My parameters

Emmanuel.dam · 03/04/2013, 09:50 PM

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1362455312.070941.jpg
What do you think of those parameters?
I think I need too raise Ca Mg and alk
And my salinity because that's at 1.023
But I'm not sure how to raise all these :-( please help :-)

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Emmanuel.dam · 03/04/2013, 09:50 PM

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1362455429.588097.jpg
That's my tank too

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worm5406 · 03/04/2013, 10:21 PM

What did you test your salinity with?

When was your last water change?

What type salt are you using?

Are you using RODI?

Emmanuel.dam · 03/04/2013, 10:59 PM

Hydrometer
Yesterday I used my LFS water

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Sugar Magnolia · 03/05/2013, 07:56 AM

Mag and Alk are both on the low end of the range, salinity is also low. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

nynick · 03/05/2013, 07:56 AM

Your alk is low. Keep in mind that your tank will be fine with this for quite a while but rasing it quickly will likely create some major problems.

You can google "Randy diy alkalinity" for the 1 buck diy version or buy it for 20 times the price in your lfs with the same results. For a tank that size either will not be very expensive.

P.S. If you go with the DIY version, get Arm & Hammer. You will likely be fine with a generic brand but I was not. Luckly I just added VERY little only to have snails falling off glass and corals shriveling up. Total savings on going generic 10c ...lol....cost of water change to get snails to start moving again...around 20 bucks. Looks like some generic brands are not as pure as can be.

Sk8r · 03/05/2013, 01:54 PM

My sig line has params that work real well for lps coral.

Emmanuel.dam · 03/05/2013, 03:14 PM

Would it be worth taking my water too the LFS to get it checked and get some advice?

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rjd0521 · 03/05/2013, 03:20 PM

How long has the tank been running?

Nitrite should be 0 at all times.

If it's a new tank, then the cycle is not complete yet.

I would wait for the Nitrite to be 0 in order to have an accurate reading of the nitrate.

Emmanuel.dam · 03/05/2013, 03:23 PM

About 4 months but it got built up using LFS salt water and live rock

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rjd0521 · 03/05/2013, 03:32 PM

Quote:

About 4 months but it got built up using LFS salt water and live rock

I would not worry about Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium at this point. Let the cycle finish first, including the algae cycle before worrying too much. It takes time and patience but you won't regret it in the end.

As for salinity, 1.023 is fine as long as you keep it constant. Best investment for me so far was an ATO.

Do you have any corals right now or plan on having corals in the future? if so, what kind?

Emmanuel.dam · 03/05/2013, 03:34 PM

Look at the top photo that's my tank. That'll tell you what you need to know :-)

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rjd0521 · 03/05/2013, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Look at the top photo that's my tank. That'll tell you what you need to know :-)

Looks like you have no SPS so your parameters should be fine. However, softies like dirtier water so I would leave some nitrate and phosphate. I would only worry much about Calcium, Alk, and Mag if you would go with SPS. Reason why I can't keep softies is because my water is too clean 0-2ppm nitrate and 0.03ppm Phosphate, but my SPS loves it.

However, if you really want to have all parameter perfectly, I would raise the Alk to 8 and Calcium to 420-450 and magnesium to about 1300. I like to keep high parameters so it really depends on the person. My Alk is 10dkh, Calcium is 520, and Mag is 1480.

Emmanuel.dam · 03/05/2013, 03:41 PM

Yer I've been told softies are heaps hard to keep :-/ I like the sps anyways :-) so what do I need to do or shouldn't I even worry about it?

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rjd0521 · 03/05/2013, 04:01 PM

Quote:

so what do I need to do or shouldn't I even worry about it?

IMO if you keep softies then don't worry.

If you go SPS, then you need to raise the Calcium, Alk and Magnesium to recommended level by way of additive. I like brightwell Calcion, Magnesion, and Alk 8.3 for raising the levels. If you raise the levels, do it slow, like over the course of a week or two so that you don't stress your tank. Read my "started threads" as a lot of people helped me and gave me advices.

coralsnaked · 03/05/2013, 04:04 PM

Your tank doesn't look really condusive to SPS as they require exceptional water params that remain very stable. You have very minimal rock in your tank and it will be difficult to establish a stable enough enviroment for SPS> In addition, as far as I can tell from photo you have no sump or skimmer to remove and properly filter your water to make it clean enough for SPS. You will need to depend on water changes for needed export of all Nitrates and Po4 down to levels which are excepted by these stoney corals. Water changes in sufficient quantities by itself can cause RTN in SPS and cause many species to become unstable. You will most likely need a system that doses frequently for foundation elements as normal dosing by hand is tedious for SPS. And an ATO for RODI is needed to help keep Salinity from wavering as well.

