Please help with my test results!

[Coast Rob]

Hello everyone, Happy Valentine Day.

Could anyone please take a look at my test results and give me some advice on how im looking.

Info: 100gl tank, 3 large live rock and 2 blue/green chromies. Running a PS and Canister filter .

Tanks been up and running for about 3 weeks.

I'm concerned about the PH level ?

Date	2/6/2012	2/11/2012	2/12/2012	2/13/2012	2/14/2012
PH	8.0	7.8	8	8	8.4
Ammonia	0.3	0.5	0.5	0.25	0
Nitrate	0.0	0	0	0	0
Nitrite	0.0	0	0	5	10
Time:			4:15pm	8:00pm	8:00pm

 

[aquabull]

Hello!
pH can and will fluctuate, especially given the time of day(photoperiod). If the tank is dark, more CO2 is produced (lowering the pH) and in the daylight, more oxygen is produced (by-product of photosynthesis), which raisel the pH.
pH is related directly to carbonate hardness. If the Kh is below 8, (dKh) the pH won't be stable, fluctuating with photoperiod.
8.2-8.4 is a range to try to acheive. Most aquarists dose carbonate hardness and calcium on alternate days to help keep them stable (dKh8-12, Ca 400-500).

i could go on, but i digress...
i could go on, but i digress...

 

[Steven R]

Judging by the readings you are still cycling and it has only been up for three weeks which is not nearly long enough to consider to be stable since your PH is swinging and you have ammonia in the system thus makes ammonia even more toxic to the fish the higher the ph goes the more toxic the ammonia and nitrite become. Your PH will stabilize the higher your ALK is shoot for around 7 to 9 DKH and this will help with the PH swings. You should shoot for PH to remain steady at around 8.0 to 8.3 once the ammonia and nitrite and immeasurable. Your tank is still very young for stability though. I recommend IMO to go get a chemical called stability by Seachem this chemical is easy to use ( i have used it repeatedly ) on start ups this chemical will help you establish bio-filtration correctly and help you prevent new tank syndrome. Also the canister filter will become a huge nitrate factory for you down the road unless you are relentless with the maintenance. What are you using for circulation and how many times is the tank turning over ?
Hope this helps steve

 

[Coast Rob]

Hello..

Ok thats for your advice. So dKh8-12 and Ca 400-500 can be purchased at my LFS

I don't have a test kit for kH ??

 

[Steven R]

Hello..

Ok thats for your advice. So dKh8-12 and Ca 400-500 can be purchased at my LFS

I don't have a test kit for kH ??

Yes both the chemical and test kits. I recommend brightwell 2 part calcium and ALK The names are reefcode A and B with this also you usually do not have to dose Magnesium
for MAG i would shoot for between 1300 and 1500 this helps with calcium uptake I use this two part method on all my systems along with brightwell neo-marine salt.
Just make sure you always test everything you are adding so you do not OD the tank.

 

[Coast Rob]

Ok, I'll see what i can do about purchasing some 'Stability" this week.

To your ref. about the canister filter? When youu mention relentless maintenance, are you just talking about changing out the carbon bag and replacing the filters?

I'm running 2 MaxJet(1500) pwh. and a Freedom filter/Protien skimmer (rated 1000/1500gl hr) and then the canister filter below, sumping and return about the same

 

[Steven R]

Ok, I'll see what i can do about purchasing some 'Stability" this week.

To your ref. about the canister filter? When youu mention relentless maintenance, are you just talking about changing out the carbon bag and replacing the filters?

I'm running 2 MaxJet(1500) pwh. and a Freedom filter/Protien skimmer (rated 1000/1500gl hr) and then the canister filter below, sumping and return about the same

Not exactly carbon but carbon is one of those things I would run when needed not all the time and make sure it is a good carbon bad ones will leach a lot of phosphates into the water and drive your algae and can also remove needed elements from the water if not carefull. Canister filters tend to have a lot of detritus build up ( old food things like that ) that can really drive the ammonia and nitrate to become out of control if you basically do not clean the filter weekly or biweekly at minimum. If you do plan to keep the canister i would only use it to hold your chemipure or what ever else you might want to place in there as a pass through filtration and do away with the blue polishing pad and carbon even then you are still going to have to clean it a lot. But that is just my opinion. For flow it seems to be turning over nicely how are they set up and facing what direction? if you are doing reef I would shoot for non laminear flow more random then straight blowing on to the corals.
What do you plan on doing with the sump?

 

[Coast Rob]

Thank you all for the advice... I'm working on a different direction with the filtration system, which i feel allot better about. I purchased an over-flow box and traded that sump i describe earlier for a 20 gal tank. I'm having an internal box built to house my protien skimmer, an Octopus (??) and working on a return pump. I've made all the connections and return lines, just need to install the inter-box and drill some holes to over-flow into the 20 gl. That's the biggest tank i could fit under the stand, but my local FS guy, help me with the set-up and concept. I just need to purchase the rest of the equipment and real start slamming in the LR.


SLOW, SLOW, SLOW

 

[Brettinteriors]

IMHO, don't chase ph. if you were running a calcium reactor it would be different. Kh, buffer, and Alk are basically the same thing and one of the most important things to monitor as this is what makes your ph stable. I shoot for an Alk of 9. I always run between 8.5 and 9.3. Stability is the key, you don't want to add a bunch of xx all at once and cause a lot of quick fluctuation or you will kill stuff. Water changes are all you need until you see Alk, cal, ect drop on a test. I cannot stress how important it is to ad Alk slow. My tank uses about .5 Dkh daily. I add buffer to my top off water that is auto top off throughout the day. If you want to save money you can get calcium, sodium carbonate(buffer), and mag from bulk reef supply. They even have a simple calculator of how much to put in to get you desired level. Phosphate is another thing to watch. Not only is it bad for coral(IMHO more so than nitrate) it is what causes red slime.