Help checking params

[Cr1ck37]

So here are my test results (used API test kits)

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
pH - 7.8 - 8.0
KH - 15-16 dKH
Phos - 0.25ppm (mg/L)
Cal - 400ppm (mg/L)

Salinity - 1.025

FOWLR is about 2 months old, current stock 3 hermit crabs, 3 nassarius snails, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 diamond goby, 1 astrea snail

My initial problem was my pH was about 7.6 so I've been dosing with Seachem Reef buffer to increase my pH (not sure if that's messing with my alkalinity (KH?) )

I've lost a pair of clowns and wary to add anything else in there till I find out if something is wrong with my tank :question:

 

[BL1]

If your tank is a FOWLR then you don't really need to be testing for phos, cal, or alk. Your Alk is definitely high, do a couple of water changes and it should start dropping down for you. What kind of water movement do you have, and is the top of your tank open?

 

[Cr1ck37]

Well I was doing the other tests to prep the tank for coral. I have 2 power heads running one is rated 450gph another is 165gph. And yes my tank is open on the top.

How often / how much water change should I do? Currently I'm doing about 5gal / week water changes with RO/DI water (salt already premixed from lfs). And should I keep doing the pH buffer?

 

[BL1]

You should do at least a 10% change every week. I would stop the pH buffer for now and see what happens. I think you could add another powerhead too, in my 28g I've got 2 295gph and 1 240 gph powerheads. Make sure you're getting enough oxygen exchange at the surface too, that will help with the pH.