Help with water parameters and dosing...

[Reefer420]

Just ran the full spectrum of tests on my tank- PH, No3, NH4 are all great- but I am having a hard time deciding what to do about my other readings (which I don't have experience testing for before). KH/Alk are in a good range, and Iodide seems fine- but Ca is lower than it should be and the combined Iodate and iodine test I did showed almost no reading at all. Salifert tests were used on all of these (and Iodate, Iodine was tested twice).

Ca 325 ppm (400-425ppm)
Iodide > .06 but much less than .1 ppm
Iodate and Iodine - much less than .03 didn't even color water in test
KH 8.0 dKH
Alk 2.86 meq/L

I have Kent Nano-Reef Part A & B Ion and Buffer System (typical 2 part system, adjusted a little for nano-sized tanks) - should I dose with it yet? It doesn't state at what levels you should initiate dosing.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Deanos]

Reefer420, you obviously did your research before starting this tank. Unfortunately, I believe you are going too far. I didn't even know they had more than 1 Iodine-based test kit. My advice is for you sit back and enjoy the tank as is. Don't worry so much about "feeding" the tank or where your condy is.

Watch 2 pods fight back and forth over some "morsel"...Follow the path a snail takes across your front glass...Enjoy the hobby for its relaxing qualities.

 

[Reefer420]

LOL- I am! You should see the amount of time I spend in front of the tank. I actually haven't tested for much besides ammonia and Nitrates before tonight. Just got the reef testing kit from Salifert, so ran the gammut of tests from them. The Iodine test tests for 3 types of Iodine (and I didn't even use the tests for strontium or magnesium, since I have no idea what they should be like)- and they recommend levels for each. Thought i'd say what they all were at- mostly b/c I don't know what the deal is with dosing Ca and Alk buffers (a&b) and I've read that Xenia are sensitive to Iodine levels.

All in all I'd have to say I've been pretty lax with my tank- besides worrying about the anenome. I'm actually surprised at how little I've had to maintain it! I didn't even have a 'cycle'. But you go on reefcentral or nano-reef and you read some pretty in depth forum postings about the ideal levels of this and that and they start making you paranoid!

I'm more into the natural method- so skimming and water flow, LR and LS are pretty much all I'm doing besides 10% weekly water changes. Just wanted to know if I needed to do anything else, since a small tank can crash a lot easier than a 65g!

btw- can you tell me when/if ever, you would need to use an A&B kit? I really don't know what the deal is with them- and with all the talk about dripping kalk, etc., I feel like I should be at least up to speed on how to use em! Thanks!