Realistically you need to stick w/ the soft corals. Your LPS Duncans look healthy enough but buy some GSP or yellow polyps as well as some Zoas and Palys. Maybe a few leathers and other soft corals. By no means add any more fish or waste your time on SPS. And put a few more peices of live rock in there

Merry Skerry

rjd0521 · 03/05/2013, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Your tank doesn't look really condusive to SPS as they require exceptional water params that remain very stable. You have very minimal rock in your tank and it will be difficult to establish a stable enough enviroment for SPS> In addition, as far as I can tell from photo you have no sump or skimmer to remove and properly filter your water to make it clean enough for SPS. You will need to depend on water changes for needed export of all Nitrates and Po4 down to levels which are excepted by these stoney corals. Water changes in sufficient quantities by itself can cause RTN in SPS and cause many species to become unstable. You will most likely need a system that doses frequently for foundation elements as normal dosing by hand is tedious for SPS. And an ATO for RODI is needed to help keep Salinity from wavering as well.

Realistically you need to stick w/ the soft corals. Your LPS Duncans look healthy enough but buy some GSP or yellow polyps as well as some Zoas and Palys. Maybe a few leathers and other soft corals. By no means add any more fish or waste your time on SPS. And put a few more peices of live rock in there

You forgot lights as well lol but well covered.

Emmanuel.dam · 03/05/2013, 04:13 PM

Ok ok which corals do I have? Obviously not sps can someone define the 2 for me please and also I have a small hang on skimmer

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rjd0521 · 03/05/2013, 04:17 PM

Quote:

I have a small hang on skimmer

What kind of skimmer do you have? Brand? Model?

Emmanuel.dam · 03/05/2013, 04:18 PM

Aqua one nano skim 40

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Stolireef · 03/05/2013, 05:43 PM

Emmanuel:

What you have in your tank appear to be what are known as LPS corals. Quick primer.
SPS=Small Polyp Stony Corals (eg. Acropora, Montipora, etc.). They have very small polyps and have a hard skeleton.
LPS=Large Polyp Stony Corals (eg. Torches, Bubble, Frogspawn, Scolys, etc.) These tend to have much larger polyps (things that are long and sway around or are meaty and bulbous) and also have a stony skeleton.

Note that LPS/SPS is a hobbyists shorthand. It isn't scientific. I would thus argue that a coral like turbinaria (scroll coral) is an SPS but most hobbyists consider it an LPS. (I have no idea why).

SPS and LPS get most of their food (read energy) from symbiotic photosynthetic algae that live within their flesh. The waste product (and to purists, I know this is not the most technical description) of the photosynthesis feeds the coral. That said, generally LPS do better in slightly (emphasis on slightly) more nutrients in the water than SPS since their polyps are built to better absorb the same.

I hope this helps a little.

Emmanuel.dam · 03/06/2013, 03:43 AM

Ok wow thankyou I finally understand :-D

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03/04/2013, 09:50 PM	#1
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	My parameters ImageUploadedByTapatalk1362455312.070941.jpg What do you think of those parameters? I think I need too raise Ca Mg and alk And my salinity because that's at 1.023 But I'm not sure how to raise all these :-( please help :-) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/04/2013, 10:21 PM	#3
worm5406 Not afriad to admit wrong Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: South of WashDC in Maryland Posts: 7,774	What did you test your salinity with? When was your last water change? What type salt are you using? Are you using RODI? __________________ Stock:LPS/SPS\|1 hippo\|4 OC Clown\|4 Pepp shrimp\|2 Brittle Star\|3000+ Copepods\|10+ MiniBrittle\|8+ Bristle Worm\|2 Anemone\|100+ mini-feather\|4 boys 14,21,22,22 Current Tank Info: Tank:300g Mixed Reef 300+lb LR\|4" LS\|5x MP40W\|75g fuge\|5x RadionPRO\|RO DB250 skimmer\|Apex

03/05/2013, 07:56 AM	#5
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Mag and Alk are both on the low end of the range, salinity is also low. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

