Where should I keep Nitrates for the best SPS color?

BrentH said:
not to derail your thread op .... But like to see more high nitrate tanks ?
Click to expand...

I would as well. Would also like to know if Phosphates in those tanks are kept lower. Not sure if Phosphate provides same benefit or is it opposite effect.
 
I've been fighting so long to achieve low nutrients and I'm about to pull the plug on carbon dosing and just let me tank go all natural...Another question I'm wondering is people say with higher nitrates the po4 stays low without gfo? Is that without carbon fosing or bacterial additives also I'm wondering ...I've alway had like 10 no3 and low po4 but I do add prodibio and carbon dose .... Someone made a comment about lighting and nutrients ... I do believe the higher light output the higher nutrients you can have ... I'm running 400 watt radiums 4 of them
 
Last edited:
I would be interested in trying this as well. I have been feeding so much trying to get color that it is annoying and I have noticed only a very small difference. I just put GFO back online because my phosphates go up but my nitrates just don't budge.

Is there a good place to grab Kno3 locally or is this a order online deal?
 
Post #2 in this thread links high purity kno3 which works perfectly and is real cheap. If you don't want to order online I know Spectricide Stump Remover is 100% KNO3 as well thojgh I don't know what concentrations to mix at. I've started adding 1/2 tsp of KNO3 to my ATO bucket with each fill as part of my regular regiment.
 
Cool, I am going to see if I can find something locally tomorrow because I am off, otherwise I will order online. Thanks for the link
 
Got the spectracide stump remover today and did some testing with freshly mixed salt water. Was able to setup the does by making a 1 Molar 1L solution. I can then adjust the amount of solution needed based on the mg of weight necessary. I raised my tank from 0 to 2.5ppm. We will see how this goes, should be an interesting experiment.
 
cambo123 said:
Got the spectracide stump remover today and did some testing with freshly mixed salt water. Was able to setup the does by making a 1 Molar 1L solution. I can then adjust the amount of solution needed based on the mg of weight necessary. I raised my tank from 0 to 2.5ppm. We will see how this goes, should be an interesting experiment.
Click to expand...

Cool! looking forward to your results.
 
BrentH said:
Someone made a comment about lighting and nutrients ... I do believe the higher light output the higher nutrients you can have ... I'm running 400 watt radiums 4 of them
Click to expand...

I have been interested in nutrients uptake by corals since I got to the hobby. Unfortunately information supported by scientific experiments on corals is hard to find?

In freshwater plants deficiencies of the main nutrients (especially N and C, because they are needed in the biggest quantities) under strong light (e.g. 4wpg T5) easily lead to brittle, twisted new growth. Seems similar to problems with SPS tips.

One of the primary things I am trying to understand is carbon uptake by zooxanthellae. Do they use organic carbon, or inorganic (e.g. CO2). Also, do they get it directly from the water column or from it's host coral.
Carbon is the number one nutrient needed by most living things (apart from H an O of course, but that we have plenty off :) For a bacteria the ratios are roughly: (20:14:3:1:0.2) C:N:P:K:Fe.
 
Note:
The ratios are based on a composition of a bacteria. In addition living things need plenty of energy (e.g. sugar) for typical metabolic processes. That would require even more carbon, so the needed C:N ratio could easily be 20:1 or more.
 
cambo123 said:
Got the spectracide stump remover today and did some testing with freshly mixed salt water. Was able to setup the does by making a 1 Molar 1L solution. I can then adjust the amount of solution needed based on the mg of weight necessary. I raised my tank from 0 to 2.5ppm. We will see how this goes, should be an interesting experiment.
Click to expand...

I also picked some up, going to mix my solution tonight and start dosing my frag system.

What is the best kit for testing nitrates? They also have the Hanna meters with low and high resolution. Not sure if we really need the readings in ppb or if ppm if fine. Does anyone know?
 
Are you guys bolus dosing? I've been adding it slowly through my ATO, but my macro growth has exploded. I think it's consuming eveththing faster than it can register in measurable amounts in the water
 
Day 2,

Noticing a few things with slightly deeper, more intense florescent....I think. Not sure if it is placebo or not! I am currently working with an API (wich sucks until I grab a salifert ) by doubling the resolution. So far, it seems that I am holding 2.5ppm with additional .5ppm dosing each day. Next week I am going to push it to 5ppm and hold it there.

Will keep posting results
 
Must be the season for it because ever since the tank has been setup - 5 months - I have had undetectable Nitrates using the red sea pro kit and struggles with high phos - up to 0.2 measured with Hanna ULR phosphate. I have tried to run GFO, dosed lanth, heavy feeding etc (not at the same time) to get things in balance with some success and now started KNO3 dosing.
I made up an almost 1mole solution (100g/L of RO water) which and using some very rusty high school chemistry calculated that in my tank which is 150gal/600Lish 9.8ish ml of the stock solution will raise the NO3 1ppm.
Been dosing 10ml stock solution each afternoon to maintain it at 1ppm and will measure the phos at the end of the week. Will see how that goes and then maybe bump it up to 2 or 3 ppm.

I havened noticed any significant difference in the corals

Cheers
James
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
Help: SPS peeling strangely.
Replies
5
Views
205
griss
griss
J
Tank restart after 8 years 😳
Replies
13
Views
283
griss
griss
H
High ammonia in 24 year old tank
Replies
10
Views
136
highergroove
H
F
Starting tank again
Replies
6
Views
171
Dr. Reef
Dr. Reef
P
Cycling Questions
Replies
7
Views
381
SantaMonica
S
Back
Top