Azno3 - Page 7

melev · #**151** 10/10/2007, 05:32 PM

That's what I was thinking.

delphinus · #**152** 10/10/2007, 06:08 PM

Everytime I see Marc's post count I have to shake my head. Geez man. I'm happy I broke 4 digits. Or have I? I dunno, guess I'll find out after I post this message.

Anyhow, it's sort of interesting to see your results with the AZ-NO3 product. By coincidence, I've been running a sugar dosing experiment on my ritteri cube (I don't really have easy access to AZ-NO3, and I wasn't really into mail-ordering some just for the one thing). Anyhow, to my surprise I've been noticing about the same about of decrease in nitrates per day. I have the Pinpoint nitrate monitor for just the reason of being able to track subtle changes (I find the colour comparison against a chart method tends to not help you with trending like that).

I wish I could say I could see a similar reduction in phosphates but I have a defective Hanna photometer (I'm now realizing - all this time I thought I was checking my PO4 religiously and it turns out I've been following some fictionalized numbers.

Too bad, that thing cost a fortune- I'm hoping I can get it sent in for warrantee service - we'll see what they say). I don't know if I feel like springing for a D-D test kit - I mean, I thought I already heavily invested in the testing of phosphate, I don't want to double my investment for a non-increase in return. Oh well.

cayars · #**153** 10/10/2007, 06:27 PM

delphinus, while we wait for Marc's next update

what do you think of the Pinpoint Nitrate monitor? How often have found the need to calibrate it?

Carlo

delphinus · #**154** 10/10/2007, 06:36 PM

Pretty much every time I use it, unless I get lazy (but then I don't know how much to trust the result - it will be close, but probably not bang on). It's not too bad though, it takes about 30 seconds to calibrate, and since a test kit usually takes a few minutes, it's in the same ballpark.

It seems to sometimes take a long time to settle on a reading. I'll notice it settle on a number, like say, 13ppm, and I'll think "Oh ok, 13ppm, I'll write that down in my log." Then as soon as I have, it drops to 12 or goes up to 14. I don't know if you need to do this, but I swirl the test vial, probe and all, to try to get to settle down quicker.

One thing I've found, it has two ranges, 0 to 10, and 10 to 100, you have to calibrate for each range, and if you have nitrates right around the 10.0 mark it's a little awkward. Ie., it will read over-range if you have it in the low range setting, and read under-range if you have it in the high range setting. That might be a function of using old calibration fluids though - I'm not sure.

Otherwise though, I must say it sure beats trying to decide if fuscia is a hue of pink, and stuff like wondering if the tank halides are throwing off my perception of a colour, or the darkness of the colour, and so on. I don't really like colour comparison tests at all - if you could get a nitrate or phosphate test kit that was a titration based kit - ie., count the number of drops until you see a colour *change* - I'd be all over those, there's just something a little less subjective about volumetric versus colour comparing.

kau_cinta_ku · #**155** 10/10/2007, 10:15 PM

well going on a month now after using AZNO3 and I haven't had nitrates reading over 5ppm ever sence. but before using it I couldn't get nitrates lower then 40-50ppm.

but Mark your gonna have to make sure I am reading my test kit correctly when you come. lol

melev · #**156** 10/12/2007, 04:26 PM

Today when I checked on the tank, it was a little milky looking. I checked the ORP, and it was around 231 (instead of 300+). One of my circulation pumps had stalled. I got it started up again, and the ORP rose to 278 and the water clarified.

Of course I couldn't leave well enough alone, and tinkered with this and that so the ORP dropped again but I think it'll rise up more.

Nitrates appear to be about the same as of last night.

jdieck · #**157** 10/12/2007, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Today when I checked on the tank, it was a little milky looking. I checked the ORP, and it was around 231 (instead of 300+). One of my circulation pumps had stalled. I got it started up again, and the ORP rose to 278 and the water clarified.

Of course I couldn't leave well enough alone, and tinkered with this and that so the ORP dropped again but I think it'll rise up more.

Nitrates appear to be about the same as of last night.

Oops!..... Fiu!....

melev · #**158** 10/12/2007, 07:23 PM

Being annoyed by the lower ORP, I decided to dump in a little baked baking soda to raise the pH in the tank. Like a mad scientist would do.

pH rose to 8.2, and ORP rose up to 280 or so. Water clarity improved as well. I should have tested alk first, but with lower pH (8.09) I didn't expect it was high enough. My Calcium Reactor was just set up with fresh media 48 hours ago, and I know it isn't dialed in quite right as of today. I tend to keep it on the weak side at first, to avoid overdosing accidentally.

kau_cinta_ku · #**159** 10/12/2007, 09:38 PM

my tank also looked milky for about 4-5 days. it sucked but in the end it was well worth it. no corals or anything seemed to mind so I left it alone and let it do it's thing. but was amazzing how well an ASM skimmer can really pull the junk out when using this stuff

melev · #**160** 10/12/2007, 11:21 PM

I'm cleaning my skimmer daily. I want make sure everything it is pulling out stays out, and avoids continual contact to the slimy stuff on the lid and riser tube's surface.

melev · #**161** 10/18/2007, 11:07 PM

Still dosing 30ml a day, although it is possible due to my nutty work schedule this week that I missed one accidentally.

Nitrates are almost down to 10ppm. It seems just a touch higher, so I'll just say 15ppm.

