DIY nitrate liquid solution

[nly04]

I am start dosing Nitrate and I am using Brightwell NeoNitro to get it to the level I want. But I still need to maintain that level in long run. I am looking at Loudwolf Sodium Nitrate but seem they are out of stock. Anyone use other Sodium Nitrate to mix your own Nitrate solution and use it to dose to maintain NO3? Please share.

 

[Mike Yasin]

Yes. I buy this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0190TOJUS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mix according to what you need to add. ratio can be found at: http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm

I auto dose 2ppm 3x per day.

 

[rygh]

Potassium nitrate works fine also.

 

[Mike Yasin]

Potassium nitrate works fine also.

yep. I dose potassium to keep it at 400 so I'm sensitive to potentially elevated levels. I chose sodium nitrate b/c never found a good way to really know how much potassium I was really adding to target a certain nitrate level.

 

[rygh]

Pretty sure that Potassium is like 1000 times more common than Nitrate in sea water.
K = 10 mMoles
N ranges all over, but is usually measured in uMoles
(micro vs milli = 1000)
So any bit added using KNO3 would not make a dent in overall value.

 

[Mike Yasin]

Pretty sure that Potassium is like 1000 times more common than Nitrate in sea water.
K = 10 mMoles
N ranges all over, but is usually measured in uMoles
(micro vs milli = 1000)
So any bit added using KNO3 would not make a dent in overall value.

K to N ratio of KNO3 is somewhere around 3xK to 1xN, and since I'm only targeting an N value, I don't want to be worried about overshooting K. I do make micro adjustments in N a few times per month, so easier for me to just remove it from my list of stuff to test weekly, since it's a PITA to test for in the first place.

 

[rygh]

K to N ratio of KNO3 is somewhere around 3xK to 1xN, and since I'm only targeting an N value, I don't want to be worried about overshooting K. I do make micro adjustments in N a few times per month, so easier for me to just remove it from my list of stuff to test weekly, since it's a PITA to test for in the first place.

You missed what I meant.
If you add 0.02 mMols (20 uMoles) of K from KNO3 dosing to a K level that is already 20 mMoles, it makes it 20.02, which is basically the same.
But if you are worried, by all means use Sodium. Calcium/Sodium/Potassium all work the same.

 

[Mike Yasin]

You missed what I meant.
If you add 0.02 mMols (20 uMoles) of K from KNO3 dosing to a K level that is already 20 mMoles, it makes it 20.02, which is basically the same.
But if you are worried, by all means use Sodium. Calcium/Sodium/Potassium all work the same.

thanks- I got it. I was just coming from the angle that in my situation, it's easier to for me to avoid another source of K. I also don't water change very often, so I rely on usage and not so much export. Always appreciate the opportunity to learn and how others view the solution!

 

[CaseyP]

I get my dry mix of potassium nitrate and potassium phosphate from Green Leaf Aquariums. Cheap, makes a ton of dosing solution, and there's a part of me that trusts this over random Amazon vendors.

GLA Reef Tank Fertilizer Package (KNO3 & KH2PO4) - Bags

Green Leaf Aquariums Reef Fertilizer Kit (bag format) supplies essential nitrate and phosphate for reef aquarium tanks.

greenleafaquariums.com

 

[NanoCrazed]

thanks- I got it. I was just coming from the angle that in my situation, it's easier to for me to avoid another source of K. I also don't water change very often, so I rely on usage and not so much export. Always appreciate the opportunity to learn and how others view the solution!

one approach is to dose with KNO3...monitor and when you hit around target with testing ... switch to NaNO3.

Personally, I AM LAZY... so i mix NaNO3 and KNO3 at a 3:1 ratio to make my solution... cuz I worry about too much K as well... and too lazy to test too often...

 

[Mike Yasin]

one approach is to dose with KNO3...monitor and when you hit around target with testing ... switch to NaNO3.

Personally, I AM LAZY... so i mix NaNO3 and KNO3 at a 3:1 ratio to make my solution... cuz I worry about too much K as well... and too lazy to test too often...

I should've began with " I hate testing K, so anything that requires me to test K more often is OUT"

 

[NanoCrazed]

I should've began with " I hate testing K, so anything that requires me to test K more often is OUT"

hahah... same. That's why I just put a small ratio in.... it takes a lot to raise K usually... but doing small supplements with NO3 dosing should have enough buffer to weather the storm so to speak.