so my tank is cycled...what params should I see?

[Sk8r]

1. temperature steady around 80. A 2 degree swing is ok, more than that...see what you can do. Light cycle, lids, fans, etc.
2. salinity 1.024-6. I keep mine at 1.025 just to have leeway for evaporation.
3. evaporation: a 55g tank evaporates about a gallon a day in a dry house. Have an autotopoff system (float switch/pump/small reservoir of ro/di) if you are evapping this much---and it is a GOOD thing: it cools your tank from the pumps and lights, and it keeps new water coming in---you can add things to your ro/di topoff that make keeping your chemistry up much easier. The tank that is a pain to maintain is one with NO evaporation.
4. alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. Your salt mix contains buffer to hit an alkalinity reading of 8.3-9.3. This is good. IF, however, or WHEN it depletes, that will sink. You can fix it with baking soda or some buffer supplement. Keep track of that: your fish and corals will be happier.
Now here's the chemistry part. Alk depends on cal and mg to hold steady. IF your alk won't stay up, first set your magnesium level to about 1200. Then dose calcium to reach 400-420. Those levels will stay steady until your magnesium depletes. MG, btw, encourages coralline growth. The pretty pink stuff. Too much, and it will be all over your glass. Corals EAT calcium, and a little mg, so expect it to decline.
Your regular water changes help these elements keep up to snuff, but if you have gotten 'off' your tank will stop being happy and will get harder to maintain. Bring them back to level and you're golden again.
5. nitrate/ammonia/phosphate---ideally none. water changes and carbon remove ammonia. If you have algae, you have too much phosphate. (comes in from live rock and tapwater). Phosphate Remediation: a GFO reactor or a fuge.
6. ph will generally behave itself at 7.9-8.3 if your other chemistry is in line. If you are having problems with this parameter, talk to us about it. There are various fixes. But your other chemistry needs to be fixed.
HTH. Did I leave anything out?

[fender4string]

Ok Sk8r I have a question about a good test kit. Right now I have a 29 gallon qt set up with a singapore angel and an 85 gallon with sand, waiting for LR. Right now I'm using the API saltwater test kit which only test for ammonia, pH, nitrite, and nitrate. Can you recommend a test kit that contains all of the above elements or will I have to buy it piecemeal?

[RobNJ]

Spring for the Salifert test kits!

[fender4string]

Ok I can look for those. When you say "spring" I take it they're a little on the expensive side

[Sk8r]

Your test kits: buy alk first, then add mg and cal when you've paid for that one. Mark the expiration date in huge black pen so you do not get caught with an expired kit: do not expose these kits to extremes of temp or humidity. If you EVER get totally unreasonable readings, FIRST suspect your test kit, take a sample to the store and get a confirming cross-check. They do go bad.
They are life and death for your tank, so get one you can read. You'll test alk and cal most often, mg rarely, only when alk drops and won't rise.
There are also shortcuts: I use the Salifert kits, and if you record your results and know your last reading, on every test but mg (fussy one) you can sort of speed through the drip thing with little squirts and slow down as you approach the likely range of your expected result. But do take the instructions seriously when mixing in powders, etc.
Your chance to play mad scientist. The 'trends' in your record book give you info as valuable as any single test result in itself. Dose 'into' trends, ie, head it off before it hits critical.
Remember this is what protects your entire investment, and read that expiration date before you buy. They aren't cheap. Keeping them in a good container will help them last longer. But do not use expired kits.

[Sk8r]

by the way, it's winter---the sun has migrated (as it does) to different windows, and consequently, imho, we have the season rash of complaints about cyano.
The BEST cure for the stuff is, a, close the offending window curtain, b, turn your lights out for 3 days (4th actinic only if you have mh), and simultaneously make sure your skimmer is pulling stuff out hard as it can: wet skimming. Cyano is light-reactive, and off-spectrum light in particular. So deprive it of light and it goes away. DON'T use Red Slime Remover in a young tank, especially not a young tank with a weak skimmer. Sometimes you get out alive---sometimes you don't. It's not a good risk. Lights-out is safer for everything, and eventually works.
HTH.