Need help with water parameters!

[Trevyn]

So my tank is 3 weeks old, used cycled water from a 8 year old tank about 15 gallons of it to be exact, and I cant seem to get my nitrates down, Ive put an algone pack in there, have done 2 5 gallon water changes using ro/di, What am I doing wrong? Also my PH seems to keep reading at 7.4, not sure why but ive added Kent Marine super buffer about 3 tablespoons over the last week or so and its only at 7.8, my nitrates keep reading at over 100, the tank I got the 15 gallons from has over 160 nitrates, however its a FO 150 gallon. Anyway, im wondering if theres something im not doing to lower my nitrates? My alkalinity and gh are reading at the max they can on the test strips, Im wanting to do some hammer and frogspawn corals and whatever else someone recommends, Here is the readings again, PH-7.8 Salinity-1.025 ( my local lfs says its 1.021 however I bought a refractometer and put the 1.026 solution to calibrate it, test my water everyday and it says its at 1.025 so not sure) N02-0 N03- 100 ppm ish, so my main questions are, How do I get my PH to 8.2, how do I get my nitrates low enough to have my corals? And why is my lfs saying my salt is low but my refractometer calibrated at 1.026 salinity is reading 1.025? Tank has cycled also, ammonia and nitrites stay at 0, check the params almost every single day. Sorry this is my first post and im not sure how to really use a forum or what to say or where to post just looking for some answers to help get my params where I want them, thanks.
SPECS-
30 Gallon XH
Fluval Pro 2.0 Marine and Reef Led, full spectrum 25000k 32 watts
Fluval 206 canister filter
32 lbs of LR
icecap 1k gyre pump(next few days)
2 fluval cp2 circulation pumps
1 fluval cp1 circulation pump
2 black ocellaris clowns
1 antenna goby and pistol shrimp combo
1 Juvenile Blue Tang (1.25-1.75") I do know he'll outgrow the tank he will be going into a 150g. (he will be here in a couple days
2 harlequin shrimp and 1 cc star for em next couple days theyll be here
Cleanup- 2 emerald crabs some hermits and snails
Temp is stable in between 76-78
Ps My fish and inverts are doing great eating, have had them for two weeks everyone seems happy.

 

[Crabs McJones]

So my tank is 3 weeks old, used cycled water from a 8 year old tank about 15 gallons of it to be exact, and I cant seem to get my nitrates down, Ive put an algone pack in there, have done 2 5 gallon water changes using ro/di, What am I doing wrong? Also my PH seems to keep reading at 7.4, not sure why but ive added Kent Marine super buffer about 3 tablespoons over the last week or so and its only at 7.8, my nitrates keep reading at over 100, the tank I got the 15 gallons from has over 160 nitrates, however its a FO 150 gallon. Anyway, im wondering if theres something im not doing to lower my nitrates? My alkalinity and gh are reading at the max they can on the test strips, Im wanting to do some hammer and frogspawn corals and whatever else someone recommends, Here is the readings again, PH-7.8 Salinity-1.025 ( my local lfs says its 1.021 however I bought a refractometer and put the 1.026 solution to calibrate it, test my water everyday and it says its at 1.025 so not sure) N02-0 N03- 100 ppm ish, so my main questions are, How do I get my PH to 8.2, how do I get my nitrates low enough to have my corals? And why is my lfs saying my salt is low but my refractometer calibrated at 1.026 salinity is reading 1.025? Tank has cycled also, ammonia and nitrites stay at 0, check the params almost every single day. Sorry this is my first post and im not sure how to really use a forum or what to say or where to post just looking for some answers to help get my params where I want them, thanks.
SPECS-
30 Gallon XH
Fluval Pro 2.0 Marine and Reef Led, full spectrum 25000k 32 watts
Fluval 206 canister filter
32 lbs of LR
icecap 1k gyre pump(next few days)
2 fluval cp2 circulation pumps
1 fluval cp1 circulation pump
2 black ocellaris clowns
1 antenna goby and pistol shrimp combo
1 Juvenile Blue Tang (1.25-1.75") I do know he'll outgrow the tank he will be going into a 150g. (he will be here in a couple days
2 harlequin shrimp and 1 cc star for em next couple days theyll be here
Cleanup- 2 emerald crabs some hermits and snails
Temp is stable in between 76-78
Ps My fish and inverts are doing great eating, have had them for two weeks everyone seems happy.

