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How to raise nitrates...a tad


Optimusprime3605

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Funny...before posting this, I noticed that Trailerman started a thread on how to 'lower nitrates'. Well, I'd like to do the opposite and raise my nitrates up a tad bit to, at least 10. Reason for doing so, I noticed my zoas have not been opening up as fully as before. What I mean by before is, before, I started introducing sps into my tank, I had a zoa dominant tank since the beginning with a few lps only. Now in the last, oh, 6 months or so, I've been introducing sps corals with great success. I fired up my CA reactor, that's been collecting dust in my garage, for this very reason. Plugs are encrusting and my acros are taking off! I feed heavily, I feel, but nitrates are 0 or that's what they appear to be from the test. Prior to introducing sps, water changes were done when I felt like it. No ca reactor and a curve 5 skimmer that was barely turned on, only when the water got a little cloudy but that was it.

 

From what I've heard, it's a balancing act to keep zoas and difficult sps at a happy medium. Don't know if that's true or not. Zoas are my first love, especially when you've got high end zoas in the mix. But then, I'm really lovin' my acros and millis, especially when they are encrusting. Just got my WD acro today, as well.

 

Anywho, I could be wrong, but I feel the reason why my zoas are not happy is bcuz of low to zero nitrates....

 

Any helpful input is greatly appreciated thanks...

 

Sent from my man cave while drinking Coronas at Holly's [emoji481]

 

 

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Your best bet when having low nitrates is "Amino Acids" but if you go this route ensure you are regularly testing your parameters and keeping nitrates in the ballpark you are wanting. I know for fact brett & Adam who keep the largest selection of high end zoas around that I am aware of regularly use Elos Amino Acids.

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A very common method uses stectracide stump remover....which works, but there's a lot of debate about what else you're adding to the tank so be do research.

I used stump remover and got my nitrates up from near zero to about 5ppm over the course of a week or so. Then it became a complete nightmare to manage as I didn't have the time or expertise to adequately monitor a 200g tank dosing stump remover. End results was not good. BUT - it did raise nitrates.

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Your best bet when having low nitrates is "Amino Acids" but if you go this route ensure you are regularly testing your parameters and keeping nitrates in the ballpark you are wanting. I know for fact brett & Adam who keep the largest selection of high end zoas around that I am aware of regularly use Elos Amino Acids.
Thanks Exodus!
I've never dosed anything other than purple up to promote coraline but that was when I started in the hobby 6 years ago. I will talk to Bret about the aminos he is dosing. Will this be beneficial for my sps, as well? Thanks again...

Sent from my man cave while drinking Coronas at Holly's [emoji481]

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A very common method uses stectracide stump remover....which works, but there's a lot of debate about what else you're adding to the tank so be do research.
I used stump remover and got my nitrates up from near zero to about 5ppm over the course of a week or so. Then it became a complete nightmare to manage as I didn't have the time or expertise to adequately monitor a 200g tank dosing stump remover. End results was not good. BUT - it did raise nitrates.
Did you say 'stump remover'? Holy sh!t...lol. I think, I'll do a lot of research before I take that on. Seems like, from your experience, you had a helluva time keeping your nitrates stable. Scary man...

Sent from my man cave while drinking Coronas at Holly's [emoji481]

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3 minutes ago, Optimusprime3605 said:

Thanks Exodus!
I've never dosed anything other than purple up to promote coraline but that was when I started in the hobby 6 years ago. I will talk to Bret about the aminos he is dosing. Will this be beneficial for my sps, as well? Thanks again...

Sent from my man cave while drinking Coronas at Holly's emoji481.png
 

I would take a look at this guys video here and his take on Amino Acids as he knows allot more about the subject than me. I personally dose Aminos occasionally when my Nitrates get down to zero but not consistently as its not a huge focus. Brett used "Elos Omega" but it appears they have been discontinued so not sure as to what he swapped too but if i remember correctly he dosed 2 or 3 drops daily. Also as @Taylorhardy1 mentioned phytoplankton that is also a great way to raise nitrates, but if you go that route use it to your advantage and dump a bunch of pods in your tank :)

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You can just dose potassium nitrate.  It's really common in planted tanks, it's dirt cheap, and you can easily buy yourself a lifetime supply in one swoop. I don't know why the stump remover stuff started gaining popularity considering people had already been using stuff like potassium nitrate. Plus the latter is readily available in powder form whereas the stump remover is primarily liquid IIRC. Just my thoughts.

 

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You can just dose potassium nitrate.  It's really common in planted tanks, it's dirt cheap, and you can easily buy yourself a lifetime supply in one swoop. I don't know why the stump remover stuff started gaining popularity considering people had already been using stuff like potassium nitrate. Plus the latter is readily available in powder form whereas the stump remover is primarily liquid IIRC. Just my thoughts.
 
stump remover is potassium nitrate, nothing more

people swear by spectracide..
b4cca947ebfe6c68211b8f8a9783b8b4.jpg

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If you were worried about stump remover you can buy bulk potassium nitrate powder for dirt cheap at green leaf aquatics. I think I got 2lbs for $6. Id be more than happy to share some with you. I haven't used it yet as I got my sps to color up by overfeeding, adding fish, and feeding reef chili/roids everyday. And I still have zero nitrates! You'd have to play around with the dose but Rudy mentioned a rough ratio to me that I've forgotten but there are loads of scenarios online. I'll probably try it at some point but didn't want to move too many levers at one time! Let me know if you want some, I'll be at the meeting.


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I bought some a while back when I pulled the fish from my system (due to ich problems....). This bag I bought seems like it might be a lifetime supply.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0190TOJUS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The stump remover is probably fine too, but if you dose it for long enough your potassium will get too high.

I used sodium nitrate (above) and some advice from Randy Holmes on R2R to determine dosing. I basically mixed a small amount in a gallon of water and then dosed daily. 

It definitely raised the nitrates and was a bit trickier to control then I expected.

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18 hours ago, Optimusprime3605 said:

Did you say 'stump remover'? Holy sh!t...lol. I think, I'll do a lot of research before I take that on. Seems like, from your experience, you had a helluva time keeping your nitrates stable. Scary man...

 


 

It's very common.

My nitrate issue came on from going fallow after ich got into the tank. Just no fish producing waste so things bottomed out. Stump remover definitely worked though. I just had a hard time keep everything going.

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