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01/19/2018, 02:34 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 58
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Faded coral color and High Alk/Zero Nitrate
I’ve noticed my corals have faded over the last several months (sps and lps) which I’m not sure is attributed to my high alkalinity (11.4 currently) it my nitrates, which have been at zero for months (probably partly due to all the macro algae I keep in my DT).
This week I reduced my dosing if BRS 2 Part from 36 ml/day to 30m day. But should I look at dosing potassium nitrate as well to get some nitrates?? Or should I let my alkalinity go down first and see if it helps?? Here are my specs: 120 gallon mixed reef with GHL mitras running two photo periods a day (4 hour and 6 hour with a 5 hour break) Cal - 400 Alk - 11.4 Nitrate 0 Salinity 1.025 Ph - goes from about 8.2 - 8.3 I feed my 10 fish heavily but have limited algae and almost no coralline (tank is 6 months old and I didn’t seed w live rock). |
01/19/2018, 02:40 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 20,050
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The choice is really yours.. lower alk or increase nitrates..
Personally I would increase nitrates as they are a beneficial nutrient and having low levels has been shown to be detrimental/cause problems..
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01/19/2018, 03:50 PM | #3 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Sacramento, CA
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Quote:
Sounds good- it looks like soectracide stump remover from what I’ve read. I guess I can keep it next to my bayer dip in my reefing/gardening cupboard Lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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01/19/2018, 04:46 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Mountain View, CA, USA
Posts: 88,616
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There are food-grade sodium nitrate products on Amazon that I'd consider. Or at least, there were such products the last time I checked. Sodium nitrite would be fine for smaller doses, as well.
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Jonathan Bertoni |
01/19/2018, 06:02 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Reseda, Ca.
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01/19/2018, 06:48 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 58
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I like having the lights on as much as possible. Plus it seems to spur a lot of growth and breaking it up it keeps things from heating up too much.
Currently lights on from about 7am - noon then there’s a siesta with low intensity blues til 5pm when they go on again until 2300. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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