levels

[b-ridge]

my levels are crazy out of wack. My phosphate measured 2.43, my alkalinity was 149 and my calcium was 551 all done with hanna checker. My nitrate was at 20-40 and my ammonia is at 0 all done with API testing. salinity is at 1.021 and temp isa t 76. What are you guys solutions. I know water changes. I am not running carbon or gfo. I do have access to prodibio bio-optim and bio-digest.

 

[vio]

ATI is the worst test kit, try Salifert,Hanna,Red sea.

 

[b-ridge]

that is what I am hearing also. my levels are still out of wack though

 

[Dan_P]

Did something die in the aquarium?

How quickly did the parameters reach these levels?

 

[b-ridge]

nothing died. the calcium is high cause of the new salt I imagine. Just started using reef crystals

 

[Dan_P]

I just stared up an aquarium with Instant Ocean Reef Crystals. Parameters are good but pH is 7.5. I will get a new pH probe because every other reason for low pH has been eliminated.

Your nitrates and phosphates seemed high. Have they been this way for long?

 

[b-ridge]

phosphates are definitely high. definitely gonna start running some sort of gfo tomorrow. was looking for rowaphos but can't seem to find it anywhere. they used to stock it at max reefs but didn't see it last time I was there. I will have to check again saturday. I will be doing at least a 55 gallon water change this weekend. total tank water volume is around 300. Wondering what the largest water change I can go? don't wanna go to big since I just got 2 anenomes(1 gbta,1rbta) and a few corals. pretty sure they are still adjusting but I do wanna get these levels correct asap

 

[NYreefNoob]

do as big of a water change as you can to get levels down, reef crystals is barely over 400 on cal and around 8 on dkh and under 1300 mag in a fresh batch mixed, are you dosing anything ? how long has tank been running ? where did rock come from was it live or dead rock ? you using a ro/di unit ? using carbon ? definately want to get some form of gfo. big water change wont hurt as long as you really dont go below rock, longer rock sits exposed to air there will be die off, i personally use the redsea master kit which has alk,cal and mag kit and pretty dead on.20-40 is a little high but not enough to hurt fish or coral but can cause loss in color with phos and nitrates up, i would suggest doing some reading on dosing vodka, also what skimmer are you using

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Was it the hanna pocket phosphate meter?

Get 2 phosban reactors, 2 pumps, rowaphos and a good carbon and start running those.

Also get good test kits and re check with other test kits before getting crazy.

Do a nice sized water change to play it safe. Can you please tell us everything from a - z equipment, feeding and maintenance wise for your tank...

 

[b-ridge]

No I am not dosing anything. The tank has been up and running for over 2 years. Back in December my wife put copper power into my tank thinking she was doing something good cause she saw something in the tank. While this is going on somehow my sump in the basement cracked. All my fish and corals that people had donated to me to start with had died. Tank was broken down, cleaned out. Placed new rocks and new sand into tank. Got new sump(thanks boogie) baffled it in and was good to go. I forget to mention the rocks and the sand and the water I had taken out of my 265 gallon since it was just sitting there. The water in that tank was started with tap water unfortunately. Checked the levels before putting the 265 water into my 240 gallon tank. ammonia was fine, nitrites we're fine, nitrates were a little high but this was also tested with a api kit. I then did a 40 gallon water change. I was told when using copper you can't put anything in your tank as far as inverts, corals, etc. I then went to petco(I know, I know) and bought 3 snails and 3 crabs. They are all living and doing well even with high nitrates. Ok the live rock was semi live. It was live put into salt water. There was no movement going on as far as powerheads or even the pump running. Since this was the case I received live rock from numerous members to help seed it a little more. Yes I am using a rodi. Had to get new cartridges. Now I need a new membrane. No I am not using carbon, or gfo at this time. Hope to have this started tomorrow. I am using the reef octopus 5000 int skimmer.
yes it was the hanna pocket meter as well as the calcium and alkalinity. I am looking for a store that sells rowaphos. If I can't find it I will have to start using phosban(russ you listening) for the time being until I can order some rowaphos. Equipment wise I have a 240 gallon tank plumbed into a 125 gallon sump and 75 gallon fuge. sump and fuge are in the basement. I am running gold hammerhead pump. I just recently got some macro algae(thanks troy). I am running 4 FATHOM lights(thanks Jimmy). As far as feeding goes I just bought 3 fish last saturday. 2 clowns, 1 vlamini tang(thanks edwin, your so commercial nowadays, we all remember when you was gangsta) and I picked up some corals(thanks poncen and tomjof) 2 anemones(thanks timbertdi and hecdr). everything seems to be doing great except my mushroom. Mushroom looks like its melting. I plan on grabbing a torch and a hammer on saturday and thats it until I get these levels the way they should be. Sorry for the long life story. Now wheres the HELP

 

[Tonyscoots84]

btw those meters are not reliable in my eyes....

 

[Tonyscoots84]

you need to get yourself the red sea pro alk, cal, and mag test kit and have your phosphates tested with a real deal hanna meter.... also i saw you posted that your wife dosed the tank with copper which is not good when you have corals...

i would get 2 phosban reactors and pumps and start running phosban and carbon