Dosing Potassium Nitrate vs Calcium Nitrate

[DHill6]

I have tried UWC balance, I haven't been diligent in dosing 2ml per 10 g of water daily. So far it has raised the N03 to at least show a color on the Elos test. No ill side effects as of yet.

 

[rosshamsandwich]

What is the mixing recommendation for calcium nitrate?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/calcium-nitrate-question.239869/#post-3946179

 

[SauceyReef]

Calcium nitrate addition will not have any effect on phosphate.

I'd actually prefer sodium nitrate slightly as it messes with ionic ratios less, but all are probably OK unless you dose a lot.

On another more recent thread I made you were telling me Calcium Nitrate would help decrease rising phosphate levels. Could it just be your opinion changed to this over the course of 5 years?

Sorry to dig this thread back up it just seems pretty relevant still. I am currently using Calcium Nitrate, and wondering if a blend would be more helpful as my last ICP test came a little high on Calcium, and a little low on Potassium. Would adding Potassium Nitrate help lower the calcium, and increase potassium in my tank? I know what sounds silly, but I guess Potassium Nitrate is different than Potassium.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

On another more recent thread I made you were telling me Calcium Nitrate would help decrease rising phosphate levels. Could it just be your opinion changed to this over the course of 5 years?

Sorry to dig this thread back up it just seems pretty relevant still. I am currently using Calcium Nitrate, and wondering if a blend would be more helpful as my last ICP test came a little high on Calcium, and a little low on Potassium. Would adding Potassium Nitrate help lower the calcium, and increase potassium in my tank? I know what sounds silly, but I guess Potassium Nitrate is different than Potassium.

Dosing nitrate can accelerate the uptake of phosphAte, but Only if nitrate is very low to start and is limiting the growth of something, such as a coral or macroalgae.

 

[SauceyReef]

Dosing nitrate can accelerate the uptake of phosphAte, but Only if nitrate is very low to start and is limiting the growth of something, such as a coral or macroalgae.

Got it! That is the case with my tank. Very low nitrate, very high phosphate, so you reccomended dosing Calcium Nitrate. Can dosing calcium nitrate in turn increase calcium levels? Same with potassium nitrate, and potassium? I know this may sound like a dumb question, but chemistry is always proving to myself I know nothing about it lol.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Got it! That is the case with my tank. Very low nitrate, very high phosphate, so you reccomended dosing Calcium Nitrate. Can dosing calcium nitrate in turn increase calcium levels? Same with potassium nitrate, and potassium? I know this may sound like a dumb question, but chemistry is always proving to myself I know nothing about it lol.

Calcium nitrate dosing will slowly supplement calcium and alk in a balanced fashion, such as happens with kalkwasser or All for Reef. The calcium rise is about 1/3 of the nitrate added.

 

[SauceyReef]

Calcium nitrate dosing will slowly supplement calcium and alk in a balanced fashion, such as happens with kalkwasser or All for Reef. The calcium rise is about 1/3 of the nitrate added.

I use all for reef, and I think with the combination of all for reef and calcium nitrate I am seeing elevated levels of calcium. With a slightly deficiency in potassium which is not in All for Reef I think it will be beneficial to switch to potassium Nitrate, right? Will help level things out.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I use all for reef, and I think with the combination of all for reef and calcium nitrate I am seeing elevated levels of calcium. With a slightly deficiency in potassium which is not in All for Reef I think it will be beneficial to switch to potassium Nitrate, right? Will help level things out.

If potassium is deficient, it is fine to dose it. Just bear in mind that it adds 0.6 ppm of potassium for each 1 ppm of nitrate, so if you add 5 ppm of nitrate a day for a month, potassium will rise by nearly 100 ppm (a 25% increase).