Tell me your water parameters?

[duke62]

Looking to see how everyone's water chemistry is in their setup,how many times you test, what kit do you use and what kind of corals you keep. I'll start
I have a sps dominant tank
Alk is at 8.5 checked daily using salifert test kit
Calcium is 420 checked every Saturday using salifert
Mag is 1400 checked every Saturday using salifert
Nitrates are between 5 and 10 checked every Sunday using salifert
Phosphates are undetectable checked every Sunday using Hanna
Potassium 400 Just started checking this parameter but doing it every other Sunday using salifert

 

[vio]

I have a sps dominant tank also, i use to dose and run BB, now i got 220 Gal. i run Calcuim Reactor, i go back on Argonite sand (brown sugar size)
Alk is at 8.2 checked once a week.( Hanna)
Calcium is 425 checked every two weeks , add some Ca. some time. ( Salifert)
Mag is 1250-1350 checked every two weeks using Salifert
Nitrates stop checking ,is undetectable.
Phosphates very close to zero, 0.003 Hanna
Potassium 410 every month Salifert[/QUOTE]
Feed once a day only.
Run Biopeletts, Temp. 77-78 F PH 7.96 night 8.1 day.
Macro Algae (Chaeto)
Run 4 MP 40 Vortech + 1600 Gal. return ump.

 

[duke62]

So guessing no one wants to have reef talk anymore on MR.

 

[KurtL]

Didn't you take your tank down because electricity was too expensive?

 

[Moneymaks24]

Lol still using tap water?

 

[duke62]

No changed my mind on taking it down. And moneymak never used tap you just don't know how to read and comprehend. Also didn't you put me on your block list?

 

[lnevo]

I don't test as religiously, but I try and do some checks on Saturday's. I check Alk once a week. Calcium every 2 weeks, the mag, nitrate, phosphate once a month.

Alk - 7.8
Calcium - 420
Mag - 1350
Nitrate - 8-12
Phosphate - 0-0.02

 

[Moneymaks24]

There's a blocks list?! I wouldn't block u anyway you are my #1 source of info.

 

[TUSI]

SPS dominant tank
Cal 440
Alk 8.50
Mag 1400
Pot 400
Phos 0.05
Nit o.20
Temp 77
Pretty normal as everybody here. Test once a month except alk every day
Test kits salifert and Hannah

 

[Reef lover24]

How do you guys keep your nitrates so low and stable? I always have a problem with my nitrates. Thanks

 

[duke62]

I vodka dose. Very easy and safe if you follow directions

 

[Reef lover24]

Never heard of doing that.. Can you pm me how to do it and a quick overview about it? How often and etc. Would be greatly appreciated man.

 

[Paolissimo]

I check once a week, sometimes twice a week. These are my parameters. I have a mixed reef tank.
Calcium 450
Alk 8.6
Mag 1500
Nitrate 0
Phospate 0
Everything is salifert test kits.
Phospate is hanna checker.

 

[Paolissimo]

How do you guys keep your nitrates so low and stable? I always have a problem with my nitrates. Thanks

You can try prodibio, they lowered my nitrate to zero after a couple of doses.

 

[vio]

Never heard of doing that.. Can you pm me how to do it and a quick overview about it? How often and etc. Would be greatly appreciated man.

Vodka,Vinegar,Sugar (Biopeletts) is a source of Carbon, help the cells of bacteria to multiply, Bacteria to exist and multiply need Nitrate and PO4 to consume, the trick is to maintain the right amount of bacteria, in your tank right now, bacteria got less and less, corals consume, water change , die etc. so u need more , that what the source of Carbon do, control the right amount of Bacteria. Then u need a GOOD Protein Skimmer, to remove the old bacteria and improve the oxygen level , also remove some organic stuff, small detritus, poo from fish, some PO4 etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C38fzd8XsHM
http://melevsreef.com/node/184
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1422666
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6/vodka-dosing-172407.html
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/

 

[Paul B]

Dam I knew I should have gotten some test kits so I can go on threads like this. :sad2:

 

[duke62]

It's very easy not to test your aquarium. You can look in your tank and when your acros are brown you know you have high nutrients. Some people don't mind the browned out acros as long as they are growing. But before it comes to that testing once a week which takes all of 10 min to do can save a lot of headaches for guys that like to see the cool colors their corals can show. Alk is easy to determine as we'll, you burn your tips alk is high or not stable to low some STN will appear again who wants the headache. For 10 min a week and 2 min every day to check the alk it's worth it then staring at the tank waiting to see how the corals react. I know the piece of mind of testing to keep my colors are worth it

 

[jackson6745]

Alk 9Dkh Salifert
Cal 430ppm RedSea
MG 1300ppm Red Sea
Po4 0.0 Low Range Hanna
No3 15ppm Salifert
temp 77.5

 

[Moneymaks24]

Alk 5 dkh
Mag 1100
Cal 490
Phos 0 ( lie )
Nitrate 30

 

[PHILYD1]

I only listen to JERL and he says no testing, My tank loos like a swamp but he says trust me it will come around so lets wait and see, he also got me off the vodka dosing and put me on Hennessy dosing, Gotta say the Henny helped a lot,