Nitrate/Phosphate Dosing Or Reef Nutrients Amino Dosing

[Kerbash]

Hey,

So every since I set up this new tank keeping nutrients low has not been an issue at all, so much so that I think my LPS are starting to someone decline. So Im thinking about adding some additional nutrients to the system. Should I do seperate Nitrate Phosphate dosing or does the reef aminos product like the AB reef nutrition does the same thing? Is one preferable to another? I love to hear about other people experiences.

 

[acesfull44]

Reef Roids in moderation would be a good start to raise phos.

 

[Lavey29]

Available nitrates and phosphate in the tank is mandatory to sustain corals. Nitrates at 10 and phosphate. 05 to .1 for LPS. Coral additives are like vitamins to add supplementaly but should not be the primary source of nutrition.

 

[Daftendire]

I use neonitro for nitrate dosing and feed coral foods, reefroids, reef chili and benepets when I see phosphates trending down. The foods alone were not enough nitrates for my tank

 

[divewsharks]

How big is the tank? How many fish do you have? How often do you feed them? Before dosing (which you could definitely do) I would consider feeding your fish more often and you could include reef roids/chili to target the corals.

 

[zheka757]

Following, as I'm have same problem, low nutrients. Just took out 99% of my chaeto, got half of 5 gallon bucket out

 

[Dkmoo]

If room allows, get more fish.

Fish waste is the most easily absorbed form of nutrient for corals and the most constant supply.

 

[exnisstech]

What are your levels of nitrate and phosphate? It seems like each tank has different needs and I would only dose what is needed. By all means adding fish or feeding more can work but not always. I have a tank that I have to dose P to keep it above 0 but N is OK. Total volume is 40g with 5 fish and I feed heavily as in clouding the water with food twice a day with return pump off and P still bottoms out.

 

[Pridedcloth3]

I personally dose aminos and everything does fine. But I'm too nervous to go without chaeto and skimmer in my 45g because I feed like tomorrow isn't coming.

 

[Kerbash]

How big is the tank? How many fish do you have? How often do you feed them? Before dosing (which you could definitely do) I would consider feeding your fish more often and you could include reef roids/chili to target the corals.

I have a pretty large system it’s 400 gallon system spread out across 4 tanks Or so around 15 fish. I feed around 2 cubes of frozen food a day. Along with reef road roids and all that.

 

[Kerbash]

What are your levels of nitrate and phosphate? It seems like each tank has different needs and I would only dose what is needed. By all means adding fish or feeding more can work but not always. I have a tank that I have to dose P to keep it above 0 but N is OK. Total volume is 40g with 5 fish and I feed heavily as in clouding the water with food twice a day with return pump off and P still bottoms out.

Yeah I don’t know, i have salifert test kit. And honestly Im super shock it can’t detect any nutrients because I literally never do any water changes, I think I feed my fish a lot and it still shows up as 0.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I have 14 decent sized fish in my 90 gallon. I feed at least two, usually 3, and sometimes 4 cubes of frozen food per day, and nori and reef roids twice a week. That is where the need to add nitrates & phosphates ended for me. Adding more fish is probably your best first option.

Salifert is ok for nitrate, but you really need a better kit for phosphate before you start dosing anything. A Hanna ultra low range tester will work. You also need to be careful if you dose something like AB+. It is very high in organic carbon and can have negative effects before it yields a nitrate rise. For me, once I had good test kits, dosing small amounts of ammonia and feeding with Reef Roids is how I would approach raising nitrate and phosphate levels if I couldn't add fish... But... something like neophos and neonitrate will work if you don't mind the expense.

 

[Kerbash]

I have 14 decent sized fish in my 90 gallon. I feed at least two, usually 3, and sometimes 4 cubes of frozen food per day, and nori and reef roids twice a week. That is where the need to add nitrates & phosphates ended for me. Adding more fish is probably your best first option.

Salifert is ok for nitrate, but you really need a better kit for phosphate before you start dosing anything. A Hanna ultra low range tester will work. You also need to be careful if you dose something like AB+. It is very high in organic carbon and can have negative effects before it yields a nitrate rise. For me, once I had good test kits, dosing small amounts of ammonia and feeding with Reef Roids is how I would approach raising nitrate and phosphate levels if I couldn't add fish... But... something like neophos and neonitrate will work if you don't mind the expense.

oh haha maybe I dont feed my fish as much as I though i guess, well a good excuse to buy more fish. How are you dosing ammonia?