03/05/2013, 01:54 PM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	My sig line has params that work real well for lps coral. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/05/2013, 05:43 PM	#21
Stolireef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scottsdale AZ Posts: 3,180 Blog Entries: 5	Emmanuel: What you have in your tank appear to be what are known as LPS corals. Quick primer. SPS=Small Polyp Stony Corals (eg. Acropora, Montipora, etc.). They have very small polyps and have a hard skeleton. LPS=Large Polyp Stony Corals (eg. Torches, Bubble, Frogspawn, Scolys, etc.) These tend to have much larger polyps (things that are long and sway around or are meaty and bulbous) and also have a stony skeleton. Note that LPS/SPS is a hobbyists shorthand. It isn't scientific. I would thus argue that a coral like turbinaria (scroll coral) is an SPS but most hobbyists consider it an LPS. (I have no idea why). SPS and LPS get most of their food (read energy) from symbiotic photosynthetic algae that live within their flesh. The waste product (and to purists, I know this is not the most technical description) of the photosynthesis feeds the coral. That said, generally LPS do better in slightly (emphasis on slightly) more nutrients in the water than SPS since their polyps are built to better absorb the same. I hope this helps a little. __________________ I want to burn twice as bright and half as long. Oh, and a full tank crash is just an excuse for a new build. Current Tank Info: 125 Rimless Leemar, Apex, Trigger 30 Elite Sump, Vertex 180i Skimmer, 2 X Gen4 Radion XR30W, BM Doser, 2xMP40WES, 2xTunze 6095, Sicce Syncra 4.0.

03/04/2013, 10:59 PM	#4
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	Hydrometer Yesterday I used my LFS water Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/05/2013, 07:56 AM	#6
nynick Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,029	Your alk is low. Keep in mind that your tank will be fine with this for quite a while but rasing it quickly will likely create some major problems. You can google "Randy diy alkalinity" for the 1 buck diy version or buy it for 20 times the price in your lfs with the same results. For a tank that size either will not be very expensive. P.S. If you go with the DIY version, get Arm & Hammer. You will likely be fine with a generic brand but I was not. Luckly I just added VERY little only to have snails falling off glass and corals shriveling up. Total savings on going generic 10c ...lol....cost of water change to get snails to start moving again...around 20 bucks. Looks like some generic brands are not as pure as can be.

03/05/2013, 03:14 PM	#8
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	Would it be worth taking my water too the LFS to get it checked and get some advice? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/05/2013, 03:20 PM	#9
rjd0521 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 326	How long has the tank been running? Nitrite should be 0 at all times. If it's a new tank, then the cycle is not complete yet. I would wait for the Nitrite to be 0 in order to have an accurate reading of the nitrate.

03/05/2013, 03:23 PM	#10
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	About 4 months but it got built up using LFS salt water and live rock Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/05/2013, 03:34 PM	#12
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	Look at the top photo that's my tank. That'll tell you what you need to know :-) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/05/2013, 03:41 PM	#14
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	Yer I've been told softies are heaps hard to keep :-/ I like the sps anyways :-) so what do I need to do or shouldn't I even worry about it? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/05/2013, 04:04 PM	#16
coralsnaked Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Austin / Port Aransas, TX Posts: 1,479	Your tank doesn't look really condusive to SPS as they require exceptional water params that remain very stable. You have very minimal rock in your tank and it will be difficult to establish a stable enough enviroment for SPS> In addition, as far as I can tell from photo you have no sump or skimmer to remove and properly filter your water to make it clean enough for SPS. You will need to depend on water changes for needed export of all Nitrates and Po4 down to levels which are excepted by these stoney corals. Water changes in sufficient quantities by itself can cause RTN in SPS and cause many species to become unstable. You will most likely need a system that doses frequently for foundation elements as normal dosing by hand is tedious for SPS. And an ATO for RODI is needed to help keep Salinity from wavering as well. Realistically you need to stick w/ the soft corals. Your LPS Duncans look healthy enough but buy some GSP or yellow polyps as well as some Zoas and Palys. Maybe a few leathers and other soft corals. By no means add any more fish or waste your time on SPS. And put a few more peices of live rock in there Merry Skerry

03/05/2013, 04:13 PM	#18
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	Ok ok which corals do I have? Obviously not sps can someone define the 2 for me please and also I have a small hang on skimmer Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/05/2013, 04:18 PM	#20
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	Aqua one nano skim 40 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03/06/2013, 03:43 AM	#22
Emmanuel.dam Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 435	Ok wow thankyou I finally understand :-D Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk