Hi,
I finally upgraded from API to Salifert to get an accurate water reading, especially after the death of my cleaner shrimp and bubble tip anemone (which I think had more to do with flow, but I wanted to be sure). While some parameters were in the ideal range, others were WAAAY off! So I decided to ask for some recommendations on how to adjust certain parameters. The one that is most alarming to me is the phosphates. When I used API, I figured that this high number was related to the wildly inaccurate test kits, but now that salifert is reading a similar result, I’m not sure why it is like this. Maybe I tested wrong?? I double, triple checked the instructions…
Salinity: 1.024
Calc: 480 ppm
Mag: 1500 ppm
Alk: 10.9 dkh
Nitrates: 10 ppm
Phosphates: 1 ppm (no, this isn’t a typo)
pH: 8.15
The water volume is 40 gallons and my water change schedule is 15% per week. The only fish currently in there is a shrimpgoby, and there is a wide variety of lps and soft corals, all thriving. Most algae growth is green film algae and occasionally diatoms. As far as salt goes, I’ve always used InstantOcean Reef Crystals, mixing the proper amounts during water changes.
I finally upgraded from API to Salifert to get an accurate water reading, especially after the death of my cleaner shrimp and bubble tip anemone (which I think had more to do with flow, but I wanted to be sure). While some parameters were in the ideal range, others were WAAAY off! So I decided to ask for some recommendations on how to adjust certain parameters. The one that is most alarming to me is the phosphates. When I used API, I figured that this high number was related to the wildly inaccurate test kits, but now that salifert is reading a similar result, I’m not sure why it is like this. Maybe I tested wrong?? I double, triple checked the instructions…
Salinity: 1.024
Calc: 480 ppm
Mag: 1500 ppm
Alk: 10.9 dkh
Nitrates: 10 ppm
Phosphates: 1 ppm (no, this isn’t a typo)
pH: 8.15
The water volume is 40 gallons and my water change schedule is 15% per week. The only fish currently in there is a shrimpgoby, and there is a wide variety of lps and soft corals, all thriving. Most algae growth is green film algae and occasionally diatoms. As far as salt goes, I’ve always used InstantOcean Reef Crystals, mixing the proper amounts during water changes.