Sodium Nitrate dosing question.

[Ricksreeefs]

I am trying to raise nitrate level in my 130G mainly soft and LPS tank.

The system is about 3 year old and Nitrate has been 0 for a while. Feeding the fish more often increased the cyno outbreak.

According to my calculations, I am doing about 3.5 ppm sodium Nitrate daily for the last few days using an auto doser. I have been testing daily and the nitrate is still 0, I am seeing an increased in cyno since I started dosing. I am concerned that the cyno will continue to increase until the nitrate reaches a detectable level. Should I gradually increase the dosage daily by 1ppm or stop and wait for a detectable increase in nitrate?

[ReefdUp]

What is your phosphate, and how are you testing both? Are you dosing any bacteria or vodka/ sugar/ vinegar-type products (bacteria food)?

 

In my 120g, I'm dosing about 40ml per day (but I can't remember the concentrate off-hand). I try to keep my nitrate around 4ppm.

 

If you're seeing cyano, then it's likely the phosphate is high (and that the nitrate isn't keeping up - which makes sense given the 0 reading). Dosing bacteria may help out-compete the cyano, but it'll need more nitrate.

[Ricksreeefs]

My phosphate doesn’t exceeds 0.1 usually less. I use Hanna instruments and every few weeks lfs to confirm the readings. I add micobacter 7 and clean few times a week to help control the cyno.

Vodka, I was thinking about it celebrating the New Year with the corals lol.

I used 50g sodium nitrate per 1 liter of water for my solution. According to my calculations, it is about .25ppm per 1 ml. Today I dosed 14ml, I have been increasing the dosage 4ml a day. so now I am dosing about 3.5 ppm. If you are using the same concentration of sodium nitrate, It seems that I am on the right track if I continue that path since you are using 40ml per day. My corals seems happier since I started dosing but I am still concerned not to make a costly mistake.

 

[ReefdUp]

Just go slow until you're comfortable with it. A bit of cyano isn't going to hurt things. I think you're on the right track.

[Ricksreeefs]

Great, thank you for your help!

[nburg]

I dose it on a doser, and I will usually start slow, and add 2-4 ml per day more at a time and then let it do its thing for about a week or 2 before adjusting again, then when it gets up to where I want, I back off 2 mins at a time until it stabilizes. for my tank, I was able to get it to stick right in the 8-10 ppm mark for a while. 

 

I don't do based on ppm, just ml. My mixture is 15g for 600ml and I think I dose around 4-6 ml per day to maintain 8-10 ppm in my system which I think is around 180-190 gallons. I think at most, I was at 8-10 ml per day to get it up. 

[Ricksreeefs]

Thank you for the feedback!

Your system is bigger than mine and your concentration is at 1/2 of what I am using, I am dosing 14ml per day and you are at 4-6ml per day. It seems I am a little over dosing.

Today I got .8 nitrate reading, so things are improving. I feel that bubble algae and cyno are consuming a lot of nitrate and I have to break this cycle by stabilizing the nitrate and manual removal of algae.
Any thing else I should be doing to break this cycle of algae and cyno growth and low nitrate?

 

[ReefdUp]

Bubble algae is notorious for living in low nutrient conditions. I've gone the chemical removal route for it (but can't recommend it for most people.)

 

The cyano is likely only fluorishing due to the higher phosphate. You'll have to get the nitrate up and keep it up for the phosphate to disappear (and cyano).

 

If you go too fast, you'll fuel GHA. Just keep going slow. Different tanks require different levels based on what's in there. 

[nburg]

Yeah mine took a couple months to go from <1 to 10ppm 

 

I have practically no algae (yellow tangs and fat snails are the best) so it would be only coral and insignificant amounts of algae consuming so we may have different consumption rates

[Ricksreeefs]

Ok, I will slow dosing until I reach my 7-10 ppm goal in a 2-3 months.

My yellow tang is spoiled and does not eat bubble algae and I am not sure how much my snails are consuming but I have 4 baby Molly Miller Blennies in the sump waiting until the grow a little more before I place them in the DT. I hope they will have a taste for it.

Thank you both for your help!

 

[josh36]

I might be jumping in late, but what are you using for filtration? over the years iv fought cyano and have dosed nitrates and have dosed bacteria/mb7 the easiest cheapest solution was filter less and turned up my skimmer. my reef is a sps dominant and likes the higher nutrients 

[Ricksreeefs]

I used to have filter socks and a skimmer running 24/7. I removed first the socks, reduced the skimming time and I increased feeding, that did not increase my nitrate or affect the cyno. A couple of months ago I completely removed the skimmer to house the baby blennies.

I could be wrong, but I think the amount of rocks start the tank with was excessive and still not covered by coral.

I am planning on using the skimmer again when the blennies are in the DT

 

[josh36]

I also forgot to mention I increased my bio load .. I added 4 pyramid butterflyfish and a copperband to my mix right around the same time I removed my filter roller.. I still run my skimmer 24/7 . a few new fish should increase nitrate especially without filtration.. my thoughts I would keep the skimmer running though for the air exchange even if it's a really dry skim. for me once my tank and nutrients found a  my  cyano reside 

[Ricksreeefs]

Thank you for your feedback. Since I started the nitrate dosing, now at about 1.7ppm. I will be restarting the skimmer 24/7 benefiting not only from the skimming but also, as you mentioned, for the air exchange.