Dosing Nitrates and Phosphates

[greg683x]

Ive had undetectable nitrates and phosphates forever and several of my corals have more pale pastel type colors than the rich deep colors that they should.

I want to dose nitrate and phosphate to help remedy this. So Im gonna dose a potassium nitrate solution to slowly raise my nitrates to around 3-5ppm. Im also gonna dose monopotassium nitrate to raise my phosphates to .04ppm.

Ive read that there is a balance between dosing phosphates and nitrates. Dosing just phosphate can make your nitrate bottom out and vice versa. So my question is, is there a particular regimen or way to do this so Im not canceling one dose out with the other? if that makes sense? or am I overcomplicating this?

I just dont want to start doing this and after a couple weeks realizing Ive just been chasing my tail .

 

[nereefpat]

I think you might be over thinking it.

Just make sure your math is right. Dose them at about the same time. Only add about half as much as you think you need, then test.

I've had recent success dosing nitrate and phosphate. I'm using sodium nitrate and trisodium phosphate. I found food grade stuff for cheap...on Etsy of all places.

 

[Tripod1404]

I dose both. Dont do it too fast, I would go 1ppm a week for nitrate and 0.01ppm per week for phosphate.

Also monitor consumption rate, as it will change considerably after 2 weeks or so due to algae growth.

 

[homer1475]

I've read quite a few threads recently about dosing nitrates and phosphates, but I'm super curious as to what everyone is using? Direct links would be helpful. I'm not lazy to look/google myself, but have no idea what I'm looking for.

 

[Tripod1404]

I've read quite a few threads recently about dosing nitrates and phosphates, but I'm super curious as to what everyone is using? Direct links would be helpful. I'm not lazy to look/google myself, but have no idea what I'm looking for.

These are the powdered stuff I have.

https://www.amazon.com/Science-Comp...=1521042594&sr=8-4&keywords=potassium+nitrate

https://www.ebay.com/i/322086134924?chn=ps


Phosphate one I have (that i got ~5 years ago) has a slightly different looking bottle but I think it is the same thing, they probably just redesigned the bottle label.


Recently brightwell aquatics came up with liquid dosing supplements for both. I think I am going to use my powders as house plant fertilizers and switch to brightwell bottled products. Mainly because I got tired of dissolving these in water and I cannot store the powders under "ideal storage conditions" and they absorb moisture and harden.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/neon...8un4-JVbHCf3Ksc0SQL8rPhTP5vHd0hQaAj1_EALw_wcB

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/neophos-balanced-phosphorus-supplement-brightwell-aquatics.html

 

[homer1475]

Thank you! I will look into these products, as my nitrate readings(recently switched to NYOS as salifert always gave me 0, but so does NYOS) are always 0, but my phosphate reading keeps gradually increasing(hanna ULR)

All my corals hold colors very well, and none are bleaching or showing stunted growth, so I'm skeptical of the reading.

 

[nereefpat]

I'm using sodium nitrate and trisodium phosphate. I found food grade stuff for cheap...on Etsy of all places.

I've read quite a few threads recently about dosing nitrates and phosphates, but I'm super curious as to what everyone is using? Direct links would be helpful. I'm not lazy to look/google myself, but have no idea what I'm looking for.

If you get on Etsy's website and search for sodium nitrate and trisodium phosphate, that's what I am using. They were each about 8 bucks with free shipping.

I got myself into a weird situation. I traded in fishes to redo my stocklist, and I did a fallow period...just because. My LPS starting losing polyp extension, and even had some bleaching and dieoff. I attributed it to them starving, since my tests showed zero phosphates (salifert) and zero nitrates (LaMotte colorimeter).

 

[homer1475]

I got myself into a weird situation. I traded in fishes to redo my stocklist, and I did a fallow period...just because. My LPS starting losing polyp extension, and even had some bleaching and dieoff. I attributed it to them starving, since my tests showed zero phosphates (salifert) and zero nitrates (LaMotte colorimeter).

I'm going through kind of the same thing(fallow period, and 0's on test kits), but am not seeing the color loss or loss polyp extension. Kind of why I'm skeptical of the test kits.