Over 1 year in and still having parameter issues...

[00W]

Yes makes sense but realize that 10% change will take it up only a certain amount, yeah?
So measure before and after your change to find that value.
8 is fine.
I run mine @6.5-7 consistently with no issues.
Remember, there's no magical number so find where your tank says it likes it and you're golden.
Joel

 

[DatReefGuy]

Been there before. You’re trying to be proactive in keeping water parameters in check. If everything is happy and healthy, just enjoy. Once you start noticing issues, then I would address them as they come. i know some peeps in here said to let the filter be. I would second that as well. Once you get into a good routine, you shouldn’t have to test frequently and thing get a bit easier. If you’re worried about it, you could always try dosing nitrates. I havent needed to do this before but I know other people that have and they’ve had good luck. I dose kalkwasser and still can’t get my all above 6dkh. Corals are still growing like crazy so I’m not too worried about it.

 

[CallMeLloyd]

Yes makes sense but realize that 10% change will take it up only a certain amount, yeah?
So measure before and after your change to find that value.
8 is fine.
I run mine @6.5-7 consistently with no issues.
Remember, there's no magical number so find where your tank says it likes it and you're golden.
Joel

Okay sounds good! Thanks

Been there before. You’re trying to be proactive in keeping water parameters in check. If everything is happy and healthy, just enjoy. Once you start noticing issues, then I would address them as they come. i know some peeps in here said to let the filter be. I would second that as well. Once you get into a good routine, you shouldn’t have to test frequently and thing get a bit easier. If you’re worried about it, you could always try dosing nitrates. I havent needed to do this before but I know other people that have and they’ve had good luck. I dose kalkwasser and still can’t get my all above 6dkh. Corals are still growing like crazy so I’m not too worried about it.

I hear ya, maybe I'll gift myself some more corals for Christmas And really start trying to enjoy the tank. I feel like between trying to test, last months algae attack (complete tank scrub down), and just worrying about lights, flow, and everything else I'm loosing the excitement... but I'm definitely not giving up.

 

[DatReefGuy]

Okay sounds good! Thanks

I hear ya, maybe I'll gift myself some more corals for Christmas And really start trying to enjoy the tank. I feel like between trying to test, last months algae attack (complete tank scrub down), and just worrying about lights, flow, and everything else I'm loosing the excitement... but I'm definitely not giving up.

Time to stock up with the Black Friday deals! lol. Don't lose excitement. It's work but it's good work. There are definitely a lot of frustrating times but also a lot of good.

 

[CallMeLloyd]

If you clean the filter before it get dirty it will never start producing NO3.

If you are doing frequent water changes, the salt parameters should be close to what you have in the tank.

If you are starving your fish, the corals will also suffer without enough nutrition to grow and thrive.

What do you mean when you say, "If you are doing frequent water changes, the salt parameters should be close to what you have in the tank?"
My freshly mixed saltwater parameter has higher alk then what I have in my tank. Seems like my cal & mag dont move that much probably because I don't have many corals yet. After my 10% WC I did yesterday my alk went from 7.7 to 8.1 but fresh mix is 10-11 alk.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My freshly mixed saltwater parameter has higher alk then what I have in my tank. Seems like my cal & mag dont move that much probably because I don't have many corals yet. After my 10% WC I did yesterday my alk went from 7.7 to 8.1 but fresh mix is 10-11 alk.

That's exactly what one expects based on the math of what is used. ALK always shows up dropping first, even when alk, calcium, and magnesium are used in the expected ratios (2.8 dKH to ~19 ppm calcium to 0 - 2 ppm magnesium). You can easily see a 2.8 dKH alk drop, can perhaps barely see a 19 ppm calcium drip, and will never detect that magnesium change.

 

[CallMeLloyd]

That's exactly what one expects based on the math of what is used. ALK always shows up dropping first, even when alk, calcium, and magnesium are used in the expected ratios (2.8 dKH to ~19 ppm calcium to 0 - 2 ppm magnesium). You can easily see a 2.8 dKH alk drop, can perhaps barely see a 19 ppm calcium drip, and will never detect that magnesium change.