 

[ReefGeezer]

oh haha maybe I dont feed my fish as much as I though i guess, well a good excuse to buy more fish. How are you dosing ammonia?

I made a stock solution of ammonium chloride and added it in little doses. I bought the powder on the inter-web. I don't remember the strength of the solution or how much I dosed, but it worked well. I don't do it anymore now that I have enough fish and feed enough. If you are uncomfortable with adding ammonia, you can also make phosphate and nitrate stock solutions in the same manner that are more effective and way cheaper than neophos & neonitro.

 

[exnisstech]

I have 14 decent sized fish in my 90 gallon. I feed at least two, usually 3, and sometimes 4 cubes of frozen food per day, and nori and reef roids twice a week. That is where the need to add nitrates & phosphates ended for me. Adding more fish is probably your best first option.

Salifert is ok for nitrate, but you really need a better kit for phosphate before you start dosing anything. A Hanna ultra low range tester will work. You also need to be careful if you dose something like AB+. It is very high in organic carbon and can have negative effects before it yields a nitrate rise. For me, once I had good test kits, dosing small amounts of ammonia and feeding with Reef Roids is how I would approach raising nitrate and phosphate levels if I couldn't add fish... But... something like neophos and neonitrate will work if you don't mind the expense.

I just used sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate. I have no doubt that neophos and neonitrate work but the ingredient list is a bit uninformative. Also I read a lot of post where Randy recommended sodium nitrate and phosphate and its pretty cheap

Neophos Ingredients
Purified water, proprietary phosphorus salts.

To the OP I second ReefGeezer suggestion of a hanna ultra low range kit for phos before I would even think about dosing to raise levels.

 

[Kerbash]

I just used sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate. I have no doubt that neophos and neonitrate work but the ingredient list is a bit uninformative. Also I read a lot of post where Randy recommended sodium nitrate and phosphate and its pretty cheap

Neophos Ingredients
Purified water, proprietary phosphorus salts.

To the OP I second ReefGeezer suggestion of a hanna ultra low range kit for phos before I would even think about dosing to raise levels.

Sure thanks u ill go pick one up

 

[zheka757]

I just used sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate. I have no doubt that neophos and neonitrate work but the ingredient list is a bit uninformative. Also I read a lot of post where Randy recommended sodium nitrate and phosphate and its pretty cheap

Neophos Ingredients
Purified water, proprietary phosphorus salts.

To the OP I second ReefGeezer suggestion of a hanna ultra low range kit for phos before I would even think about dosing to raise levels.

Is there info on what kind of product to use and dose amount, im more interested in sodium nitrate.
also would something like this would work?
why is is not letting me post a link?

Duda Energy 10sn 10 lb. Sodium Nitrate 99+% Pure Chile Saltpeter Gold Metal Refining Industrial Grade Glass Pottery Enamels (from amazon)​

 

[exnisstech]

Is there info on what kind of product to use and dose amount, im more interested in sodium nitrate.
also would something like this would work?
why is is not letting me post a link?

Duda Energy 10sn 10 lb. Sodium Nitrate 99+% Pure Chile Saltpeter Gold Metal Refining Industrial Grade Glass Pottery Enamels (from amazon)​

There is info here on R2R in posts but I don't have them saved. If you search dosing N and P or something similar I'm sure you'll find enough info to keep you busy for a while. I will show below what I use . THIS is the calculator I used. I'm just not knowledgeable enough to offer detailed assistance as far as amounts to mix and dose, sorry. My understanding is you want to look for food grade powder as its more controlled as far as actual content.

 

[zheka757]

There is info here on R2R in posts but I don't have them saved. If you search dosing N and P or something similar I'm sure you'll find enough info to keep you busy for a while. I will show below what I use . THIS is the calculator I used. I'm just not knowledgeable enough to offer detailed assistance as far as amounts to mix and dose, sorry. My understanding is you want to look for food grade powder as its more controlled as far as actual content.

the thing is, im using neonitrogen and i have to dose 100ml of that every other day to keep my nitrates up. im looking for more cheaper solution. i dont know if dry form of sodium nitrate is cheaper option for me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

the thing is, im using neonitrogen and i have to dose 100ml of that every other day to keep my nitrates up. im looking for more cheaper solution. i dont know if dry form of sodium nitrate is cheaper option for me.

Food grade or reagent grade sodium nitrate from Amazon or elsewhere.Use this calculator snd the entry for potassium nitrate is close enough.

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

www.theplantedtank.co.uk