Tips for raising nitrates

[trvrstnk4837]

My Nitrate has been pinned at 0.0 (per my Hanna HR checker) so far ive switched the reds and blues off in my grow light so just the whites are on, I’ve added some mollies and a tang and have stepped up feeding quite a bit

But it seems like it isn’t doing anything to raise my nitrate I have various soft corals and I’m hoping for better growth

here’s my sump set up

not sure what’s the best way to go to raise them slightly and hold them there for stability, maybe black out the cheato or throw a lot of it out? Stop using the protein skimmer? Just keep the sump working as is and dose nitrate?

what have you guys done? Any tips are greatly appreciated

 

[GobyGuy]

no sump on my setup - I’d think beyond feeding more - I’d dose. I’m not sure how much uptake chaeto contributes / your exporting routine

 

[Idech]

You can use Neonitro. Instant results !

 

[Mattiejay6]

Neonitro works if you’re low on potassium. Otherwise go the DIY Sodium Nitrate way.

 

[dstockwell]

Sodium Nitrate was what I used.

 

[Adolfo]

Tank size and how many fish in it ?

 

[trvrstnk4837]

Neonitro works if you’re low on potassium. Otherwise go the DIY Sodium Nitrate way.

Okay so I’m pretty inexperienced at reefing (that was probably obvious enough already lol) I never even new potassium was a thing in fish tanks

so I take it there is an ideal level I should aim for and the Neonitro contains potassium? And I need to buy a test kit for potassium before I consider that product?

 

[trvrstnk4837]

Tank size and how many fish in it ?

125 DY and 60 sump

2 clowns
3 Mollies
1 Yellow corris wrasse
1 Tomini tang
1 Starry Blenny

1 brittle star
1 sea cucumber
1 cleaner shrimp
10ish snails
3 hermit crabs

pic of my Molly just cuz

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Okay so I’m pretty inexperienced at reefing (that was probably obvious enough already lol) I never even new potassium was a thing in fish tanks

so I take it there is an ideal level I should aim for and the Neonitro contains potassium? And I need to buy a test kit for potassium before I consider that product?

I'm looking it up now but neonitro does not contain potassium, he's thinking of potassium nitrate..

 

[Mattiejay6]

I'm looking it up now but neonitro does not contain potassium, he's thinking of potassium nitrate..

still adds potassium to your tank.. potassium….nitrate….

 

[Mattiejay6]

Okay so I’m pretty inexperienced at reefing (that was probably obvious enough already lol) I never even new potassium was a thing in fish tanks

so I take it there is an ideal level I should aim for and the Neonitro contains potassium? And I need to buy a test kit for potassium before I consider that product?

You probably will not have A problem. You should go with the neonitro from brighrwell or use the search function for sodium nitrate dosing

 

[xCry0x]

More fish. Feed more. Filter less. Skim less. Less refugium light.

Or dose nitrate.

It looks like you are really really understocked for how big of a tank you have. Especially with a reefmat roller, a skimmer, and a big ball of chaeto.

That is that kind of stocking list I could see in a 50g tank.

 

[trvrstnk4837]

Appreciate all the tips so far, I like the idea of dosing and I think I will give that a go

I went ahead and removed some cheato I didn’t even realize how tight it’s gotten in there even since that picture I took out like a soccer ball and still have almost a football lol

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

still adds potassium to your tank.. potassium….nitrate….

Actually i didn't think it was potassium nitrate

 

[MORAHZ]

My Nitrate has been pinned at 0.0 (per my Hanna HR checker) so far ive switched the reds and blues off in my grow light so just the whites are on, I’ve added some mollies and a tang and have stepped up feeding quite a bit

But it seems like it isn’t doing anything to raise my nitrate I have various soft corals and I’m hoping for better growth

here’s my sump set upView attachment 2854723

not sure what’s the best way to go to raise them slightly and hold them there for stability, maybe black out the cheato or throw a lot of it out? Stop using the protein skimmer? Just keep the sump working as is and dose nitrate?

what have you guys done? Any tips are greatly appreciated

Turn off skimmer for few days
Roller mat is making the job from the skimmer

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

And of course the bottle doesn't tell you it just list's 2 ingredients purified water , proprietary nitrogen salts.

 

[GobyGuy]

Is the difference between sodium/potassium nitrate dosing just the inclusion of potassium? Is that a trace consumed by SPS?

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

still adds potassium to your tank.. potassium….nitrate….

How do you know it contains potassium?

 

[Adolfo]

125 DY and 60 sump

2 clowns
3 Mollies
1 Yellow corris wrasse
1 Tomini tang
1 Starry Blenny

1 brittle star
1 sea cucumber
1 cleaner shrimp
10ish snails
3 hermit crabs

pic of my Molly just cuz

View attachment 2854740

You can add fish or dose

 

[exnisstech]

I mix this pack in a gallon of RODI and dose 20ml a day on 40 gallons volume. Have been able to keep nitrates right around 10 give or take a few. They had been barely detectable.