Ok what's the deal?

RFD

RFD

Reefing newb
Here is my current water test. What I would like to know if this is sufficient to maintain SPS and LPS. The tank is now about 7 weeks old and have completed a 25% water change.

Here are the results;

Calcium - 500
KH - 12-1214.8 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm
Phosphate - .5 ppm
PH - 8.2
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
NH3 - .0172
Gravity - 1.023

How are these results? Should anything be changed?
 
i would not put any coral in that tank until it is at leat 8 months old. the tank need time to become stable there are a lot of thing that are going to change with the water chemestry in a years time. bring the specific gravity up you are on the low side of things there i run mine at 1.025. give it time your tank is just starting to finish a cycle you are going to have outbreaks in all different kinds of alage soon.

nothing good happens in this hobby but bad thing that cost a lot of money to replace
 
You have NH3 and Ammonia listed as two different readings, if Im not mistaken they are the same thing? The only things that I can see that are a little high are the Nitrates(which arent terrible for a freshly cycled tank) and the phosphates are a tad high too. The phos might not be too bad for LPS but for SPS its too high.

How did you test for the Phos if you dont mind me asking? Its very hard to get a proper reading without having it tested with a Photometer. The combination of the elevated phos and nitrate is a recipe for algae in my experience, (look at my build thread you'll see :) )

Another tip that I can give you is not to jump right into SPS corals, as James has said your tanks chemistry will change A LOT in the first year. Stick with softies and LPS for about a while then after you get the same readings consistently for a month or two and you have gotten into a stable maintenance routine go for some easier SPS like a Monti or millipora.
 
Start yourself out with a good cleanup crew, and DONT get hermits you will regret it later. Gets some nasarius snails for your sand, and some astreas or similar for everything else. Then look into a cheap fish.
 
Phosphates are a tad high for SPS.But thats the reading for inorganic phosphates.Hobbiest grade phosphate kits wont pic up the organic kind that comes from fish waste,you'll need a photometer for that,like Ryan mentioned.So get some GFO and run in one of the back chambers of your tank.That should take care of the phosphates.
Kinda confused on the ammonia and NH3.I thought they were one and the same?
Nitrates at 10 aint bad,especially for soft corals like xenia and zoanthids,but not good for stuff like birdsnest.
I'd also bring the salinity on up to 1.025.I personally keep mine at 1.026 which is supposed to be the salinity of natural seawater.
 
I thought that ammonia came in two forms, nh3 +nh4- nh 3 is the bad stuff where you can still have a presence of NH4 and not affect the tank stability? I already have hermit crabs so i should get rid of them?

I used a Kordon test kit for the phos - didn't know they made a photometer.

Yote I am a little confused you said to use GFO in the back chamber? What is GFO?

I already have some cheap fish in the tank. To bring up salinity I just add water with a higher salinity right? Not add salt straight to the tank?

Thank you all for your help! I'd love to get this right and then in a year move on to the 75 or 125 gal I have in the basement. But I know DON'T RUSH!
 
GFO= Granular Ferric Oxide. I run it in a reactor and it does a great job at controlling phosphates. Until the Nitrates and Phosphates are gone, I wouldnt even try SPS. You will regret it and end up getting frustrated. Even when I did a transfer into my 110, i wasnt able to keep SPS. Just now, 8 months later am I able to sustain them. Still to early to see if i can grow them.
 
GFO is a phosphate remover. You put it in a filter bag, and it helps scrub phosphate.

There aren't plenty of soft corals that will do fine in a less-than-perfect tank, like everyone said above. Shrooms, zoas,button polyps & green star polyp can be very attractive and easy to take care of.

To raise salinity, add water w/higher salinity when doing your water change.

I have hermits, I kind of like them, got better personality than snails IMO.

Oh, and listen to the experts here - these guys & gals have really helped me learn a LOT...my tank's been very successful only because of their advice.
 
Last edited:
RFD if you have a 75 or 125 in the basement I vote for set it up now. It goes against the way humans think but a big tank is actually EASIER to keep than the nano you have now. The larger volume of water allows changes to happen slower and they are more stable because of it. That is the best advice I can give you at the moment.
 
RFD said:
I thought that ammonia came in two forms, nh3 +nh4- nh 3 is the bad stuff where you can still have a presence of NH4 and not affect the tank stability?
Click to expand...

Chemist to the rescue!!! .... I don't get to say that often. :P The deal is, ammonia is NH3... ammonium is NH4+. At a pH of 8.3, you can expect about 15% of the "ammonia" your test kit says you have to actually be ammonium. Now, having said that, I want to point out that ammonium can be just as toxic as ammonia, because the two convert back and forth, so even if you could remove all of the actual ammonia, but still had ammonium, you'd end up with some ammonia in a couple minutes. :mrgreen:
 
I'd pull that 75 out and getter set up too.
More water,means less impact from OUR mistakes.
To bring up salinity in a tank as small as yours,I'd top off with a cup of saltwater mixed to the target salinity,then finish the rest with freshwater.
 
The only problem with setting up the 75 is money and wife! I only have power heads and an Ehiem 2217 filter. It might cost a smal fortune for lights, filter etc.

For now the 14 will have to do, :(
 
RFD said:
The only problem with setting up the 75 is money and wife! I only have power heads and an Ehiem 2217 filter. It might cost a smal fortune for lights, filter etc.

For now the 14 will have to do, :(
Click to expand...

I know how that is:grumble:
 
What brand salt are you using? You calcium and alk is high already with the low SG. If you bring it up to natural seawater levels, 35 ppt (1.026) it will also raise your ca and alk....unless you dosing calcium and alk for some reason.
 
RFD said:
The only problem with setting up the 75 is money and wife! I only have power heads and an Ehiem 2217 filter. It might cost a smal fortune for lights, filter etc.

For now the 14 will have to do, :(
Click to expand...

Problem solved.
Get rid of the wife and you'll have more money!!!:bounce:
 

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