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00W's AIO Smorgasbord

Aquarium Profile and Equipment

What type of saltwater aquarium is this?
Mixed Reef
Total Water Volume
115
When did you start this tank?
Jun 16, 2015
What is your aquarium made of?
Glass
Aquarium Length (inches)
48
Aquarium Width (inches)
18
Aquarium Height (inches)
24
Aquarium Overflow/Drain
Drain Style (durso, herbie, etc)
Aquarium Sump
YES
Sump Water Volume
20
Aquarium Stand
Wood
Aquarium Controller
NO
Protein Skimmer
NO
Protein Skimmer Make and Model
Lifereef vs3-24
Aquarium Reactors
  1. None
Return Pump
Eheim compaction 3000
What types of equipment are you using for water flow and circulation?
  1. Powerhead
  2. Wavemaker
Water Flow and Circulation Equipment List
Jebao OW 20 x2, OW10, Jebao 1300, 2 sicce small WaveMaker.
Aquarium Lighting
  1. T5 Fluorescent
  2. Natural Sunlight
Lighting Equipment List
Odyssea T5 HO fixture
Lighting PAR and Goals
Low
Dosing Equipment Detail
None
Auto Top Off or ATO
NO
Aquarium Heating and Cooling
  1. I am using a heater or heaters
Water Temperature
77
Heating and Cooling Equipment Detail
Eheim 300w with ink bird controller

Aquarium Water Chemistry and Parameters

pH Level
8.3
Specific Gravity
1.027
Nitrate or NO3
19
Phosphate or PO4
1.12
Calcium
440
Alkalinity
7
Magnesium
1300
Salt Brand
Red sea blue bucket
Trace Element Dosing
Kent essential elements

Aquarium Natural and Mechanical Filtration

Substrate
Bare Bottom (BB)
Substrate Level
No Substrate
Live Rock
75
Live Rock Type
Unknown
Nutrient Export
  1. Protein Skimmer
  2. Filter Sock
Water Changes
YES
Water Change Details
10% every Monday

Aquarium Tank Inhabitants (fish, coral, invert etc.)

Fish List
  1. Angelfish
  2. Clownfish
  3. Surgeonfish Tang
  4. Other Predatory
Total Fish
4
Coral List
  1. Zoanthids
  2. Soft Coral
  3. Mushroom Coral
  4. Other
Total Corals
6
Invert List
  1. Anemone
  2. Snails
  3. None
Total Inverts
0
Livestock Detail
Have a trigger which is not listed.
Livestock Quarantine
  1. No Quarantine

Aquarium Nutrition (fish, coral, invert etc. feeding)

Fish Feeding Frequency
Multiple Daily Feedings
Coral Feeding Frequency
Do Not Feed Coral Directly
Fish and Coral Feeding
  1. Flake
  2. Pellet
  3. Frozen
  4. Algae Strips
  5. Other
Auto Feeder
NO

Additional Aquarium Information

What do you think are the keys to your success in reefing?
Patience
Got pulled over again today on my way home.
Was told I was going too fast uphill out of a traffic circle, 35 in an unmarked 25 zone.
Unmarked sheriff suburban.
It was my son's friend's dad so we talked about the boys...
 
Question, my dKh is steadily dropping after water changes and I am in a situation to where I feel I can not buffer it. First off my issue is my calcium is always high (455 t0 460) and my magnesium is low unless I add BRS magnesium adjustment mix, magnesium is holding at 1350 with 3 ml per day dosed. If I do not dose it, it will steadily drop down into the 1200 range. I do 4 gal. water changes per week with Instant Ocean Reef Salt, this salt has a higher calcium than the regular I.O. , all the dosing I do is Red Sea no pox at 4 ml per day, and the 3 ml per day of BRS magnesium mix. I was dosing All For Reef, but it has been over 3 months since I stopped doing it. I do manually dose 40 ml every seven days of Microbactor clean. This is what I have been doing during and after my cyano and dino issues that plagued me about 4 to 5 months ago. My parameters have been stable, will list my parameters below, but back to my question. I can change salt mixes to the regualr I.O. mix which would drop my calcium added during my water changes. I do know to gradually change the salt mix with blending. I can if needed to maintain the calcium and magnesium with AFR or other means (kalkwasser or 2 part) to keep my levels up. It pains me to have steady nutrient levels and then have an alkalinity issue. so basically I need to know how to maintain my alkalinity without boosting my calcium.

my testing parameter's today, all have been steady except the dKh drops between water changes.


7/29/25

phos - .17
nitrate - 10
dKh - 9.7 dropping until next water change
ph - 8.0
mag - 1350
calcium - 460
Jimmy I have no real need to monitor my numbers but I have and still test infrequently.
You can mix reef crystals and regular IO and get something in between.
I've done that for years and will do it every once in a while now.
I also use red sea blue bucket to moderate numbers as well especially if changing water weekly.
I use liquid alkalinity from me coral and it only raises calcium a hair while boosting alk very well.
With alk up so goes ph up but only for a bit.
Nothing wrong with calcium at 460.
I used to use Kent marine salt which tested out at 540. My favorite salt of all time and never had an issue
I'd try a change mixing the 2 IO brands and see how it goes.
Hope that helps.
 
Oof! 8 pages. I'll try to go back. Anything I need to know?
Paul's been posting insane UV pictures.
John got some bomb new corals.
I got pulled over again after a stupid busy day.
Jill did NOT see a tsunami.
Keith's name is Rock.
Rumple has been working on his tank and has the day off
Kev got into some Mary Jane it looks like and thinks it's Christmas.
Probably more but that's what sticks in my head.
 
Oof! 8 pages. I'll try to go back. Anything I need to know?
Mike also fixed a bunch of stuff all jenky and called it good.
Tom's chilling with some jazz, haven't seen Luis drink any beer yet and Amanda has been very quiet 🤔.
Hope you are doing well my friend.
 

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