How many of you chase 0 nitrates?

blackthunda77

blackthunda77

New member
I posted this on the Facebook page as well, but I know a couple people that I respect in the hobby don't frequent Facebook. I'm just curious as to how many of you guys running LPS and SPS tanks chase 0 nitrates? On my test kits I seem to be getting less than 10 or less than 5 nitrates. Can't really tell the difference in those two colors. Are you guys really stringent on getting to zero? Or do you guys run your tanks with a slight amount of nitrates?
 
I try to stay within about 5 or so, but, like you, I have a hard time discerning what my test kit says. If I see a little color, I'm satisfied.
 
I feel that if you chase 0 nitrate you will have to feed sps a whole lot which would possibly drive up phosphates. I don't try to get to zero but like it to just show a little color on the test kit so I know that there is food in the water for them to absorb.
 
Seems like an exercise in futility to me. I went crazy when I first got into the hobby trying to get zero. My readings vary between 0-5 and my corals seem to do just fine.
 
Thanks, keep the posts coming. I seem to be at somewhere between 5 and 10 on an api kit and I cross reference it with my salifert kit from time to time and they seem to agree.
 
I try and keep below 5 but I'm comfortable up to 10. When I approach 0 I add Sodium Nitrate to bump it up. I've noticed if my tank becomes nitrate limited phosphate goes up. I dose nitrate and phosphate goes down. This has happened too many times to be coincidence.
 
No need to chase they have been this for over two years ....denitrator flushes 90 gal a day back in with 0 ...I'm pretty sure I also feed 4 times a much as most lol feedings are like a snow storm 4 to 5 times a day ...3 types of frozen flakes and pellets and dried seaweed ...everyday. ..now p04 will show if not monitored and keept in check
....and it's usually 0 to .09 .12 over a two month period as it raises ...change out the gfo every 2 months along with the dosing process for p04 in the denitrator daily

<a href="http://s17.photobucket.com/user/mrx66699/media/IMAG1593_zpsfc6fbac5.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b70/mrx66699/IMAG1593_zpsfc6fbac5.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMAG1593_zpsfc6fbac5.jpg"/></a>
 
Last edited:
ALk, Pho4, and NO3- IMHO all three are important to keep in check for SPS.

IMHO- Rating of importance

1. ALk- has to be kept VERY STEADY or the stuff hits the fan. Fluctuations less than 1-1.5 DKH in a week or so is best.
2. In my experience both PHO4 and NO3 are equally important. To high PhO4= algae, and coral browning. I've gone as high as 0.45, (laziness) but never played with it higher than that ( GFO). Preferred = 0.03-0.06. NO3- I like to keep at approx 5. I dislike either higher or lower than that. This goal with NO3 is not difficult to acheive with regulat water changes of approx 30% per month.
 
Thanks eddie, I was hoping you'd chime in. That's the type of info I was looking for. Seems like the consensus is that around 5 is the sweet spot, up to 10ish but not higher preferably.
 
My tank has been running for five years and I have always had my NO3 undetected. I'm using Salifert kit and then I use API to confirm the reading.

I keep mostly softies, lps and anemones. I believe my tank looks ok. But my question is:

Should I dose calcium nitrate to bump up to five? And if that's a good idea, what can I dose?
 
I dose sodium nitrate. Once or twice a week depending. When nitrate bottoms out my corals get flat looking. I also know it's time to trim my chaeto.
 
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