What exacty is it with nitrate that makes it so harmfull?

dorkfish

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Jul 25, 2005
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Windsor,Ontario,Canada
This one has been bugging me for quite some time now. What exactly is it with nitrate(not the DOC's that it usually indicates) that makes it harmfull?
 
It actually isn't that harmful on its own. Aside from feeding algae (assuming you have a little bit of phosphate to help out) nitrate doesn't have a lot of negative consequences. At least there's little experimental evidence that it does.

According to this review, there may be an effect of elevated nitrate on development of stony corals, but Dr Holmes-Farley hardly sounded convinced.
 
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mogurnda said:
It actually isn't that harmful on its own. Aside from feeding algae (assuming you have a little bit of phosphate to help out, nitrate doesn't have a lot of negative consequences. At least there's little experimental evidence that it does.

According to this review, there may be an effect of elevated nitrate on development of stony corals, but Dr Holmes-Farley hardly sounded convinced.

Ok, thanks for the reply.
 
No problem. I often hear things like "high nitrate will kill invertebrates," when I have had snails, crustaceans and corals do extremely well at levels up to 40 ppm for many months. I wouldn't recommend it, but it can be done.
 
mogurnda said:
No problem. I often hear things like "high nitrate will kill invertebrates," when I have had snails, crustaceans and corals do extremely well at levels up to 40 ppm for many months. I wouldn't recommend it, but it can be done.


HAve had the smae thing happen in my
4ft, nitrate 40pm and corals/inverts/fish all were fine.

Only thing you must watch is you PH, as nitric acid forms from nitrate, acid lowering the PH can have bad effects and normally is the cause behind why animals may die in higher nitrates.
 
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