New Guy here. Trying to manage water chemistry. Help!

[WisconsinReefing]

I just tested all the parameters that I can. I use Hanna testers except for Mg I use Red Sea. Left side is my results. Right side is what I understand to be “ideal”

Ammonia: 0 0
Nitrate: 10ppm 0
Calcium: 531 ppm. 400-425
Phosphate: .02 ppm. .02 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.6. 8-9
Magnesium: 1340. 1300
Salinity: 1.025. 1.025
Temp: 76.4. 76-78

Overall I think it looks ok. Nitrate is a concern. I’m doing 2 small water changes weekly and can’t seem to get it lower. Infact it’s creeping upward. Any advice here would be great.

The other concern is calcium, it has risen with some consistency and seems well above ideal.

General info. 40 gallon bio cube. 1 BTA, 2 clowns, 1 royal gramma, 1 peppermint hog fish, 1 dwarf angel conch snail, 3 turbo snails 2 small crabs 2 cleaner shrimp

AI prime lighting on a professional schedule and 2 wave makers.

Thanks for helping a stressed new guy

 

[The Aquatic Arsenal]

Which salt mix are you using? Your nitrates are fine where they are as well. How often are you doing water changes?

 

[S.Pepper]

You nitrate is fine. don't stress over it.

 

[SPR1968]

Your fine with those figures, yes the calcium’s a little on the high side but you can slowly lower that.

Unless your trying to run on very low nutrients your nitrate is fine at 10ppm

if water changes won’t hold nitrate down you may need to look at other methods, either mechanical or biological filtration

 

[Roosterjack]

Calcium is only minor concern I see...and that can be tapered down if dosing.

 

[vetteguy53081]

No need to chase parameters as they are satisfactory right now

 

[Crabs McJones]

Other than calcium coming down a little bit, everything looks good

 

[WisconsinReefing]

Thanks for the fast responses. I use water from my LFS. Haven’t dosed for anything.

I also just saw this. It looked like a hole at first but now I’m not sure. Should I take it out and dip it again? Been in for about 2 weeks.

 

[WisconsinReefing]

That’s on the stalk of my hammer coral

 

[Crabs McJones]

Can you get a pic with some whites turned on? Likely a vermetid snail

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just tested all the parameters that I can. I use Hanna testers except for Mg I use Red Sea. Left side is my results. Right side is what I understand to be “ideal”

Ammonia: 0 0
Nitrate: 10ppm 0
Calcium: 531 ppm. 400-425
Phosphate: .02 ppm. .02 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.6. 8-9
Magnesium: 1340. 1300
Salinity: 1.025. 1.025
Temp: 76.4. 76-78

Overall I think it looks ok. Nitrate is a concern. I’m doing 2 small water changes weekly and can’t seem to get it lower. Infact it’s creeping upward. Any advice here would be great.

The other concern is calcium, it has risen with some consistency and seems well above ideal.

General info. 40 gallon bio cube. 1 BTA, 2 clowns, 1 royal gramma, 1 peppermint hog fish, 1 dwarf angel conch snail, 3 turbo snails 2 small crabs 2 cleaner shrimp

AI prime lighting on a professional schedule and 2 wave makers.

Thanks for helping a stressed new guy

What part of wisconsin

 

[WisconsinReefing]

Can you get a pic with some whites turned on? Likely a vermetid snail

 

[WisconsinReefing]

What part of wisconsin

Milwaukee area

 

[Crabs McJones]

Milwaukee area

Hello fellow wisconsinite!

 

[WisconsinReefing]

Which salt mix are you using? Your nitrates are fine where they are as well. How often are you doing water changes?

I’ve been doing 5 gallons 1/8, 2x per week. The nitrates have been stressing me out

 

[WisconsinReefing]

Hello fellow wisconsinite!

How about you??

 

[Crabs McJones]

How about you??

Fond du Lac

 

[WisconsinReefing]

Fond du Lac

Ah, nice. About 45 min north or me.

Did you see above the picture I posted with the whites on? Any idea on that black thing? Should I take it off and/ or dip it again??

 

[Crabs McJones]

Ah, nice. About 45 min north or me.

Did you see above the picture I posted with the whites on? Any idea on that black thing? Should I take it off and/ or dip it again??

hard to make out. Is it a hole in the skeleton or does it protrude off the coral?

 

[WisconsinReefing]

hard to make out. Is it a hole in the skeleton or does it protrude off the coral?

Honestly it’s super hard for me to tell. I’m looking as closely as I can without taking the coral out. At first I thought it was a hole, but I’m now leaning toward and protrusion.