Post your parameters - BE HONEST THREAD

[ScottR]

It seems like lots of people post parameters and they’re just too perfect. Let’s be honest. Post your true parameters. I don’t see having something not perfect as being a failure. Nor do I think it’s bad to be out of sync with everyone else, so long as your tank is healthy.

Here are mine:

PO4 0.06 — ok for me
NO3 25 — wish to be lower
pH 8 — 8.2 is my goal
Alk 10.2 — nothing wants to eat my alk!
Ca 420 — could be higher
Mg 1500 — could be lower

 

[Ron Reefman]

Scott, interesting ask and we'll see what kind of replies you get. Here is my list.

PO4 — I don't test for it unless some algae gets out of control.
NO3 — I don't test for it unless some algae gets out of control.
pH — I never test for this anymore. In the past it has always been about 7.8
Alk — Between 7dKH and 9dKH depending on how soon after dosing I test.
Ca — I used to keep it up around 420 to 440, but recently I've held it at 380 to 400 and I've ended up dosing less as a result.
Mg — 1400 but I rarely test anymore now that my tank is mostly zoas and RFA's. If it went down to 1200 I wouldn't mind.
SG - 1.026 to 1.027

 

[crusso1993]

It seems like lots of people post parameters and they’re just too perfect. Let’s be honest. Post your true parameters. I don’t see having something not perfect as being a failure. Nor do I think it’s bad to be out of sync with everyone else, so long as your tank is healthy.

Here are mine:

PO4 0.06 — ok for me
NO3 25 — wish to be lower
pH 8 — 8.2 is my goal
Alk 10.2 — nothing wants to eat my alk!
Ca 420 — could be higher
Mg 1500 — could be lower

Are you implying that there may be some dishonesty on the forum? Oh my!
BTW - my parameters are 100% perfect, 100% of the time. I also own ocean-front property in Colorado. Very expensive and difficult to come by, I might add.

 

[acro-ed]

My pH has always been lower (like 7.9ish) than what people say it should be.

Otherwise 9.3/420/1400 , NO3=2, PO4= 0.02.

I used to run my alk lower but have been experimenting with it higher.

 

[ScottR]

Are you implying that there may be some dishonesty on the forum? Oh my!
BTW - my parameters are 100% perfect, 100% of the time. I also own ocean-front property in Colorado. Very expensive and difficult to come by, I might add.

;Stop So your parameters are perfect. Got it. Nuff said. ;Hilarious

 

[BestMomEver]

As of yesterday...
Dkh 9.2 - perfect for me
Calcium 460 - a tad high
Magnesium - 1350 ok
pH 8.15

Tested these a week or two ago

Nitrate 4
Phosphate .04

pH has been much better lately. I have no idea why.
Everything has been remarkably stable lately.
I am pleased.

 

[ScottR]

Scott, interesting ask and we'll see what kind of replies you get. Here is my list.

PO4 — I don't test for it unless some algae gets out of control.
NO3 — I don't test for it unless some algae gets out of control.
pH — I never test for this anymore. In the past it has always been about 7.8
Alk — Between 7dKH and 9dKH depending on how soon after dosing I test.
Ca — I used to keep it up around 420 to 440, but recently I've held it at 380 to 400 and I've ended up dosing less as a result.
Mg — 1400 but I rarely test anymore now that my tank is mostly zoas and RFA's. If it went down to 1200 I wouldn't mind.

I used to run tanks with minimal reef 20 years ago. We never tested anything. Just salinity. I felt our tanks were more stable because we didn’t shock our tanks chasing parameters.

 

[Crabs McJones]

P04- .02
N03- >2ppm
Ph- fluctuates between 8.3 and 8.5
Alk- 8DKH
Calc- 450
Mag- 1380
Salinity- 1.026

 

[ScottR]

As of yesterday...
Dkh 9.2 - perfect for me
Calcium 460 - a tad high
Magnesium - 1350 ok
pH 8.15

Tested these a week or two ago

Nitrate 4
Phosphate .04

pH has been much better lately. I have no idea why.
Everything has been remarkably stable lately.
I am pleased.

Nice numbers. Of course if you’re like me and running minimal SPS, these numbers are perfect.

 

[ScottR]

P04- .02
N03- >2ppm
Ph- fluctuates between 8.3 and 8.5
Alk- 8DKH
Calc- 450
Mag- 1380
Salinity- 1.026

Are you running a CO2 scrubber? I’d die for 8.3ish pH.

 

[ZoWhat]

my honest strategy is to have high Calc and Mag and Potassium

Calc: anything below 440 I dose back up to 480-500

Mag: anything below 1300 I get anxious and dose back up to 1500-1600

Alk: I dont dose anything. my tank is a very low Alk consumption tank. I get nervous at anything over 11dKH. I'm much happier at 9-10

POTASSIUM (THE FORGOTTEN ELEMENT): I think potassium is a HUGELY forgotten element. anything under 400ppm I start dosing to get into the 420-440 range. which is HARD bc corals consume potassium like crazy

if you've never look at your potassium levels, even with the best salt mix, I betcha you're low at ~320 ppm


.

 

[ScottR]

Btw. Can anyone weigh in on this color on the salifert pH test. I have no idea how to read this. I’m on 8?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Are you running a CO2 scrubber? I’d die for 8.3ish pH.

I do not. Just leave the windows open and run refugium full of chaeto.

 

[Scurvy]

As of yesterday.

PH - 8.1 - 8.3
Nitrate: 5
PO4: .02 - Brought up from 0 tested Sunday
DkH: 7.7 - Brought up from 6.4 tested Sunday
Calcium 420 - Brought up from 400 tested Sunday
Mag: 1480

 

[Cthulukelele]

P04- .02
N03- >2ppm
Ph- fluctuates between 8.3 and 8.5
Alk- 8DKH
Calc- 450
Mag- 1380
Salinity- 1.026

How do you keep your pH so high?

Edit: oops you just answered lol

 

[Scurvy]

Btw. Can anyone weigh in on this color on the salifert pH test. I have no idea how to read this. I’m on 8?

I'd call that 8.1 ish I think.

 

[ScottR]

my honest strategy is to have high Calc and Mag and Potassium

Calc: anything below 440 I dose back up to 480-500

Mag: anything below 1300 I get anxious and dose back up to 1500-1600

Alk: I dont dose anything. my tank is a very low Alk consumption tank. I get nervous at anything over 11dKH. I'm much happier at 9-10

POTASSIUM (THE FORGOTTEN ELEMENT): I think potassium is a HUGELY forgotten element. anything under 400ppm I start dosing to get into the 420-440 range. which is HARD bc corals consume potassium like crazy



.

Potassium is an unknown to me. Just like iodine. One of those things I care less to test for and let my salt replenish. I’ll wait for my ICP... ;Nailbiting

 

[ScottR]

I'd call that 8.1 ish I think.

Thanks. These colors go over my head. This is why Hanna is my go-to. Numbers are more up my alley.

 

[Crabs McJones]

You can tell when I closed the windows and kicked on the ac yesterday lol. I need to change my ph answer apparently!

 

[ZoWhat]

Potassium is an unknown to me. Just like iodine. One of those things I care less to test for and let my salt replenish. I’ll wait for my ICP... ;Nailbiting

you should look at your potassium. natural seawater comes in at 380 ppm!!!

at 380ppm and Calc at 420.... potassium is just as important as calc

potassium really fuels RED, PINK AND ORANGE coral colors
.