Water Parameter Advise Wanted

[BigCrowd42]

I was hoping to see what parameters people keep there parameters at.I am just adding softies,shrooms,&Zoos to my 125g tank.I am Running 660W of VHO 50/50 & Atinic. These are my parameters

AMM 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 7
Phos 0
KH 9
Alk 3.2
Calc 370
PH 8.3
Temp 78.5
Salinity 1.023

I am working on getting my Calc up to 400 by adding Kent Turbo Calc But it takes a long time to make 125g change levels.
I am also working on getting my Salinity closer to 1.025
Just want to see if I am on the right track.
I was also curious what supplements people add to help Softies shrooms and zoos thrive?

 

[KAS]

salinity looks a little low to me. I would try for 1.025. As always, trying to get nitrates to 0 is a good thing. Other than that I don't see an issue. If you decide to put stoneys in, you should raise your calc a bit.

 

[davidrupe]

My shrooms and zoos are growing noticibly. I consider that good growth but I don't know how to measure growth. All 11 fish, 5 anemones, billion aptasia, star fishes and hermit crabs, are healthy and happy. Aptasia is way too happy. I am about a week+ behind on my water change which has caused some hair algea, but I don't put anything in my RO/DI water except salt. I don't even use my test kits any more because they are just junk. Too many variables to get an accurate measurement and it is nearly subjective anyways. If the fish are happy and stuff is growing, your tank is good.
Long story short, nobody on this board is going to agree with me, but fish/softies are very tolerant. If your cycle is running, your softies and fish are going to be very happy. SPS/LPS, I have no idea. You don't need 'other' chemicals for softies to be very happy.

 

[NateHanson]

I'll agree with you David (I know, shocking ). Zoas and softies don't take a whole lot to be happy in my opinion. Your conditions look good for those creatures. I'd raise your Alk to about 4, and that could help avoid nusiance algae in the future. Also, go buy a bag of Dowflake at HD (near the ice-melters). It's the same stuff that's in store-bought calcium additives, and it's about $10 for a 50# bag. Then use http://www.kademani.com/reefchem.ht...you better advice on that. Good luck, Nate

 

[BigCrowd42]

I have had a couple of tree coral frags in for about a week and they seem kinda droopy.

 

[ScottM]

FWIW,

I run
AMM 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate ~2-5 sometimes its as high as 10
Phos 0
ALK DKH 11
Calc 400-450
PH 8.3
Temp 82
Salinity 1.025

I have always found my softies do better when my nitrites are higher. go figure.

i think stable conditions are almost if not more important than the at the moment results.
i have found that if i am in "the range" and its consistant then i don't worry.
its the sudden changes that always turn into a problem. heavy dosing included

 

[starrfish]

Scott - do you mean your softies do better when your nitrAtes are higher (not your nitrItes), right?

 

[Moe_K]

BigCrowd; a phosphate (PO4) measurement might help.
In my experience that was the algae grower. I had to get PO4 down to zero (or not detectable).

 

[BigCrowd42]

OK 1 more question.My Calcium is at 370 and I am getting ready to do a 20-25% water change.If I make the new water have a calc level of 400 by adding turbo calc to it before i put it in the tank will that be safe. I have been trying to bring my level up for about 3 weeks and I only have raised it from 360 to 370. Thought I might be ablr to speed things up a bit.

 

[denvig]

I think you should be OK with only 25 gallons its not going to raise the whole tank that much anyway.

 

[clamm]

the slower the better but in my 46 i had awhile ago I was mixing water and adding turbo calcium and the dog ran into and i ended up with about 5x the amount. it raised from 320 to 450 in about an hour or so...but didnt affect anything...I would go with caution but shouldnt be that big of a deal. I have also found usefull the kent marine dosing kit, then you can premix a weeks worth and have it dosed over the week, then when you done you just fill it with water and add the same amount again, makes it a little easier.

 

[ScottM]

OK 1 more question.My Calcium is at 370 and I am getting ready to do a 20-25% water change.If I make the new water have a calc level of 400 by adding turbo calc to it before i put it in the tank will that be safe. I have been trying to bring my level up for about 3 weeks and I only have raised it from 360 to 370. Thought I might be ablr to speed things up a bit.

Add it to the tank, not the top off.
have you been adding according to the directions?
you should be able to bring it up quicker than 3 weeks.

 

[Kim]

http://www.kademani.com/reefchem.htm

Use that calculator to help figure out exactly how much calcium supplement to add to your tank. Then you can split it up over days.

 

[BigCrowd42]

I was going to add to the water change water not top off. Turbo Calc calls for 1/8 Tsp per 50g for a lightly loaded tank & 1/4 for a heavily loaded tank.My tank is lightly loaded so I was putting 1/4 Tsp per day for the first week no big calc change.I started adding 3/8 Tsp per day for the next week still slow to change.I now put a 1/2 Tsp per day for the last 4 days.We'll see if that helps. My KH was 10 maybe that is buffering the water so it doesn't want to change quickly.

Add it to the tank, not the top off.
have you been adding according to the directions?
you should be able to bring it up quicker than 3 weeks.

 

[BigCrowd42]

Kim that's a cool calculator