dosing nitrate

[dputt88]

over the past month i have been feeding my snails... yeah, i fed my snails in an attempt to raise nitrates in my macro algae tank. well after awhile i test nitrates and it read 0ppm, clear as day 0ppm.

i googled KNO3 fertilizers, i get a lot of results for 99% KNO3 pellets. has anyone used this product? if so what was your dosing regime and protocol?

[dputt88]

has anyone used fertilizers?

[flynnstone]

i ordered mine from yourchemicalconnection.com
i believe its called potassium nitrate on the site. i was mixing a teaspoon into a cup of water and added directly into the sump daily ( 200g tank)
its also known as saltpeter used for fireworks. i couldnt find it locally anywhere myself.

[dputt88]

i found a reliable source for calcium nitrate. read some old text books on recommended concentrations and now im dosing a stock solution to the tank on a weekly basis and its working great. keeps my calcium level up and i dont have to do extra water changes due to potassium increases.

[flynnstone]

so how is the nitrate additions working out?

when i was adding Potassium nitrate i didnt do additional water changes, just didnt use as much potassium addatives. how much are you adding to yor system???

[dputt88]

i dont have to dose very much. but occasionally i add a few pellets of calcium nitrate to the top off water. that stuff is wayyy more concentrated than the label says.

[flynnstone]

by any chance do you test for phosphates?
if so, what are they? and do you use any GFO, Phosguard, ect?

[dputt88]

i dont test for phostphate. i leave it as a limiting nutrient. i occasionally top off with tap water. being on a well the tap water provides iron and phosphate for the tank. if i tested for phosphate i could tell you that it is very likely 0ppm. other wise i would see hair algae, which i have very little of.

i dont use phosphate removers. as plants increase in size they require more phosphate for important cellular functions.