DIY Potassium Nitrate Dosing Solution (1 Viewer)

[Reefahholic]

This is what I dose Cody.


I use the calculator on James’ Planted Tank. Randy says just pick Potassium Nitrate.

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

 

[Reefahholic]

Used potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate and stump remover. I ran out of the first two and started using stump remover. I see no differences.

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The only difference is purity. Other than that it’s about the same.

 

[Reefahholic]

Also, same question for sodium nitrate. I'm currently using brightwell FlorinGro, which is a premised sodium nitrate solution, but for the amount I need to dose, it's getting too expensive too quick.

Sodium Nitrate Clumps and Potassium Nitrate is more like a powder. The difference for me is that I would rather avoid the “unlikely” Potassium build up. I talked to Randy about it and he told me that he would personally dose Sodium Nitrate over the Potassium and I’ve been dosing Sodium Nitrate since then.

 

[Reefahholic]

Sorry. That’s 30grams in 500ml if rodi.

I mix 4 TBSP of NaNO3 to 500mL.

This solution will raise my NO3 by 0.93ppm in 75 gallons by dosing 3mL.

 

[Reefahholic]

Thanks for the feedback. What was the difference in price? I ordered some of the potassium nitrate from greenleafaquarium that they recommended in the video because it was cheap. $3 per pound. I need to dose about 30mL per day now with the FlorinGro and that stuff raise one gallon of water about 18ppm with just one mL of solution. Very potent stuff.

That’s too potent. Perfect for 500/G.

 

[saltyanimals]

How long after dosing do you guys take measurements? For the first time ever in last 3 yrs I see color on my nitrate test. 1ppm. Lol

 

[mittens]

I just switched to sodium nitrate since I ran out of stump remover. 300 gal system started consuming nitrates recently. Far far more potent than stump remover. I have the one from amazon that is not in powder form. Just dose very little then test next day. Increase dose depending on difference in reading. Keep testing and dosing daily until you achieve desired nitrate level. Increase dose daily if you don’t do nitrate testing daily to begin with. Or at least that’s what I do since I don’t care to do the math. This keeps my nitrates at 10-15ppm pretty steady. Smaller volume tank be very very careful with overdosing, I’m talking in drops. I retest a couple hours after dosing for 60 gal system. Then follow same protocol as above. Also, don’t make a huge solution of nitrate solution. If it’s contaminated with turkey baster or whatever u use to feed fish food the nitrate solution starts looking funky over time. You’re supposed to sterilize the rodi water and use ‘aseptic’ technique but I don’t do that either.


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[Cody]

I just switched to sodium nitrate since I ran out of stump remover. 300 gal system started consuming nitrates recently. Far far more potent than stump remover. I have the one from amazon that is not in powder form. Just dose very little then test next day. Increase dose depending on difference in reading. Keep testing and dosing daily until you achieve desired nitrate level. Increase dose daily if you don’t do nitrate testing daily to begin with. Or at least that’s what I do since I don’t care to do the math. This keeps my nitrates at 10-15ppm pretty steady. Smaller volume tank be very very careful with overdosing, I’m talking in drops. I retest a couple hours after dosing for 60 gal system. Then follow same protocol as above. Also, don’t make a huge solution of nitrate solution. If it’s contaminated with turkey baster or whatever u use to feed fish food the nitrate solution starts looking funky over time. You’re supposed to sterilize the rodi water and use ‘aseptic’ technique but I don’t do that either.


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What I did was make my solution, add 1mL to one gallon of RODI water, test to see how much it raised the nitrates, then applied that to my 250 gallon system.

 

[mittens]

What I did was make my solution, add 1mL to one gallon of RODI water, test to see how much it raised the nitrates, then applied that to my 250 gallon system.

Do you know what your nitrate consumption is daily though?


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[Cody]

Do you know what your nitrate consumption is daily though?


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Not sure. My goal isn't to reach a certain level in my water column. My goal is just to make sure nitrates are available. I pushed it to 5ppm and my corals started losing skin. I also have a massive ball of cheato that drinks this stuff pretty quickly. My current nitrate is .1-.25 ppm. I'd have to look when I get home to see how much I'm dosing though.

 

[Reefahholic]

Do you know what your nitrate consumption is daily though?


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In my experience it can vary quite a bit depending on feeding, nutrition, coral growth, filtration, age of system, fish, etc. Just about everything.

If the system is aged, you feed measured amounts of food, not playing with lighting, adding fish, or adding anything basically.....it can become fairly stable.

I have to keep a close eye on mine....it will be 10 or above and in 3 days it can quickly be depleted. Usually from a spike in growth or over skimming.

Hope this helps.

 

[schprock]

I add a few drops of lugols

Tend to keep the bacterial growth down

 

[Reefahholic]

I add a few drops of lugols

Tend to keep the bacterial growth down

Did Eric get his Rodi fixed today? I got busy with connecting my doser and had new phones come in that I had to transfer data so I didn’t have time to text him.

 

[schprock]

Not sure
Didn’t get a chance to talk to him today

 

[Bullitt519]

I think ill have to start dosing Nitrate now. I'm feeding heavy but still showing 0 nitrate and my phosphates are going up. Most SPS still look good but 3 have lost colors.

 

[Cody]

I think ill have to start dosing Nitrate now. I'm feeding heavy but still showing 0 nitrate and my phosphates are going up. Most SPS still look good but 3 have lost colors.

sounds like your tank is transitioning to your corals being your refugium. That’s good news!

 

[OceansX]

Cody, should you consider trimming back or removing your Chaeto because it's a nitrate sink?

You can still leave the refugium light on and have some algae growth there for 'pods.'

 

[Cody]

Cody, should you consider trimming back or removing your Chaeto because it's a nitrate sink?

You can still leave the refugium light on and have some algae growth there for 'pods.'

All chaeto is gone from my systems. They eventually just dissolved or got removed as the corals got large enough to be my refugium. As they were dissolving they were adding a lot of nitrates and phosphates back into the system.

 

[OceansX]

Given regular plant fertilizers use an N-P-K number on them (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, & Potassium), I'd think potassium nitrate is a better choice than sodium nitrate so as to provide the potassium?

 

[Reefahholic]

Given regular plant fertilizers use an N-P-K number on them (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, & Potassium), I'd think potassium nitrate is a better choice than sodium nitrate so as to provide the potassium?

Randy recommended Sodium Nitrate to me. His reasoning was because the potassium could potentially build up over time depending on the dosing, but is unlikely. He told me he would pick the sodium over potassium.

One thing to consider. Potassium nitrate is more of a fine powder while Sodium nitrate clumps a little more and was slightly more difficult for me to get out of the LoudWolf bottle. Potassium nitrate is easier to measure.