For you SPS enthusiasts, what would you say the optimum water parameters are...

[reefman13]

My thoughts were something like this:
SG: 1.024-1.026 Close to NSW levels.
Temp: 78-82
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Phosphates: I really wouldn't know because I don't test for it, but...0?
Ca: 420?
Alk: ?
Mg: ?
pH: 8.1-8.3 (keep mine on average at 8.2)


As of now, this is all I test:
SG: 1.025 (about 35ppt)
Temp: 79
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 5
Nitrite: 0
pH: 8.2

Honestly, that's all that came in the basic starter set when I got my first 50 gallon, and all my SPS seemed pretty happy.....But now that I have upgraded to a 90g, I am looking for information to get a little more advanced in keeping my water parameters in check. So I would like some input on what people would recomend for test kits and supplements....

Right now I am dosing Tropic Marin coral supplement and invert supplement. Are there any others out there that are much better than that?

[PITSTOP]

test for:

salinity - 35 ppt

temp 25-27 C

Ca - 380-420

Alk - 8-12

Phosphate - low as possible - 0

[reefman13]

NICE! I was hoping you would chime in. Yeah, that is what I got on the SPS forum so it seems that I need to invest in some Salifert (sp?) test kits and start testing Ca, Alk, and Mg.

According to the other thread, Ca needs to be right where you have it, and Alk at 10, and then magnesium needs to be about 3 times my Ca level??? So it will look something like this?........

SG: 35
Temp: 79
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 5 (needs to come down)
Nitrite: 0
Phosphates: 0
Ca: 400
Alk: 10
Mg: 1200
pH: 8.2

[DoctaReef]

You should go read about it in the reef chemistry forum. Randy's articles are all there.

[KingOfJericho]

I have found that cooler temperatures are more optimal. If you look at most of the suggested temps on liveaquaria, etc. they top out at 78. I have my chiller kick on at 79.

[KingOfJericho]

Nitrate: 5 (needs to come down)

w-a-t-e-r c-h-a-n-g-e-s especially when you're not skimming.

I typically do weekly 25% changes and it keeps the tank rock solid. I've slowed to raise my pH to get rid of the dreaded dinos (if anyone has advice I'm all ears...) but it's vital in reef keeping to be religious with water changes. Get a good R/O and it will pay dividends.

[reefman13]

w-a-t-e-r c-h-a-n-g-e-s especially when you're not skimming.

Exactly the reason for me getting my EuroReef back online. It is now skimming thick brown stuff like a pro. ATM I am looking into get my first tub of phospate media, that I will add w/ my carbon when I change it out before I go to florida.

And, King, I would LOVE a chiller, if there was one for $100 I would take it, but I don't have $400 to kill................

I have an RO/DI that I got from the filter guys, I just need to get one of those tap fittings (the ones that screw on to the faucet that have the right converter to convert to the RO tube). We just replaced our water softner, and the guy who did it, made a tap off, before it gets to the softener.