Opinion(s) needed - Best way to raise nitrate?

[CasperOe]

DIY Food grade Sodium Nitrate solution

You know exactly what is in it .
You know exactly the strength of the solution and thus the dosage.
You can automate using a dosing pump.

If you feel like a more advanced method, you can also dose ammonia (ammonium chloride).

edit: I see I'm already late to the party.

I found this one. Seems to be the best option I can find What mixing ratio would you recommend starting with?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I found this one. Seems to be the best option I can find What mixing ratio would you recommend starting with?

You can make almost any concentration of dosing solution you want.

You can use this calculator and the entry for nitrate from potassium nitrate. it is a small overestimate (15%) of the amount needed when using sodium nitrate, but is close enough:

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

 

[CasperOe]

You can make almost any concentration of dosing solution you want.

You can use this calculator and the entry for nitrate from potassium nitrate. it is a small overestimate (15%) of the amount needed when using sodium nitrate, but is close enough:

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

Thanks Randy! I am quite new in these "home made" dosing solutions - but too cheap to keep splashing the cash on Brightwell..

I can find plenty of potassium nitrate on Amazon, not really any sodium nitrate. Can I use either to increase nitrate in my tank?

What is the pros and cons? Naturally, potassium is in the water already but should I fear elevating my potassium levels my using this?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I strong advise against potassium nitrate. It will raise potassium.

Amazon product

calcium nitrate is also an excellent choice as it is a balanced calcium and alk additive:

Calcium Nitrate 4 Ounces 1 Bottle

The item for sale is 4 Ounces (113 Grams) of Calcium Nitrate (Ca(NO3)2.4H2O). Calcium Nitrate has many uses. The total Nitrogen content is 15.50% (1% Ammonical and 14.50% Nitrate). The total Calcium content is 19%. Our bottles are made of durable Polyprop

www.loudwolf.com

 

[CasperOe]

I strong advise against potassium nitrate. It will raise potassium.

Amazon product

calcium nitrate is also an excellent choice as it is a balanced calcium and alk additive:

Calcium Nitrate 4 Ounces 1 Bottle

The item for sale is 4 Ounces (113 Grams) of Calcium Nitrate (Ca(NO3)2.4H2O). Calcium Nitrate has many uses. The total Nitrogen content is 15.50% (1% Ammonical and 14.50% Nitrate). The total Calcium content is 19%. Our bottles are made of durable Polyprop

www.loudwolf.com

Noted, that's what I thought! I will shop around for sodium nitrate in a decent amount. It's surprisingly hard to come by here..

 

[KStatefan]

Noted, that's what I thought! I will shop around for sodium nitrate in a decent amount. It's surprisingly hard to come by here..

That seems to be common in Europe for chemicals/medicine that are easy to get in the USA are hard to get or unavailable over there.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Nitrate can be controlled due to use in explosives, so using ammonia may be a good alternative.

 

[CasperOe]

That seems to be common in Europe for chemicals/medicine that are easy to get in the USA are hard to get or unavailable over there.

It does.. Get to beeep with all that protection we have over here

 

[CasperOe]

Nitrate can be controlled due to use in explosives, so using ammonia may be a good alternative.

It may very well. I will have a good look at your previous post on the matter! Thank you Randy, helpful as always!

 

[vlangel]

For me, I would just buy more fish and feed them well!

 

[CasperOe]

For me, I would just buy more fish and feed them well!

That is in the cards as well, just cant quite make up my mind who else would fit nicely into my community 4 foot tank

2 x Common Clown Fish - Coral / Marlin
1 x Timor Wrasse - Tony
1 x One-spot Foxface Rabbit Fish - Finn
1 x Magnificent Foxface Rabbit Fish - Manuel
1 x Pink-spotted Watchman Goby - Candy
1 x Bella Sifter Goby - Bella
1 x Coral Beauty - Valentine
1 x Cherub Angle Fish - Clarence
1 x Anthias (unknown) - Merryl
1 x Long Nose Hawk Fish - Percy
1 x Scarlet Flame Hawk Fish - John
1 x Blue Regal Tang - Dory
1 x Yellow Tail Purple Tang - Violet

 

[vlangel]

That is in the cards as well, just cant quite make up my mind who else would fit nicely into my community 4 foot tank

2 x Common Clown Fish - Coral / Marlin
1 x Timor Wrasse - Tony
1 x One-spot Foxface Rabbit Fish - Finn
1 x Magnificent Foxface Rabbit Fish - Manuel
1 x Pink-spotted Watchman Goby - Candy
1 x Bella Sifter Goby - Bella
1 x Coral Beauty - Valentine
1 x Cherub Angle Fish - Clarence
1 x Anthias (unknown) - Merryl
1 x Long Nose Hawk Fish - Percy
1 x Scarlet Flame Hawk Fish - John
1 x Blue Regal Tang - Dory
1 x Yellow Tail Purple Tang - Violet

I wonder how a bristletooth tang like a tomini would fit in. Perhaps a royal Gramma could add some neon purple to the mix. Or just feed the gang you have a bit more. I have an Eheim flake feeder that feeds a small amount of flakes every day at noon. I still give frozen at supper time too. My nutrients are high but I have a lot of macroalgae to help with that along with my softies and LPS coral.

 

[crazyfishmom]

What do you believe are the downsides?

