How we lookin?

[capito2007]

First time testing some of the major Params... tank is a little over a month old now..
How we looking?
PH = 8.2
Nitrate = 5.0ppm
Phosphate = 0.25ppm
Alkalinity = 10dkh
Calcium = 400ppm
Salinity = 34ppt
Temp = 78

 

[ru4serious]

Phosphate kinda high , everything else looks good

 

[capito2007]

Phosphate kinda high , everything else looks good

0 ppm or close to is what is desired, correct?
Suggestions to lower?
I have a 10% water change scheduled Sunday.

I only feed once a day and only have two clowns. They usually eat all of the pellets I put I .. just started giving them flakes 2/3 nights buts they don’t seem to like flakes

 

[Uncle99]

You need MG at 1400, CA I’d bump to 440-465.
Else looks great. Phosphate normal in new setup, not concerned.
Now....keep them steady....and let your bacteria populate.

 

[ru4serious]

Don't try for 0, .03 - .09 is what most try to achieve

 

[capito2007]

You need MG at 1400, CA I’d bump to 440-465.
Else looks great. Phosphate normal in new setup, not concerned.
Now....keep them steady....and let your bacteria populate.

How would you suggest bumping up my calc? These levels are likely being accomplished through my salt Red Sea pro.

Should I get kalkwasser and put into my ATO reservoir? Was thinking about getting it but wanted to see where my levels were first.

 

[Uncle99]

You have no Stoney corals as this is a new set up, so I would do nothing but water changes, small variations like this are not important right now, but, stability is king. By doing the same percentage water change weekly, that should keep the numbers stable until such a time you start adding Stoney type corals, then, ALK and CA will start to drop and you’ll need to start dosing a bit.

I might increase to 1.026 on the RS Pro, it should mix to 11.5, 465, and 1385, and the increase in salinity should bump it upwards a bit, assuming your working towards a mixed reef.

It’s important to keep MG at 1360-1440ppm otherwise it will be hard to keep the other two stable.

From a nutrient management perspective, again in a new set up we are looking to maintain 2-10ppm nitrate and 0.05-.1ppm phosphate.

If you find they are rising, you can try adding more surface area, Marine Pure Blocks and such are a great home for your beneficial bacteria to live (and process the bad stuff to not so bad stuff)

You’ll find a point in the maturity of your system where feeding equals export capacity and nutrients will stabilize.

 

[capito2007]

You have no Stoney corals as this is a new set up, so I would do nothing but water changes, small variations like this are not important right now, but, stability is king. By doing the same percentage water change weekly, that should keep the numbers stable until such a time you start adding Stoney type corals, then, ALK and CA will start to drop and you’ll need to start dosing a bit.

I might increase to 1.026 on the RS Pro, it should mix to 11.5, 465, and 1385, and the increase in salinity should bump it upwards a bit, assuming your working towards a mixed reef.

It’s important to keep MG at 1360-1440ppm otherwise it will be hard to keep the other two stable.

Perfect. Yes I 100% intend to do a mixed reef and is what I’m building towards. I do a 15% water change weekly, so I’ll start working on increasing my salinity to that recommended level.

 

[Uncle99]

I’ve used RSP for years as I run elevated parameters, good salt.
In the last two years I switched to Fritz Redline as it produces the same levels as RSP, for 1/3 less cost, and has a higher MG level at 1420ppm.

Not intending to sell anything, just seems that both are quite similar and could be switched out, if one became hard to find, so you would be able to maintain your stability as is.

 

[capito2007]

Today’s test results...
arrows indicate change from the week prior
‘T’ indicates “Target”
*First week testing magnesium

Any reason my PH increased (from 8.2)? Is it because I raised my salinity from 34 -> 35?

 

[Bo.]

PH could simply be having windows in the house open, or time of day tested.

 

[capito2007]

This weeks results:
Please give analysis (i.e should I be concerned about any specific change.)
Arrow indicates change from last week parentheses represent the change...

*Using Red Sea Pro*
15% water change weekly
No dosing
Tank is two months old..
Only livestock is a pair of clowns that have been in the tank for three weeks now. They get fed pellets every other day

 

[blasterman]

His calcium is fine. If higher calcium were required to grow corals it would be in salt mixes.

Not sure why there's this trend lately to have sky high calcium when it doesn't do anything. Friend of mine has a 450 running on a reactor and he has acropora colonies 2feet across and football size clams. His calcium is about 350.

If your salt mixes at 400 then target 400. Obsessing over raising calcium to 465 is a big waste of time.

Not thrilled about that .2 phosphate. New tanks are playing Russian roulette with that much potential fertilizer in the water column. Takes one algae spore on a coral plug and boom, tank is a salad. Feel a lot better if it was around .05.