Bad parameters

[Bellamy55]

hey guys, i need some advice. My 20g tank is about 2 1/2 months old and im having trouble with parameters. i do ~10% water change each week. for the most part the livestock seems to be doing real well. These were my latest test results today after doing a water change yesterday:
salinity 1.026 stable
Temp 78.6 stable
ph 8.2
NH3 0.5
NO2 0
NO3 ~30
Cal 500
KH 143 2
PO4 .25
I know ammonia and nitrate are high, but do not understand why nitrite isnt being effected. I am assuming because of low nitrite biologically my bacteria is doing its Job. Any advice?

 

[lpsouth1978]

More info about the system would be helpful. What size tank? Tap water or RODI? What do you feed, how much, and how often? Live or dry rock? How long and how did you cycle? What test kits are you using?, What all is in the tank?

 

[Bellamy55]

its a 20g tall tank. using rodi water and quantum salt premixed to 1.026 at lfs. its been up and running about 10 weeks. cycled for a month with 10lb dry rock and 17lb live rock. ~ 2.5" sand bed. using the api test kit. have a damsel and a clownfish peppermint shrimp, 4 nerite, 2 astrea, 2 margarita, 2 nassarius, emerald crab and several dwarf cerith

 

[ss30]

How did you cycle the tank and how long did it take?

 

[Nanoreefer4ever]

I think that dkh unhave there is 14 right not 143 lol, anyway it's hight andw can stress livestocks out. Ammonia beed tonbe zero, nitrate should be around 10 to 15, phosphate aim for .03. Also invest in better quality test kits, API is bad

 

[Bellamy55]

cycled the tank with live rock and live sand. nanoreefer, i know where i should be, thats why im posting. and 143 is ppm kh, or 8dkh if you must

 

[Retro Reefer]

Just my opinion but chasing numbers on a 2 month old tank is a waste of time let it stabilize and balance out before worrying about it.. ideally you wouldn’t have livestock in the tank yet except maybe a starter fish.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I really don't see an issue here. Most of your numbers are in line and will improve as the tank matures. the biggest issue is the ammonia, which is likely zero. We see it all the time with API test kits! The API ammonia test is notorious for showing ammonia when there is none. Chances are that if there was ammonia in the system, the shrimp and snails would be dead and your fish would be stressed and struggling at best.

I would just continue with what you are doing and let things stabilize. In the mean time I would get better test kits for most of the prams, though I wouldn't bother getting any for ammonia or nitrites. Once a tank has cycled there is really no need to test these.

 

[Bellamy55]

ok heard that. any recommendations on test kit? kind of reefing on a budget as hard as that is.

 

[ss30]

ok heard that. any recommendations on test kit? kind of reefing on a budget as hard as that is.

Salifert are ok to start with, a lot better than API.

 

[BeejReef]

agreed ^^

Assuming you actually do not have any ammonia, those are pretty good parameters. If they're stable, not a lot that needs doing. Your nitrate and phosphate are def on the high end. If that doesn't begin to resolve itself as the tank matures, you may want to look into it.

I see you're a cost conscious reefer as well. For my money, you can't do better than a hunk of chaeto in the sump with a $25 red/blue china light and an $8 home depot outlet timer.