Zero Nitrates = Pastel Acros (dosing nitrates)

[SchnitzelReef]

Great thread. Sorry if I missed it, how much are you dosing daily / weekly? Keep us posted Nick.

I dosed in the beginning to raise my nitrates up to 2ppm, and then I stopped. I only dosed again after doing my last water change. I was surprised that I had to dose so much the first week to get it to start showing up on the test kit. I thought maybe I was gunna have to start dosing weekly, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[Smite]

Great thread.

I've battled low nutrient issues with my current tank along with the tank before. Can't keep a chalice happy or even alive for the life of me maybe I'll give this a go in the future.

 

[ridetheducati]

I dosed in the beginning to raise my nitrates up to 2ppm, and then I stopped. I only dosed again after doing my last water change. I was surprised that I had to dose so much the first week to get it to start showing up on the test kit. I thought maybe I was gunna have to start dosing weekly, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Based on your image above, the level is .2 ppm, not 2 ppm.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Based on your image above, the level is .2 ppm, not 2 ppm.

Yea I was wondering how that worked. I didn't understand the directions 100%. Could you explain it to me better? I've always used the API nitrate test, because it was something I never checked.

I thought it was 2ppm. ???

 

[m0nkie]

Yea I was wondering how that worked. I didn't understand the directions 100%. Could you explain it to me better? I've always used the API nitrate test, because it was something I never checked.

I thought it was 2ppm. ???

basically you first put the test vial on top of the color chart. look from directly above. If it's more pink than 10ppm, you use medium range. (0, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100). the number above the color is the correct ppm.

if the color is less pink than 10ppm, you use the low range. You would place the vial sideway against the color chart (like your picture) and compare color. Any color you get, you would divide by 10. so your 2 is 0.2

The color is, by looking through the side, amplified by approximately 10 fold. For this reason you have to divide the color chart values by 10. For example 2 will become 0.2 and 50 will become 5.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

basically you first put the test vial on top of the color chart. look from directly above. If it's more pink than 10ppm, you use medium range. (0, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100). the number above the color is the correct ppm.

if the color is less pink than 10ppm, you use the low range. You would place the vial sideway against the color chart (like your picture) and compare color. Any color you get, you would divide by 10. so your 2 is 0.2

Dang, so I still need to raise nitrates more. Thanks for explaining that to me.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Zero Nitrates = Pastel Acros (dosing nitrates)

Well my SPS and lps keep looking better and better. I am now 100% sure that zero nitrates was my problem. I am seeing new growth from SPS that hasn't grown an inch in the last 6 months.
I have a Starburst monti that I swear grew more in the past two weeks then it has in the past year. (not exaggerating.)

It's funny how many threads there are online about alk/Ca swings, high nitrates/phosphates, issues with lighting (LEDs vs t5 vs mh), etc etc etc and yet my problem wasnt any of those things. Hopefully this thread helps at least one person out there, because if I had known this was my problem 6 months ago, my tank would be looking a heck of a lot better.

Not sure if I already said this, but I added 3 new fish to the tank. I'm hoping they will help keep nitrates up a bit. Eventually I would like to have my tank reach some kind of a balance, so I won't have to keep dosing potassium nitrate. I added a vlamingi tang, a melanarus wrasse, and an awesome Dussumieri tang.

 

[FDAWG]

How big is the Vlamingi? That guy will grow quick af and will be dropping those grown fish dueces soon.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

How big is the Vlamingi? That guy will grow quick af and will be dropping those grown fish dueces soon.

Yea that's why I got it home. He's small right now, but I know that won't last long.

Check out this dussumieri


His colors are so unique!!
He's gunna get big too. Between the two of them, I think I should have plenty of poopers!

 

[kajung2k]

the dussumieri is awesome.. love the color and its patterns..

 

[solitude127]

Nick,
You still using Biopellets?

 

[SchnitzelReef]

the dussumieri is awesome.. love the color and its patterns..

Thanks. I've been wanting to get one for over a year, but apparently they rarely come in.

Nick,
You still using Biopellets?

Nope. Stopped running bio pellets 6+ months ago. Not enough bio load

 

[SchnitzelReef]

A couple pics of some SPS that are looking better and better as each day passes.

Shades of Fall


AoA Chemical Warfare


AoA event horizon milli


Greg Carrols Ultimate Efflo


Cali tort or Miyagi Tort


Tyree Blue Matrix


AoA Banshee


Schnitzels Blueberry Field


Vivids Rainbow Delight


Rommels Watermelon Milli

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Zero Nitrates = Pastel Acros (dosing nitrates)

ORA Pearlberry


Darth Maul Porites


AoA Temper Tantrum

 

[solitude127]

Nope. Stopped running bio pellets 6+ months ago. Not enough bio load

Refugium?

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Refugium?

Yea I have a fuge, but it's maybe 8-10 gallons. So you can imagine how much chaeto fits in there. I can't imagine it has much affect. My next step was to remove it and see if that helped, but so far the potassium nitrate seems to be doing the trick.

 

[solitude127]

How much total do you think you've dosed Nick?

 

[Warner Marine]

Always better to be able to pull your NO3 and PO4 too low and be able to adjust upward rather than dealing with N's and P's that are too high.

Just a tip, if you want to run a low level of NO3 (and you are NO3 limited) and you carbon dose or run bio-pellets just run a little GFO. When PO4 is low, NO3 will build up naturally.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Always better to be able to pull your NO3 and PO4 too low and be able to adjust upward rather than dealing with N's and P's that are too high.

Just a tip, if you want to run a low level of NO3 (and you are NO3 limited) and you carbon dose or run bio-pellets just run a little GFO. When PO4 is low, NO3 will build up naturally.

Thanks for the tip. I just hate running gfo. Another headache to deal with. I have a reactor, but maybe I'll try just putting some in a bag somewhere in a high flow area in my sump. Might not work as good, but ehh who cares.

 

[SchnitzelReef]

How much total do you think you've dosed Nick?

I wanna say I've dosed a total of 10x 1/4 tsps over the past few weeks.