CHSUB
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I will agree on po4 in some systems, but will seldom if ever agree with regards to no3.
Will nitrate at 0 cause birdsnest to die?
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CHSUB
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Credible sources, however it's only hobby observations. Here is actual science.
You forgot the part that studies nitrates which is what the OP asked about. I think most reefers try to keep phosphate levels lower because if the ratio gets to high it can affect coral growth unless you have a proportional amount of nitrate which is the 100 : 1 ratio described in the article I posted. I think if you if you contact some of the well known coral vendors from the site as I have previously you will find their coral farms thrive in some dirty nutrients rich water not ULNS.
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So let me referee with some basic thoughts…
1. The degree of problem from zero nitrate (let’s just say actually zero) will vary a lot tank to tank based on the flux of ammonia from foods (or dosing) to organisms. In same tanks there is naturally enough ammonia, and in others there clearly is not. Thus, everyone here can be correct in some scenarios.
2. Having a few ppm nitrate ensures there is enough N available. It’s like having medical insurance. You may or may not use it, but having it alleviates some concerns. I recommend at least a few ppm nitrate in most tanks for this reason.
1. The degree of problem from zero nitrate (let’s just say actually zero) will vary a lot tank to tank based on the flux of ammonia from foods (or dosing) to organisms. In same tanks there is naturally enough ammonia, and in others there clearly is not. Thus, everyone here can be correct in some scenarios.
2. Having a few ppm nitrate ensures there is enough N available. It’s like having medical insurance. You may or may not use it, but having it alleviates some concerns. I recommend at least a few ppm nitrate in most tanks for this reason.
And also factoring the error range for the test kits.
CHSUB
Active Member
Yes, however aquacultured corals are conditioned to survive in nutrient rich environment and will do fine in ULNS. Purchase a maricultured or wild sps and it will certainly fail. Regardless, imo, corals don't die because no3 is unreadable on a flawed hobby test kit.
CHSUB
Active Member
Yes and thanks. This is a great point and insurance is nice, however most experienced hobbyist, including myself, don't need it. I'm certainly not going to buy a product and add it when I can feed corals directly.
I've got both wild and aquaculture corals in my tank including 38 SPS corals along with LPS and softs. My acros were the size of basketballs including a birdsnest too. I had to donate them to my LFS because tank just wasn't big enough. Now I have new frags again which have become colonies and mini colonies in a dirty water nutrients rich environment. I have very minimal algae just enough for my inverts and algae is part of a healthy tank ecosystem. I do think very experienced reefers can still manage a ULNS effectively but overall the hobby has transitioned well past that type of reef now and for obvious reasons.
How old is your tank? Can you show the current status of your ULNS system? Your post history mentions the tank is 5 months old?
When my bird got large the lower branches turned white due to being shaded out. They were still alive but the interior lower branches under the canopy lost color.
If truly 0 for long enough. Yes.
Exactly.
CHSUB
Active Member
My tank is not ULNS, it simply reads 0 no3 on a flawed hobby test kit. ULNS, ime, run some kind of supercharger bacterial system by means of zeolites or dosing. I’m not advocating my method is the best in fact I don’t have a method. I’m saying 0 no3 on a test kit is not the lucky cause of coral fatality and advising the OP not to waste has money on a no3 solution because some people have high no3 and their corals don’t die.
CHSUB
Active Member
Here is 331 citations from studies done world wide, including Marubini and Davies 1996 which is considered the best study on nitrate enrichment, VS the guy on Reef to Reef with some nice corals.
Topic has been discussed in depth all over the web including here.
Still waiting to see your highly successful ULNS display
Last edited:
The_Skrimp
Well-Known Member
It can be nitrates but seeing as how this guy is bleaching from the center out, I’d say this is more likely an issue with lighting and flow. Birdsnests can easily grow too big for their own good and then they start to block light and flow from reaching the center of the colony. I’ve found that the best way to get mine to grow big without having these sorts of problems is to regularly frag it and bonsai the branches so that it still has a cool shape but remove enough of them to allow flow and light to reach the middle.
CHSUB
Active Member
Not my thread and I apologize to the OP for hijacking, but imo, your tank is fine and passes the eye test. Losing one coral is not a sign of a problem and I would suggest fragging it. My tank is not a ULNS only a skimmer and a sock, no dosing or supercharger bacteria colons. A mangrove, clam mixed reef lagoon 5 months in: 0 no3 and .01 po4 maintained with only weekly WC. More FTS provide if requested…..lol!
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