poke holes in my params please

[gnashty]

I must say I have been slacking a bit lately with my tank water - I even went almost 2.5 weeks without a water change but got it taken care of last weekend. I took a full look at my params last night and these are my findings...I already know my PH is a little low but will get it up tonight. anyone see an issue with these as a benchmark (other than the Nitrates and PH)?

Temp - 78.4
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
PH - 8.15
SG - 1.023
KH - 10
Calcium - 480
Magnesium - 1350
Phosphates - .02

 

[fish scales2]

Ph is fine, do not adjust. If you were to adjust, how would you go about it?

Based on calcium and Kh I would raise you mg levels to around 1500.

Your specific gravity is a bit low as well. I maintain 1.026 when possible.

Phosphates are a bit high, what are you feeding and how often?

 

[gnashty]

Fish Scales2;479869 wrote: Ph is fine, do not adjust. If you were to adjust, how would you go about it?

Based on calcium and Kh I would raise you mg levels to around 1500.

Your specific gravity is a bit low as well. I maintain 1.026 when possible.

Phosphates are a bit high, what are you feeding and how often?

For PH adjustments i use the seachem buffer 8.3

thought my mg was a tad low - i will adjust it tonight with the seachem mag

I have been thinking about raising my SG to aorund 1.025, will begin adjusting with next water change - I use the aquavitro salinity

Phosphates - my seachem test kit said natural seawater is between .01-.03 so i though i was gooood, guess not. this was the very first time I used this kit

I feed mysis shrimp, pellets, and 31/35 shrimp on rotation, about every day in very small amounts, i had a fish with ich so i was stepping up feeding but all is well now. - also feed nori everyday. i have noticed an increase in algae, thought it was my photoperiod but may be my overfeeding

 

[lukestimp]

Fish Scales2;479869 wrote: Ph is fine, do not adjust. If you were to adjust, how would you go about it?

Based on calcium and Kh I would raise you mg levels to around 1500.

Your specific gravity is a bit low as well. I maintain 1.026 when possible.

Phosphates are a bit high, what are you feeding and how often?

Couldn't have said it any better myself!!

 

[jennm]

I don't see anything "wrong" with your parameters.

Jenn

 

[fish scales2]

I would not recomend chasing the ph, as long as it is above 7.8 (point at which calcification begins) you should be fine.

Phoshates are not that bad and simply explained by your feeding habits. Better to have a little elevated phates and fish that are pulling through the ich than a fish that will not eat.

Any visible improvements or changes since switching over to the Aquavitro salt?

 

[nanonano]

JennM;479882 wrote: I don't see anything "wrong" with your parameters.

Jenn

Yeah I was about to say this. They look fine.

 

[gnashty]

Fish Scales2;479883 wrote:

Any visible improvements or changes since switching over to the Aquavitro salt?

This is only my 2nd WC with AVS (from IO regular stuff, not reef crystals) so I havent noticed anything signifigant yet - I started using the Seachem Fuel about the same time. All of my corals are thriving and im getting good growth out of my zoas - cant directly attribute it to the AVS but it definately isnt hurting it!

 

[gnashty]

Your specific gravity is a bit low as well. I maintain 1.026 when possible.
quote]

I am getting my readings from my Salinity Probe and a hydrometer - both I feel are unreliable so im a little leary of raising it without a refractometer to check it against....

 

[fish scales2]

gnashty;479900 wrote:

Your specific gravity is a bit low as well. I maintain 1.026 when possible.
quote]

I am getting my readings from my Salinity Probe and a hydrometer - both I feel are unreliable so im a little leary of raising it without a refractometer to check it against....

Great thinking, hhhmmm what if it off in the other direction and you are running at 1.020 currently. Just sayin. Time to see Jen.

 

[gnashty]

Fish Scales2;479913 wrote:

Great thinking, hhhmmm what if it off in the other direction and you are running at 1.020 currently. Just sayin. Time to see Jen.

ggrrr - i know guys, it should have been my first purchase - i just dont like the idea of dropping $40+ for something that aint pretty and colorful and sitting in my tank lol. I need to pick one up soon...

 

[honeyb627]

AndyMan;479921 wrote: Kudos Chris! I don't recall any other sponsor response that has said effectively, another sponsor is closer to you go get a refractometer from them

+1 to team work...

The refratometer was the best purchase we made early, we found on rather quickly how horrible and inaccurate our hydrometer was... ick... money well spent.

 

[cr500_af]

Fish Scales2;479913 wrote:

Great thinking, hhhmmm what if it off in the other direction and you are running at 1.020 currently. Just sayin. Time to see Jen.

Happened to me when my refracto "recalibrated" itself for no apparent reason... I thought I was plugging along just fine and when I checked the calibration (not the first time, just maintenance) my tank was at 1.020. Oddly enough, nothing looked particularly unhappy. Been raising it SLOWLY.

 

[kayakatl]

gnashty;479920 wrote:

ggrrr - i know guys, it should have been my first purchase - i just dont like the idea of dropping $40+ for something that aint pretty and colorful and sitting in my tank lol. I need to pick one up soon...

If you don't drop the $40 you risk having nothing pretty in your tank at all!!! Really, though this is a must have. You have too much money riding on salinity to NOT own one. Think about the money you have spent on other test kits for all the other results. I had the same thought but truly it is a worth while investment to know what you are dealing with.

 

[gnashty]

kayakATL;479954 wrote:

If you don't drop the $40 you risk having nothing pretty in your tank at all!!! Really, though this is a must have. You have too much money riding on salinity to NOT own one. Think about the money you have spent on other test kits for all the other results. I had the same thought but truly it is a worth while investment to know what you are dealing with.

I know - its a necessity - maybe ill try to find one on the cheap on the WTB forum