So I’ve been in this hobby for a long time.
Well I was in it for a long time, close to 10 years, and then had no tanks for 5 years, now a couple years back into it.
I have never been a disciplined tester. If I’m being honest? I virtually never tested, and when I did I was not confident at all in the results, Outside of SG, temp, & pH.
A few months ago, I got to a point getting back into this that I’m figuring out some of the new stuff going on since my hiatus finally - it’s much harder second time around with a bunch of kids , but my progress started stalling out a bit.
I have a 270g display, 150 Rubbermaid sump, with a fair amount of crushed coral and LR, no lighting dedicated to the sump, but it does get a decent amount of overspill in a few places. I also have an XPORT Bio Block in the sump andhave been dosing 7.5 mL of Microbacter7 and Reef Biofuel. Then I have a 26g, 4’x2’x a few inches tall, with a mangrove and some macro, kind of a unique set up, check out my build thread for more there. I also have a media reactor with carbon and gfo, and I have a 65g 4x2x1 frag tank.
I know I need a bigger skimmer, I just have some random used skimmer rated for like 150 # or something.
So I want to figure out how to make my tank better. Grow faster, get rid of the little nuisance algae’s and cyano, improve my health, and hone my hobby.
So for 4 months I’ve been accumulating test kits, getting better at using them and then after they weren’t new anymore, I had to learn that you have to keep maintaining the tools and cleaning and cleaning and cleaning them lol or they don’t work as well.
I just got done with an hour of testing thanks to my wife falling asleep in my sons room putting him down.
Attached are my findings.
I tested RO water right from the tube, first burned maybe 250mL, then took a sample, never touched my reservoir.
Next I took tests of my mixed saltwater that I’m planning on doing a water change with tomorrow in my ~3 year old Rubber tractor supply trash can look reservoir.
Finally to test my tank.
I have a few questions and I’d love any other analysis or advice based on my tests!
- why is my RO pH so high??
- as I figured, my RO reservoir is adding phosphates to the water.
It’s not adding nitrates but I also figured it wouldn’t, but could add something that would turn into nitrates in the tank or something else bad other than the phosphates? The phosphates don’t bother me since my tank water is in a fine range, right?
So do I dump my mixed water and get a new reservoir or is it fine?
Is my pH lower than usually because it’s midnight when I’m testing? I know it correlates to time but not super clear how.
I really want to get my nitrates down in the 3-4.5 range. Right? I got a 36” python, which I will be using at my next water change.
I also want to upgrade my skimmer, what else should I consider doing.
I have reef code A, B, Replenish and liquid reef, but don’t barely dose any of them, I monitor alk and calcium, i have more questions on that topic, but will save those for later….
Looking forward to your thoughts!!
Well I was in it for a long time, close to 10 years, and then had no tanks for 5 years, now a couple years back into it.
I have never been a disciplined tester. If I’m being honest? I virtually never tested, and when I did I was not confident at all in the results, Outside of SG, temp, & pH.
A few months ago, I got to a point getting back into this that I’m figuring out some of the new stuff going on since my hiatus finally - it’s much harder second time around with a bunch of kids , but my progress started stalling out a bit.
I have a 270g display, 150 Rubbermaid sump, with a fair amount of crushed coral and LR, no lighting dedicated to the sump, but it does get a decent amount of overspill in a few places. I also have an XPORT Bio Block in the sump andhave been dosing 7.5 mL of Microbacter7 and Reef Biofuel. Then I have a 26g, 4’x2’x a few inches tall, with a mangrove and some macro, kind of a unique set up, check out my build thread for more there. I also have a media reactor with carbon and gfo, and I have a 65g 4x2x1 frag tank.
I know I need a bigger skimmer, I just have some random used skimmer rated for like 150 # or something.
So I want to figure out how to make my tank better. Grow faster, get rid of the little nuisance algae’s and cyano, improve my health, and hone my hobby.
So for 4 months I’ve been accumulating test kits, getting better at using them and then after they weren’t new anymore, I had to learn that you have to keep maintaining the tools and cleaning and cleaning and cleaning them lol or they don’t work as well.
I just got done with an hour of testing thanks to my wife falling asleep in my sons room putting him down.
Attached are my findings.
I tested RO water right from the tube, first burned maybe 250mL, then took a sample, never touched my reservoir.
Next I took tests of my mixed saltwater that I’m planning on doing a water change with tomorrow in my ~3 year old Rubber tractor supply trash can look reservoir.
Finally to test my tank.
I have a few questions and I’d love any other analysis or advice based on my tests!
- why is my RO pH so high??
- as I figured, my RO reservoir is adding phosphates to the water.
It’s not adding nitrates but I also figured it wouldn’t, but could add something that would turn into nitrates in the tank or something else bad other than the phosphates? The phosphates don’t bother me since my tank water is in a fine range, right?
So do I dump my mixed water and get a new reservoir or is it fine?
Is my pH lower than usually because it’s midnight when I’m testing? I know it correlates to time but not super clear how.
I really want to get my nitrates down in the 3-4.5 range. Right? I got a 36” python, which I will be using at my next water change.
I also want to upgrade my skimmer, what else should I consider doing.
I have reef code A, B, Replenish and liquid reef, but don’t barely dose any of them, I monitor alk and calcium, i have more questions on that topic, but will save those for later….
Looking forward to your thoughts!!
