Nitrate which is a concentrated source of nitrate in the form of a highly purified calcium nitrate solution.
Maintaining nitrate concentrations slightly higher than natural reef
levels has been observed by many aquarists to be beneficial to coral
health and coloration. This may be because higher levels of nitrate
compensate for the lack of planktonic food organisms and particulate
organic nitrogen available to corals in the wild.
Biological assimilation and denitrification converts the nitrate added into carbonate alkalinity, so there is no accumulation of sodium or potassium, which are difficult to test for.
Higher nitrate levels may also assist organic breakdown and prevent hydrogen sulfide in anoxic/anaerobic areas of rock and sand. When phosphate levels are already high, increasing food input can be problematic when trying to raise nitrate levels because food also imports phosphate. B-Ionic Nitrate provides a solution by raising nitrate without increasing phosphate. 1ml/20 gals. of aquarium water adds 1 ppm nitrate.
