Dosing nitrate or other nitrogen sources to reduce phospahte
- Thread starter tmz
- Start date
Hi Tom
i know this is an old thread but I cannot find a later update.
Please can you update me if you are still using Aspartic acid to increase your Nitrates.
I have a system with total volume of 285 gal of water. I have 0 Nitrates all my zoas have died . Please could you let me know if is working for you.
i have Po4 of 0.15 and Ca of 450 and mag of 1350.
I have a mixed reef my sps are doing great so are my mushrooms and the clams as well as the anemone.
i know this is an old thread but I cannot find a later update.
Please can you update me if you are still using Aspartic acid to increase your Nitrates.
I have a system with total volume of 285 gal of water. I have 0 Nitrates all my zoas have died . Please could you let me know if is working for you.
i have Po4 of 0.15 and Ca of 450 and mag of 1350.
I have a mixed reef my sps are doing great so are my mushrooms and the clams as well as the anemone.
No, NO3 stays around0.2ppm to 1ppm without it in my tanks. Zoanthids are doing very well. I do dose vodka and vinegar to keep nitrate and PO4 low; perhaps the bacteria are helping as part of the food chain. PO4 runs 0.02ppm to 0.04ppm per hanah 713.
Sorry about your zaontids. Any predators or pests? Lystmata wundermani( peppermints), asternia stars eta lia? Sometimes , an out of tank bath in 4parts tank water and 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide for 5 minutes can perk up a colony and remove pests as well as many types of nuisance algae. Zoanthids tolerate that treatment well.IME. BTW, blowing accumulated detritus off and away from them seems helpful.
You might try a tiny bit of sodium nitrate if you think nitrogen is deficient.
What's the salinity.btw?
Sorry about your zaontids. Any predators or pests? Lystmata wundermani( peppermints), asternia stars eta lia? Sometimes , an out of tank bath in 4parts tank water and 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide for 5 minutes can perk up a colony and remove pests as well as many types of nuisance algae. Zoanthids tolerate that treatment well.IME. BTW, blowing accumulated detritus off and away from them seems helpful.
You might try a tiny bit of sodium nitrate if you think nitrogen is deficient.
What's the salinity.btw?
1.025 is ok.
I was trying the aspartic acid and also tried sodium nitrate to increase the NO3 and see if it would lead to icreaed PO4 reduction without GFO. It didn't but did seem to fertilize nuisance algae. So, after a month or so of trials I stopped. I do feed the tanks heavily which keeps the nitrogen adequate enough for the heterotrophic bacteria to use the phosphate and organic carbon.
I don't see much on the boards about "nutrient fixing "anymore and I'm not aware of anyone dosing nitrogen long term. Some may still be using it but I haven't seen it.
I dose 80ml of 5% acetic acid vinegar and 36 ml of 80 proof vodka daily for 650 gallons and have been around that amount for about 5.5 years.
More details about organic carbon dosing are here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2134105&highlight=organic+carbon+dosing
I was trying the aspartic acid and also tried sodium nitrate to increase the NO3 and see if it would lead to icreaed PO4 reduction without GFO. It didn't but did seem to fertilize nuisance algae. So, after a month or so of trials I stopped. I do feed the tanks heavily which keeps the nitrogen adequate enough for the heterotrophic bacteria to use the phosphate and organic carbon.
I don't see much on the boards about "nutrient fixing "anymore and I'm not aware of anyone dosing nitrogen long term. Some may still be using it but I haven't seen it.
I dose 80ml of 5% acetic acid vinegar and 36 ml of 80 proof vodka daily for 650 gallons and have been around that amount for about 5.5 years.
More details about organic carbon dosing are here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2134105&highlight=organic+carbon+dosing
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Hi Tom Thank you for the reply. How did you get your Nitrates back up? to where you now have to reduce them again?
I do have two peppermints but i never see them. So if they are still there I do not see them the Zaontids died all at once. I also have many asternia stars(the little ones) but have had them for a long time and never had a problem before. My salinity is 1.025.
I upgraded to a larger tank the 1st September 2014. and now I have 285 gal with a lot of filtration 2 DSB's and 2 refugiums and one criptic zone as well as a large section of live rock. and now all of a sudden the nitrate is very low and also now the Zaontids die off. they were very nice before.
I do have two peppermints but i never see them. So if they are still there I do not see them the Zaontids died all at once. I also have many asternia stars(the little ones) but have had them for a long time and never had a problem before. My salinity is 1.025.
I upgraded to a larger tank the 1st September 2014. and now I have 285 gal with a lot of filtration 2 DSB's and 2 refugiums and one criptic zone as well as a large section of live rock. and now all of a sudden the nitrate is very low and also now the Zaontids die off. they were very nice before.
Just food. I don't have to reduce them;0.2 to 1ppm is fine .they do ok even with a zero reading in the tanks I have which house lots of fish and get lots of food; so,there is always some nitrogen around. The organic carbon dosing maintains low nitrates despite heavy feeding. I wouldn't conclude the low nitrate is killing your zoanthids. It might be something else. Many types of zoanthidae live high on the reef where nitrate is very low.
I had the pleasure of seeing his tanks and the feeding - awesome!
