping the skimmer on time to 14~15 hours over night and reducing the fuge photoperiod before I added any NO3. You also might look to get a Triton or ATI water test done to give you a baseline of where everything is at.

There are lots of debates on GFO around the different sites, here's a recent one.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/im-such-an-idiot-when-will-i-learn-to-stay-away-from-gac-gfo.430413/