Water parameters

[Kalen]

I've just recently gotten into saltwater reef tanks. It's been a rough battle in the begin however I've gotten a better handle on things. The one question that no one has explained to me is what my water parameters should be at and what are the danger levels that I want to stay away from.

I currently have a 30 rimless jbj with a hydra 52; 12 inches off the water. I have two hydro evolution 600 power heads and a tunze 3155 ato. No skimmer. Planning on upgrading soon.

Live stock:
Scarlett hermit crabs
blue leg hermit crabs
purple firefish
Two black Molly's

Coral
Green frogspawn
Fire and ice polyps
Super sayian polyps
Eagle eye polyps
Radio active dragons eye polyps
A few unknown polyps

I just finished a water test and would like someone's opinion as well as what my levels should be at and what is dangerous.

Red sea test kits

Temp - 79°F
Sg - 1.024
Ph - 8.4
Alk - 7.0
Nh3 - 0.2 ppm
No2 - 0 ppm
No3 - 10 ppm
Ca - 370 ppm
Mg - 1240

[Mark9]

kh/ca/mg and sg all seem a bit low.
Read this.

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters

[phenom5]

Alk, Ca, and SG are a little low, but not dangerous by any stretch.
The thing that jumps out at me is the ammonia. You should be reading 0 ammonia.

[Kalen]

I've been doing weekly water change of 5-10%

I'm just got the tunze ato so I'm finally able to stabilize my sg it's been been all over the place I had the smart ato and it just gave me so much problems I decide I would go with the tunze. How would you suggest I raise alk and ca. I know how to raise sg of course.

It's been a struggle learning everything with no one to explain things. My main difficulty has been reading the red sea test kits. Some times it is hard to get a accurate reading. However with that said I do my best.

[phenom5]

I hear ya on reading the test kits, it can be a pain.

You can raise Ca & Alk with a 2-part dosing solution. B-ionic is one pre-mixed option, Bulk reef supply has a more cost effective, mix your own solution, and there is this DIY 2-Part Recipe which is even more cost effective. You'll want to start with a minimum dose, and test daily to get dialed in.

Honestly, at this point though, you don't have anything that will be using a ton of Ca, so you may be okay with your water changes. If you add a bunch more LPS or you start adding SPS corals, then you may want to start dosing.

You'll probably be better off starting out with kalkwasser in your topoff.
Kalkwasser FYI

General water parameter info...
I haven't measured my pH in years...probably close to a decade.
Same for Mg, however, I let my Ca guide me in terms of Mg. If you cannot get your Ca to go up no matter what you dose, you likely have low Mg.

NH3 & NO2 should be 0.
NO3 should be below 20ppm. People shoot for very low NO3, IME the healthiest looking, deepest color I've had from SPS comes at 5-10ppm NO3. LPS, zoas, etc are more tolerant and do fine in a little "dirtier" water.

I would recommend a refractometer calibrated with pinpoint solution for salinity, but you can get by with a swing arm hydrometer if you compare the results to a properly calibrated refractometer. IME, hydrometers are consistent, if not accurate, as long as you keep them clean (FW rinse after use works). Salinity is the one thing I really pay attention to with water changes. I think people chase parameter in their newly mixed water too much, and at 10% of your systems volume, if parameters are off, it will barely move the needle. Same goes with temp...within reason. You don't want to mix you new water out in the snow per se, but if your water is 70ish degrees, it won't have a big impact on temp.

I also don't worry too much about temp swings. IME daily temp swings (again, within reason...you want to stay within a reasonable range, and you don't want 10 degree swings) are fine, and tend to result in livestock that is more tolerant to temp changes.

Hopefully that helps make sense of water parameters a little bit. I think with 10% weekly water changes your on the right path.

Lastly, I would throw out there that if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, I would check out the Reef Club Forums for a club local to you. Reef clubs are a great way to get livestock, equipment, and most importantly...knowledge.

[Kalen]

Wow, that's was a interesting and informative read.

I do know that there are certain parameters you want to test. Normally I don't test for all of the ones I listed. Normally I test for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. I haven't ever been given a direct answer on what to test for. My lfs told me just test for the main ones when I first had decided to setup my tank. Ever now and then I test for my ph and I finally figured out how to read my ca, alk and mg test which is what led me to find out where it should be.

I had just got a red banded goby which I had for two days before it died and became a meal for my crabs. I was disappointed that it died so I was trying to figure out why it died. It didn't eat that I know of and was breathing rapidly. Which led me to check all my water parameters.

Everything has been constant lately. I have been keeping record of everything. The only thing that jumps around was the sg which I think I will have that under control in the next few weeks with the tunze ato unit. I use the red sea refractrometer. After I is it I wipe it off. I mix my own salt using red sea coral pro salt to 1.025. I mix around 25 gallons at a time.

