Hey everyone! Long time lurker, first time poster. This may be long-sorry in advance! I'm new to reef keeping, experienced in freshwater, so I understand the cycling process. I have a Fluval Evo 13.5, upgraded filter media (floss and chemistry blue), added powerhead, stock lights and pump. Tank was started with live sand and rock three months ago. Added several blue legged hermits and a coral banded shrimp first. Several weeks later, added a clown, fire fish, and six line wrasse. ( NOT all at the same time, and no more critters will be added, only corals!) Corals went in over this time as well-mixed softies, lps, and "beginner friendly" sps. So far, everyone is healthy and happy and GROWING! 10 hour light cycle, feeding a mix of pellets, frozen, seaweed, and a liquid phytoplankton about every three days. Experiencing diatoms and hair algea. Yay. 25-30% water change every Sunday. Tank was cycled. Tested today and didn't like what the API reef master kit told me:
1.026 sg- has not changed in months
.25-.5 ammonia (hard to tell, and the fw master kit is soo much easier to read for some reason!)
0 nitrites
0 nitrates ( What?!?!?!? Since when?!?! It was hovering around 5)
8.2 ph-has not changed in 3 months
78 degrees- also hasn't changed
360 calcium
9kh ppm
.25-.50 phosphates-super hard to read
No magnesium test
No alkalinity test
That's the stupidest!!!!! Uggg!
So. Did I lose my cycle? Should I be concerned? Everything is thriving, but I don't like these results. I NEVER dose my fw tanks, and need opinions on what everyone thinks of dosing salt tanks. (ie- I need to up the calcium for the corals, but this will drop my alkalinity, so dose magnesium????) Obviously, I need to find a test kit for these before dosing anything, and which do you prefer?
I haven't tested in a few weeks, and had I NOT tested today, I'd just assume everything is fine. Do I just leave well enough alone? Start dosing? Add macro algea to one of the compartments? Any and allllll suggestions are welcome, because if I can keep this tiny tank going, then....!)
(It's hard to give a simplified version of feeding, cleaning etc! Geez!!)
1.026 sg- has not changed in months
.25-.5 ammonia (hard to tell, and the fw master kit is soo much easier to read for some reason!)
0 nitrites
0 nitrates ( What?!?!?!? Since when?!?! It was hovering around 5)
8.2 ph-has not changed in 3 months
78 degrees- also hasn't changed
360 calcium
9kh ppm
.25-.50 phosphates-super hard to read
No magnesium test
No alkalinity test
That's the stupidest!!!!! Uggg!
So. Did I lose my cycle? Should I be concerned? Everything is thriving, but I don't like these results. I NEVER dose my fw tanks, and need opinions on what everyone thinks of dosing salt tanks. (ie- I need to up the calcium for the corals, but this will drop my alkalinity, so dose magnesium????) Obviously, I need to find a test kit for these before dosing anything, and which do you prefer?
I haven't tested in a few weeks, and had I NOT tested today, I'd just assume everything is fine. Do I just leave well enough alone? Start dosing? Add macro algea to one of the compartments? Any and allllll suggestions are welcome, because if I can keep this tiny tank going, then....!)
(It's hard to give a simplified version of feeding, cleaning etc! Geez!!)