All the corals in the tank seem fine, as do the fish, inverts, and clam. One or two heads of frogspawn are shredding away, but I think that was due to the increased flow my VorTech is putting on the coral with the new Reefcrest mode. The other heads are in a different position and seem unaffected, but I think these two were facing the wrong way and the upsweep just tugged at them too long before I noticed.

Cyano (dark green colored) continues to get a little bit worse each day, but I'm going to siphon out all I can tomorrow. It is mainly on the sand fortunately.

The glass of the tank is very easy to clean, with no green algae at all. It is more like a whitish dusting.

Billybeau1 · #**162** 10/19/2007, 05:56 AM

Marc, Usually, when pH rises, ORP falls. And when pH falls, ORP rises.

I think the reason your ORP rose when you added the baking soda was a coincidence. It was probably your tank recovering from the pump malfunction that raised your ORP.

Zedar · #**163** 10/19/2007, 01:57 PM

Just thought I would post about my carbon dosing experience.

I started dosing because the algae got bad in my tank and nothing seemed to help. Within a week of dosing the algae was dying off.

I'm one of those unlucky ones. I have low phosphates .02 - .03 and Nitrates 0. I cant grow algae in my refugium. Ive tried, it just dies.

I've removed the Live Rock, scrubbed it of algae and cooked it. Within a few months I was back to a tank full of algae. At that point I had one fish

And I fed him/her lightly.
I have a large skimmer. I added a 55 gallon drum to my system. ( the secret to pollution is dilution)

I knew I had to try something different.

I dose vinegar and vodka. I dose as much or as little as needed. If the tank looks good I back off. If the tank starts getting algaey (a new word?) I dose more. As much as 60ml in 120 gallons of water volume

Ive dosed so much that i have bacteria slime all over the tank.
So much slime that my refugium has a 1" layer of slime on the surface of the water that i skim off. The skimmer needs to be emptied sometimes three times a day. The corals are covered in slime. The rocks have 8" long strings of slime.
The corals eat it. Ive seen a string of slime come in contact with a hammer coral and the coral shows a feeding response.

My pH has gone as low as 7.5 during one of these overdose episodes.

When the tank returns to normal in a day or two it looks great.
I may be living on the edge of disaster but so far i haven't seen it.
And its worth trying since nothing else worked.

The corals look better then ever are growing faster then ever and are going from brown to colorful.
The algae is on its last leg.

saltysupply · #**164** 10/19/2007, 05:01 PM

Just wanted to point out that I have used this for quite a while now in my 120 gallon reef which has nitrate issues from my sand bed....It has worked wonders...coral is growing at 3x the rate it was and is more colorful than ever....I saw no adverse affects from this product, only good ones

Hope this helps!
Richard
SaltySupply.com

skydancer · #**165** 10/19/2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by saltysupply
Just wanted to point out that I have used this for quite a while now in my 120 gallon reef which has nitrate issues from my sand bed....It has worked wonders...coral is growing at 3x the rate it was and is more colorful than ever....I saw no adverse affects from this product, only good ones

Hope this helps!
Richard
SaltySupply.com

Can you be more specific? "this product" you must be referring to AZNO3, and not carbon dosing, correct?

Not sure I understand the above post about carbon dosing...

Zedar · #**166** 10/22/2007, 06:50 AM

Skydancer,

The end result of using Azno3 (Cozymase) is a bacterial bloom.

You can get the same result using Vodka,sugar,vinegar,etc. These are all a source of carbon.

Hence my post about carbon dosing.

stony_corals · #**167** 10/22/2007, 11:12 AM

Thought I'd through my 2 cents in to... don't waste your money on AZNO3. Just use vodka, it'll accomplish the same thing. You can go faster, but, you don't need to. I've used AZNO3, does it work yes, however vodka is works just as fine and is cheaper. Any 80 proof vodka will do, I use the stuff in the plastic bottle, Karkarov. It's like $9.99 for a huge bottle....

I agree with Zedar, no need for AZNO3. Did you consider using vodka/sugar?

Zedar · #**168** 10/22/2007, 11:22 AM

I get what ever is on sale. Last bottle cost $5.99

skydancer · #**169** 10/22/2007, 12:24 PM

Are you guys dosing vodka per the AZNO3 schedule?

stony_corals · #**170** 10/22/2007, 03:40 PM

No skydancer, follow this dosing schedule, it's from the big vodka thread...

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...&pagenumber=21)

davy182 · #**171** 10/22/2007, 06:01 PM

So after the nitrates are down to zero then what you still have to dose or what?

melev · #**172** 10/22/2007, 09:06 PM

If you are talking about AZNO3, then yes for a while, but you taper off the dosing until it is no longer necessary. It takes a couple of weeks to do this.

davy182 · #**173** 10/22/2007, 09:18 PM

so in your opinion how much do you think it is going to cost you for your system?

melev · #**174** 10/22/2007, 10:30 PM

Since I dosed more slowly (using more product) for a system with a water volume that is guesstimated (lowball) at 300g, it has taken 3 bottles so far. $60. I still have just under 3 bottles left.

saltysupply · #**175** 10/25/2007, 10:07 PM

Sorry I didnt clarify...I was referring to the azno3 product...Has worked great for me...corals are happy, fish are happy

Quote:

Originally posted by skydancer
Can you be more specific? "this product" you must be referring to AZNO3, and not carbon dosing, correct?

Not sure I understand the above post about carbon dosing...