High Alk,Ca,Mg but stable Leave the numbers alone or try to lower?

[Clown2020]

Hi

I have a 32 gallon reef tank about 6 months old. Currently have a few frags around 10ish mostly lps but a couple of sps and softies and a bubble tip anemone. the oldest frags and new have been in the tank about three weeks and the new 1 month. Nothing seems upset by my parameters but there is also no highly noticeable growth. Am changing out 30 litres each week.

I have been testing 2 times weekly 1 the day after water change and 2 the day before water change using Aquaforest test kits for everything except po4 which is sachem and ph is Seneye. Parameters have been rock solid with only a 0.1 difference in DKH and 005 difference in CA

Alk 13.5
CA 490-495
Mg 1480
Po4 0.25 - 0.8
No3 5ppm until adding the coral and a bit of an algae outbreak have dropped back to 1-3ppm.
have got aquarium Systems algae control as it says developed by dr Tim and couldn't get dr tims

Ph 8.1 during day, overnight can drop to between 7.6-7.8

Salinity 1.026

Are these results dangerously High and need to be lowered? or is high and stable going to be better long term than trying to alter anything given I have coral that will start to use this.

Also with regards to ph after reading a few posts I'm certain it is co2 related, are there any risks iin not doing anything and allowing the ph to fluctuate in the range that it is.

Thanks

 

[Timfish]

For startes I'd cut back to just 20% - 30% monthly total for water changes, if my math is right you're doing around 100% monthly right now. Check you alkalinity of the new saltwater before adding it to your tank (let it sit a day), my guess is you're adding a lot with your water changes. 13.5 is high but in my experiences setting up new tanks it will start going down as your corals aclimate and start growing, but water chagnes with water lower in alkalinity than the display tank is how I lower it if needed.

 

[Clown2020]

For startes I'd cut back to just 20% - 30% monthly total for water changes, if my math is right you're doing around 100% monthly right now. Check you alkalinity of the new saltwater before adding it to your tank (let it sit a day), my guess is you're adding a lot with your water changes. 13.5 is high but in my experiences setting up new tanks it will start going down as your corals aclimate and start growing, but water chagnes with water lower in alkalinity than the display tank is how I lower it if needed.

Yep did the math both in litres and gallons and works out to 100% change per month or 40% per week

I mix my alt fortnightly so tested some water that's been sitting since last weekend and alk, ca, mg match the tank.

Ill try cutting back to water changes to 10l or 2.5 gallons a week for starters and see how that goes, I'm all for making my salt last 4x longer

 

[Staghorn]

I would try to get your number closer to natural seawater range. What salt mix are you using? Maybe find a brand that has lower calcium and alkalinity. As far as the ph goes. Do you run a refugium which could be put on an opposite lighting schedule or are you able to run the skimmer intake to outside your house so you could pull in fresh air?

 

[Clown2020]

I would try to get your number closer to natural seawater range. What salt mix are you using? Maybe find a brand that has lower calcium and alkalinity. As far as the ph goes. Do you run a refugium which could be put on an opposite lighting schedule or are you able to run the skimmer intake to outside your house so you could pull in fresh air?

Using instant ocean, the tank is a 32 gallon fluvial flex so all in one. I do run a skimmer unfortunately no way to get the airline outside, I do run the tank with a mesh lid and have tried keeping a window open overnight when possible.

This does help ph low sticks around 7.8. are there any risks with having the ph the way it is?

I read about people running there tank at 12 dkh and 490 ca, are there any risks in waiting for the coral to start using alk and ca and start trying to maintain the level once it drops to around 10 dkh and 480 ca? currently have 5 lps frags 3 sps frags should I expect them to start consuming alk and ca any time soon?