Nitrate drop to 0. Should I do something?

[newfly]

Nitrate have been slowing dropping from 5-10 to 0 ( redsea test kit) in the last couple of months. Is there anything i need to do? Corals and fish seems to be doing fine. No major algae bloom.

Other parameters are stable:

Alk: 8.3-8.4
Phosphate btw 0.04-0.06 (Hanna)
Calcium: 425
Msg: 1320

I’m dosing small amount of carbocalcium ( 12ml )daily.

 

[Coral reefer]

I would start dosing some nitrate slowly. Depends what your goals are, but I would target 5 if I were you.

 

[newfly]

I would start dosing some nitrate slowly. Depends what your goals are, but I would target 5 if I were you.

What product do you recommend for nitrate dosing? Do you use a dosing pump on a regular schedule?

 

[Coral reefer]

What product do you recommend for nitrate dosing? Do you use a dosing pump on a regular schedule?

There’s a few that all seem similar. I would use a dosing pump yes.

 

[NanoCrazed]

You can get NaNO3 on Amazon.

Alternatively, you can use Spectracide stump killer , which is KNO3. Many use it as their primary source.

 

[Oakland Evan]

What product do you recommend for nitrate dosing? Do you use a dosing pump on a regular schedule?

I use NeoNitro by Brightwell, but I'm sure there are cheaper ways to make the same product yourself if you are not as lazy as me.

 

[svreef]

I thought mine had dropped to 0 but then I realized my Salifert test kit has a low range mode (duh) so I measured again and I have 2.5 ppm.

 

[newfly]

I thought mine had dropped to 0 but then I realized my Salifert test kit has a low range mode (duh) so I measured again and I have 2.5 ppm.

Thanks! the nitrate have been dropping steady for the past couple of months. Finally hit zero last week. For the my sanity sake, i just tested again and its showing zero or close enough to zero that my redsea test kit is not picking it up. Next time if i meet up with a local reefer, i'll bring some water if they can help verify.

Just ordered 1lb Sodium Nitrate from Amazon. This should last me a long time.

 

[Plankton]

How old is tank? Do you have and feed fish?

 

[newfly]

How old is tank? Do you have and feed fish?

Tank about 7 months. Feed 3-4 times a day, mostly pellets & freeze dry mysis w/ selcon & 1 serving of frozen chopped clams everyday. 1 small 3x3 inch nori for tang every day. Purple tang, pair of clowns, 5 chromis, 1 azure and 1 neon dottyback. BRS reef chili targeted feeding twice a week.

I should add that i change out the filter floss every 2-3 days. I have an 65g AIO. If the floss get clogged, the water in the back chamber will drop and my ATO will continuously pump water to the tank. Fixed that with a sensor to detect high water in the main display. I'll probably remove the filter floss if i go vacation. @H2OPlayar commented my tank is too sterile and clean.

I figure dosing nitrate have less negative side-effect than increase feeding. The fish can only eat so much. I think i overfeed already.

 

[CaseyP]

I dose potassium nitrate (KNO3) to keep mine from bottoming out and use this calculator to figure out the mixing solution ratios and dosing amounts. http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm I didn't see sodium nitrate on the menu but there might be other calculators out there.

 

[newfly]

I dose potassium nitrate (KNO3) to keep mine from bottoming out and use this calculator to figure out the mixing solution ratios and dosing amounts. http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm I didn't see sodium nitrate on the menu but there might be other calculators out there.

Thanks. Multiple 0.84 to convert Potassium Nitrate to Sodium Nitrate.

 

[Oakland Evan]

My reason for dosing is also to keep from bottoming out.

If you are keeping your tank nitrates as low as you are, I recommend testing with the Red Sea / Hanna Phosphate ULR method. Easiest way to figure out exactly how low your nitrates are.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/accurately-test-nitrates-using-hanna-phosphate-checker.674457/ (R2R sucks, but this is where the instructions are)

 

[Coral reefer]

I also like the salifert low range version

 

[dochou]

If your nitrates and phosphates get too low and you get a "sterile" tank, then you'll risk the dreaded dinos! Once you get dinos you'll be hating life.
Dinos suck big time and can be very hard to get rid of and are toxic to coral and sometimes fish.
I learned this the hard way.

 

[newfly]

My reason for dosing is also to keep from bottoming out.

If you are keeping your tank nitrates as low as you are, I recommend testing with the Red Sea / Hanna Phosphate ULR method. Easiest way to figure out exactly how low your nitrates are.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/accurately-test-nitrates-using-hanna-phosphate-checker.674457/ (R2R sucks, but this is where the instructions are)

Thanks! I have both test kit. Will try this approach to see if indeed my Nitrate = 0 or just close to zero. I also set my skimmer on timer for 8 hours a day.

 

[Coral reefer]

Thanks! I have both test kit. Will try this approach to see if indeed my Nitrate = 0 or just close to zero. I also set my skimmer on timer for 8 hours a day.

May want that 8 hrs to be when display lights are off for ph

 

[newfly]

Here's my plan. Received the Sodium Nitrate from Amazon. Going to increase 1.5ppm Nitrate a day ( ~7.5ml of the solution mix). Dose for 5 days, measure and will increase the dose as needed.
Taking it slow and easy.

 

[H2OPlayar]

Your corals when they get more nitrates

 

[newfly]

May want that 8 hrs to be when display lights are off for ph

Yup, i set the timer to turn on the skimmer only at night.