So basically if I'm not dosing or want to spend a pretty penny on equipment, I should just do a water change to keep it above 8 anytime it drops below it?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So basically if I'm not dosing or want to spend a pretty penny on equipment, I should just do a water change to keep it above 8 anytime it drops below it?

Water changes are a very expensive way to boost alk, unless you are already doing them for other reasons.

One needn’t use any equipment to dose AFR or a two part alk and calcium system.

 

[CallMeLloyd]

Water changes are a very expensive way to boost alk, unless you are already doing them for other reasons.

One needn’t use any equipment to dose AFR or a two part alk and calcium system.

I do have AFR, maybe I should try it. I mean why would I buy it if I wasn't going to use it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do have AFR, maybe I should try it. I mean why would I buy it if I wasn't going to use it

That’s certainly a good point. lol

 

[CallMeLloyd]

That’s certainly a good point. lol

Should I focus on getting my nitrates up first or does it matter? Nitrates 0.0 Phosphate 0.03

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I personally would raise nitrate that was undetectable as a priority activity. Any alk above 6.5 DkH is not a rush to raise.

 

[CallMeLloyd]

I personally would raise nitrate that was undetectable as a priority activity. Any alk above 6.5 DkH is not a rush to raise.

Okay and can I dose Neonitro & Neophos at the same time or space them out?

 

[rhitee93]

Following along to see how you make out. I'm in a similar position, but with a much younger tank.

 

[Xanthurum]

Just feed more. IMO this is the one area that most people ignore. If your fish eat more they will produce more waste and the problem will be solved. Up it to 2 cubes a day, you have more than enough fish and critters to consume that much food.

 

[CallMeLloyd]

Just feed more. IMO this is the one area that most people ignore. If your fish eat more they will produce more waste and the problem will be solved. Up it to 2 cubes a day, you have more than enough fish and critters to consume that much food.

2 Cubes seems like a lot, but I'll try that for a week and see if that helps. If not I'll dose. If I start feeding more how long before Nitrates start to show up? I'll stop by Petco on my way home from work and pick up some more frozen food. As I only have Frozen brine shrimp at the moment.

 

[rhitee93]

2 Cubes seems like a lot...

I don't have enough experience to say, but I can give you a data point. The nitrates in my 120gal have been steadily decreasing, and have dropped to 0.2ppm in my 3 month old tank. I have 6 fish, most of which are under 2" long. I've gone from 3/4 of a cube a day to 4 cubes a day over a two week period without seeing much change in nitrates.

Latest pic:

 

[CallMeLloyd]

I don't have enough experience to say, but I can give you a data point. The nitrates in my 120gal have been steadily decreasing, and have dropped to 0.2ppm in my 3 month old tank. I have 6 fish, most of which are under 2" long. I've gone from 3/4 of a cube a day to 4 cubes a day over a two week period without seeing much change in nitrates.

Woah, and it doesn't look like you have many corals. I wonder what is using up the nitrates? Do you run a skimmer/refugium?

 

[Xanthurum]

I’ve spent a lot of time underwater and the one thing I have noticed is that fish in the ocean are a lot more rotund than most of the fish I see in people’s tanks. If your fish don’t look “fat” then they need to be fed more. I’m not saying feed your fish to the point that they are unhealthy because they are fat but in most cases the fish need more food. I’ll post a few pics of some of my fish for reference once the lights come on to illustrate my point.

 

[CallMeLloyd]

I’ve spent a lot of time underwater and the one thing I have noticed is that fish in the ocean are a lot more rotund than most of the fish I see in people’s tanks. If your fish don’t look “fat” then they need to be fed more. I’m not saying feed your fish to the point that they are unhealthy because they are fat but in most cases the fish need more food. I’ll post a few pics of some of my fish for reference once the lights come on to illustrate my point.

Chubby fish, gotcha Maybe I will try some different brands of frozen food as well. Maybe between the brand & amount I am feeding it's just not enough to raise levels. But I will start feeding 1 cube in the morning after lights come on & a cube before lights go off.