Welcome to R2R!

#WelcometoR2R

What test it are you using to test your parameters?

 

[hafer12]

Seeding ur tank 50% with water reading over 160, is immediately going to raise your tank to 80 ppm.
1 Question how long has the tank been running?
2 Are we sure the tank has completed cycling?

Assuming the tank has cycled, i would do a 40% wc, with rodi water and your salt mixed to match what the tank is reading
Then I would do another 40% wc maybe 2 or 3 days later... Ideally that should bring you down around 45 or 50 ppm nitrate

 

[Trevyn]

Welcome to R2R!

#WelcometoR2R

What test it are you using to test your parameters?

Api Liquid and strips, along with a nice refractometer.

 

[Trevyn]

Seeding ur tank 50% with water reading over 160, is immediately going to raise your tank to 80 ppm.
1 Question how long has the tank been running?
2 Are we sure the tank has completed cycling?

Assuming the tank has cycled, i would do a 40% wc, with rodi water and your salt mixed to match what the tank is reading
Then I would do another 40% wc maybe 2 or 3 days later... Ideally that should bring you down around 45 or 50 ppm nitrate

1 3 weeks
2 Im pretty sure? not sure how to tell but nothing has died yet..?

 

[hafer12]

Did u test for ammonia torward the end of your cycle. After u see the ammonia rise, spike and drop back to zero then the tank is cycled. If ur fish are alive I guess ur ammonia free.
Water changes are the answer to lower ur nutrients.
I wouldn't worry about ur ph, as long as it's at or above 7.6.

 

[hafer12]

Srry, i should have re-read your first post again, I see the answer to all my questions in it

 

[Trevyn]

Srry, i should have re-read your first post again, I see the answer to all my questions in it

No problem lol

 

[Trevyn]

Did u test for ammonia torward the end of your cycle. After u see the ammonia rise, spike and drop back to zero then the tank is cycled. If ur fish are alive I guess ur ammonia free.
Water changes are the answer to lower ur nutrients.
I wouldn't worry about ur ph, as long as it's at or above 7.6.

didnt really check for it but the lfs said it should have cycled so I guess it has if everythings alive right? also when can I add some frogspawns and hammers? Also whats some more easy keep colorful corals?

 

[hafer12]

My First two corals were a hammer and frogspawn euphyllia lol! Leathers and softies are very hardy - finger leather, devils hand, sinulara, toadstools
Zoanthids are pretty, variety of colors
Is there a local reef club where u live, if so u can save a lot of money buying from a reefer just in case u kill a coral it won' hurt the wallet that bad

 

[hafer12]

Upload us a pic of ur tank!

 

[Trevyn]

I’ll have to upload one tomorrow, and the only places near me are a aquarium adventure retailer and the smaller frogspawns are about 50 and the larger hammers are 67 each they’re about the size of a baseball for the hammers maybe smaller and about a golf ball size for the frogs

 

[Trevyn]

My First two corals were a hammer and frogspawn euphyllia lol! Leathers and softies are very hardy - finger leather, devils hand, sinulara, toadstools
Zoanthids are pretty, variety of colors
Is there a local reef club where u live, if so u can save a lot of money buying from a reefer just in case u kill a coral it won' hurt the wallet that bad

No reef club or anything just a retailer a baseball size hammer is 67.50 and a golf ball frogspawn is like 48 not really sure

 

[Trevyn]

Upload us a pic of ur tank!

Actually sent it from my phone

 

[Trevyn]

Actually sent it from my phone

 

[Trevyn]

Slowly rearranging and stuff heaters goina get moved couple power heads are goina go

 

[hafer12]

This is a normal cheap purple hammer on the upper left, normal cheap frogspawn all the green. Full blown retail is like $ 20 a head. A local reefer would do $10 a head

 

[hafer12]

I like ur rockscape!

 

[Trevyn]

I like ur rockscape!

Thanks! I can’t decide if I want to add more or not, really I just want to start putting some of the frogs and hammers in the little pockets of the lr

 

[hafer12]

No reef club or anything just a retailer a baseball size hammer is 67.50 and a golf ball frogspawn is like 48 not really su

Always support your LFS and buy local when you can