Question for the more experienced reefers:
I dose and am keeping my levels where my IO RC salt got my tank to after religious water changes:
Alk: 9.9
Cal: 490
Mag: 1425
Sg: 1.026
However, my nutrients for Nitrate and Phosphate continuously come back as undetectable on my Salifert tests.
Ive tried feeding more and no water changes (was doing a 20g change once every other week on a 65g tank) but am seeing no nutrient readings.
Am I good or bad for a mixed reef?
Your listed parameters are fine, but I would not go higher on ALK until you show/know nutrients. There are caveats to that:
a) Is there any algae growing in your tank? If so, you have nutrient NO3 and PO4 available. It is being taken up by the algae, but is available to your corals.
b) IMO, only the Hanna ULR Phosphate checker has the resolution to measure PO4 at low levels. It is a tool worth owning because while .03 is fine, 0 is bad. (subject to my first point about algae.)
c) Most nitrate tests again offer little resolution on the low side. I've settled on using Red Sea.