My temp is around 79° F with the help of a reef octopus heater control with probe. It doesn't jump around to much now that it is cool outside.

I use to do 5% wc but was told that wasn't enough so I have been varying the total volume of water I change. I don't change out no more then 10%.

I'm glad to finally get the break down on the parameters. So thank you so much.

I did get a monti cap coral today.

I do plan to upgrade my 30 gal. To a 90 and was in the process of doing so until I had a accident while building my stand which put me out of work for months. So money is tight. I will work on dosing.

[Kalen]

I think I read my mg test wrong back on the 22nd how. I just tested alk, ca, and mg.

Alk = 9.0
Ca = 420
Mg = 1080

Looks like my mg is still high and I'm not dosing.

[tmz]

!080 is low for magnesium. Natural seawater is 1280ppm. The parameters in the article cited earlier are your best guide. I'd check the salt mix ,it may be low in magnesium.
Raising your sg to 1.0264, the nsw average will increase the major elements proportionately.

As for testing . Ammonia should be zero. Beyond that alk needs to be constant at a point within the acceptable range of 7 to 11dkh. Calcium needs to be 380ppm to 450ppm . Magnesium 1280 to 1400ppm.Alk depletes the fastest so should be tested more frequently particularly early on until you get a sense of consumption in your tank.

PH is important but not a major concern as long as it's 7.8 and less than 8.5. At 7.7 coral skeletal mass may start to dissolve. NSW ranges around 8.1 to 8.2.

FWIW, I test for alk once a week, calcium once a month, magnesium once every 2 to three months, pH is monitored on an ongoing basis. I do 1% dialy wate5r changes and keep sg at 1.026/7. I test fort other things too less frequently such as phospahte,iron, iodine and potassium

[Kalen]

Thanks for all the feedback. For a while now I've been only testing ph, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. However I've been getting corals and fragging them as my zoanthid polyps grow. I've just recently got a frogspawn and a acan. So I decided to start testing other parameters mostly out of curiosity. I'm sure I will need to start dosing soon if my parameters don't increase.

I plan to make sure that I'm doing the ca, mg, alk tests properly and double checking with my lfs soon.

I greatly appreciate everyone who has replied to my first post thank you again everyone.

[Kalen]

Originally Posted by tmz

!080 is low for magnesium. Natural seawater is 1280ppm. The parameters in the article cited earlier are your best guide. I'd check the salt mix ,it may be low in magnesium.
Raising your sg to 1.0264, the nsw average will increase the major elements proportionately.

As for testing . Ammonia should be zero. Beyond that alk needs to be constant at a point within the acceptable range of 7 to 11dkh. Calcium needs to be 380ppm to 450ppm . Magnesium 1280 to 1400ppm.Alk depletes the fastest so should be tested more frequently particularly early on until you get a sense of consumption in your tank.

PH is important but not a major concern as long as it's 7.8 and less than 8.5. At 7.7 coral skeletal mass may start to dissolve. NSW ranges around 8.1 to 8.2.

FWIW, I test for alk once a week, calcium once a month, magnesium once every 2 to three months, pH is monitored on an ongoing basis. I do 1% dialy wate5r changes and keep sg at 1.026/7. I test fort other things too less frequently such as phospahte,iron, iodine and potassium

You mentioned that I should raise my sg to 1.026/7. Is that what people are keeping it? I was always told to keep it at 1.025 by my lfs. I am currently using red sea coral pro salt mix. I do appreciate the feedback. I want to keep things running smooth and right. I am open for feedback, suggestions and help from all who is willing to put in there two cents.

[tmz]

1.025 is fine. I prefer 1.026/7 closer to nsw average of 1.0264. I mentioned it to point out the increase in sg plays into the other levels. Never used or tested the salt you are using so I can't help with it?

[Kalen]

Originally Posted by tmz

1.025 is fine. I prefer 1.026/7 closer to nsw average of 1.0264. I mentioned it to point out the increase in sg plays into the other levels. Never used or tested the salt you are using so I can't help with it?

I will raise my sg and see if it makes a difference with my other levels. It seems to always fluctuate after my weekly 10% wc. I take 10 gallons out put the same back in and seems like I have to always add a little more then what I took it.

I just got the tunze osmulator top off. I like it better then the aqua smart top off. Had to many problems. I guess it's just needs to be fine tuned.

The reason I am using red sea coral pro salt mix is I don't have ro/di water so I was buying my salt water or premixed and that is what my lfs used. I didn't know what salt to buy when I decided to start making my own so I went with what my lfs used. Plus want sure how mixing two different salts would react to one another in my tank so I stuck with what I knew worked.