Here are some reasons that it may be desirable:

1. It is a cheap and easy once a day dosing compared to dosing ammonia. Ammonia dosing may or may not be better. Evidence that ammonia dosing is better is mostly based on the idea that corals use more energy to metabolize ammonia, but whether that means there is any detectable difference in health or growth of the coral between the two is still not demonstrated, IMO. That said, I do provide ammonia dosing recipes for those who want to try it. It just requires a but more effort to dose ammonia since it must be spread out.

2. Ensuring there is detectable nitrate ensures there is enough usable N for organisms. There may also be enough without any detectable nitrate, but there also may not be. Regardless of what you dose (ammonia, nitrate, amino acids, etc.), I think that having detectable nitrate provides some comfort level that N is available enough.

3. In trying to prevent or reduce dinos, especially when there is some new rock around that is not fully colonized with other organisms, can be helped by increasing the available N, and folks have shown that dosing nitrate is one successful way to accomplish this goal.

4. Nitrate (or ammonia) dosing is less likely to lead to cyano or other bacterial issues than is amino acid dosing.

What are your thoughts on Plus-NP from Tropic Marin. I am a huge fan of their products in general but I’ll confess that it makes me uncomfortable that I can’t detect whatever I’m dosing with my Hannah. While I don’t necessarily want to chase numbers there’s something comforting about targeting a range. The “watch the coral” argument is reasonable but it may takes weeks for coral to exhibit signs of stress and it may be too late to change or mitigate outcomes if taking the just watch and wait approach. Thanks for thinking about this!

 

[CasperOe]

I wonder how a bristletooth tang like a tomini would fit in. Perhaps a royal Gramma could add some neon purple to the mix. Or just feed the gang you have a bit more. I have an Eheim flake feeder that feeds a small amount of flakes every day at noon. I still give frozen at supper time too. My nutrients are high but I have a lot of macroalgae to help with that along with my softies and LPS coral.

I did have a tomini tang in there but sadly i lost him about a year ago. Here are some fish (not all!) that I'm contemplating on adding possibly

Jade wrasse
Cleaner wrasse
Molly Miller Blenny
Aiptasia eating file fish
Royal Gramma
Purple fire fish
Copperband butterfly

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What are your thoughts on Plus-NP from Tropic Marin. I am a huge fan of their products in general but I’ll confess that it makes me uncomfortable that I can’t detect whatever I’m dosing with my Hannah. While I don’t necessarily want to chase numbers there’s something comforting about targeting a range. The “watch the coral” argument is reasonable but it may takes weeks for coral to exhibit signs of stress and it may be too late to change or mitigate outcomes if taking the just watch and wait approach. Thanks for thinking about this!

This is its claim:

"phosphates, organic and inorganic nitrogen compounds, as well as an organic carbon source"


It's only suitable if you want to add N AND P, not for just one. It's like feeding more. And then it adds organic carbon, which has its own set of effects.

That said, it is likely fine for that purpose. I do not generally like secret ingredients, but I trust them to make reasonable selections.

It might boost cyano more than dosing inorganic components only.

I'm skeptical of this assertion (it's reality and/or its importance) which lacks supporting evidence:

" As they are bound by an organic energy source, nitrogen and phosphates can be utilized by corals more efficiently than inorganic nutritional salt additives"

 

[vlangel]

I did have a tomini tang in there but sadly i lost him about a year ago. Here are some fish (not all!) that I'm contemplating on adding possibly

Jade wrasse
Cleaner wrasse
Molly Miller Blenny
Aiptasia eating file fish
Royal Gramma
Purple fire fish
Copperband butterfly

Purple fire fish might be nice if it can hold its own with your current gang. The Royal Gramma might be more able to fit in. I hear that Molly Miller blennies are feisty. KP Aquatics has both the blennies and basselets and if you put more than 1 fish it helps spread out the aggression. They are an excellent company to get fish, I'd highly recommend them. Good luck if you get more fish.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Been having this exact same issue! Parameters are basically the same as you listed. Corals don't seem to care as they get fed way too much but would like to hear what worked for you.

(Also been running coral-only)

 

[CasperOe]

Purple fire fish might be nice if it can hold its own with your current gang. The Royal Gramma might be more able to fit in. I hear that Molly Miller blennies are feisty. KP Aquatics has both the blennies and basselets and if you put more than 1 fish it helps spread out the aggression. They are an excellent company to get fish, I'd highly recommend them. Good luck if you get more fish.

The Gramma may very well be a better way to go, my fire fish in the past have been somewhat timid.

The Molly Miller blenny is coming for sure, he will stand up to the bullies and rumor has it that he likes aiptasia!

 

[gbroadbridge]

Noted, that's what I thought! I will shop around for sodium nitrate in a decent amount. It's surprisingly hard to come by here..

Various chemicals are specified as being of security concern here as well, including Sodium Nitrate and Potassium Nitrate.

Here at least you can obtain them by creating a commercial account with a chemical supplier, but you won't find on them Amazon or Ebay.

Calcium Nitrate is another option you could use and is actually better.

I use a calcium nitrate solution to maintain a level of around 2ppm Nitrate in the tank, but I also use Ammonium Chloride on a doser to actually feed the coral.

 

[RIC13]

Why is what?

I was curious why you would not dose an ammonia source intended for cycling unless you knew it’s purity. I assumed if it was pure enough to start the tank then it would be pure enough to dose in safe amounts on a regular basis.