[Kalen]

I'm still trying to figure out all the little tricks.

[downbeach]

Are you using RO/DI water when you make your SW and in your top off? If not, that's where you want to start. If you still don't have a skimmer, that's the second piece of equipment I'd be getting.
Understanding your test equipment, and how to use it is important. Starting with your SG, I would check your freshly made SW with your refractometer @ 1.026(my preference). Your refractometer should be calibrated using a solution that is at the SG of the sample you will be testing, if you're using plain water it may be off. If you need to raise your SG in your DT, use your freshly made SW(@ 1.026) in your top off instead of plain RO/DI until you've reached your desired SG, then go back to using RO/DI water for top off.
Here are some demo's on how to use the Red Sea Pro kits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT9tEHp828w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb4NnYOFneA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MofaqM-I6uM
Pay particular attention to the Mg test it can be a little tricky with having to add 5 drops of the reagent 'A' while mixing each drop for 15 seconds between each drop and keeping track of the 5 drops. The one caveat here is that the Red Sea kit calculation is determined by taking your end point reading from the plunger in the syringe (not the top of the fluid) and deducting it from the 1mL you started with, to determine how much of the titrant was used, i.e. if the reading on the syringe is .37 you used .63, which is the number you need to determine your reading. It isn't hard, but you have to do the math, and I see it as an area for potential human error.

[tmz]

so I went with what my lfs used

I did the same when I started using Coralife over 10 years ago and counting.

[Kalen]

Originally Posted by downbeach

Are you using RO/DI water when you make your SW and in your top off? If not, that's where you want to start. If you still don't have a skimmer, that's the second piece of equipment I'd be getting.
Understanding your test equipment, and how to use it is important. Starting with your SG, I would check your freshly made SW with your refractometer @ 1.026(my preference). Your refractometer should be calibrated using a solution that is at the SG of the sample you will be testing, if you're using plain water it may be off. If you need to raise your SG in your DT, use your freshly made SW(@ 1.026) in your top off instead of plain RO/DI until you've reached your desired SG, then go back to using RO/DI water for top off.
Here are some demo's on how to use the Red Sea Pro kits:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT9tEHp828w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb4NnYOFneA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MofaqM-I6uM
Pay particular attention to the Mg test it can be a little tricky with having to add 5 drops of the reagent 'A' while mixing each drop for 15 seconds between each drop and keeping track of the 5 drops. The one caveat here is that the Red Sea kit calculation is determined by taking your end point reading from the plunger in the syringe (not the top of the fluid) and deducting it from the 1mL you started with, to determine how much of the titrant was used, i.e. if the reading on the syringe is .37 you used .63, which is the number you need to determine your reading. It isn't hard, but you have to do the math, and I see it as an area for potential human error.

I am currently using ro/di water in my salt mix and my top off water. I don't have a ro/di unit, but have plans to get the unit. Right now it's affordable to use ro/di water that I buy especially with a 30 gallon salt water tank.

I'm currently in the process of upgrading to a 90 gallon dt with a 40 gal sump. However that's currently on hold. I sliced my forearm with a circular saw while I was building my stand which put me out of work for three months and still counting. So money is tight. Now with that said when I get the 90 finished I will be getting a skimmer. I know how important one is.

I have watched the videos for the red sea marine pro test kit and the reef foundation pro test kits. My problems is distinguishing the end color.

[Kalen]

Originally Posted by tmz

so I went with what my lfs used

I did the same when I started using Coralife over 10 years ago and counting.

It looks like I started off correctly by using the same salt mix my lfs used.

[Kalen]

If I start dosing for alk, ca, mg what products should I use. I have also been told to use kalkwasser but which products do I use there are so many of them out there

[Kalen]

My lfs told me I should dose with brightwell magnesion p. Not sure if I should get the premixed or the dry

[Kalen]

Thanks for all the help

[tmz]

You are welcome. I've not used the noted product for magnesium. I use a mix of magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride from Bulk Reef Supply. It depletes slowly , so I rarely dose any. Salt mix takes care of it mostly.

[Kalen]

I did pick up the product two days ago so I'm going to test to see where it's at just to see if it's working.

I had something weird happen that I noticed last night. I tested my sg late at night the two outside was about 32°F the tank temp was 79° the house was 74°. My sg was 1.021 then this morning I tested it again. Outside temp was 65° tank temp 79° and inside the house was 74. The sg was 1.023. And then tonight I checked it and it was 1.021. Is this normal for the sg to fluctuate overnight.

[Kalen]

I know it's still low I found out my refractrometer needed to be calibrated. So I am working on raising my sg up.

[tmz]

No,unless evaporation is occuring .

[Kalen]

There is a slight evap occurring but I would not think that should cause the sg to jump that much.