Salt Water Parameters

[jsker]

Yeah I haven’t gotten any fish yet. I wanted to get my corals going for the 75g. I guess maybe a couple of clowns? I’m open to suggestions remember it’s only a 20 so I’d probably only do two at the most

clowns sound good, maybe a golby or a leopard wrasse.

 

[jsker]

I have a bottle of reef chili I’m not sure if I should make the recommended amount for the tank size or cut it back.

Reef chili is good, I would look at get some reef nutrition oyster feast and feeding a couple of drops every other day. Test to see were the numbers are at.

 

[SuperHaze57]

What are you testing your parameters with? Sorry for all the questions.

I have a Red Sea and an ATI test kits. I used both kits for the same tests just to see if one was off but they both were a match. Questions are good the more info one has the better it is to help.

 

[SuperHaze57]

Reef chili is good, I would look at get some reef nutrition oyster feast and feeding a couple of drops every other day. Test to see were the numbers are at.

I will pick some up and give it a try. Thanks for your help.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I have a Red Sea and an ATI test kits. I used both kits for the same tests just to see if one was off but they both were a match

I'm leaning towards needing to mix the bag/box before making another batch of saltwater. You can shake it, tumble it, stir it with a stick. Just try and get all that salt mixed up. Sometimes the salts and elements separate. If you don't you will see parameters off the deeper you go when mixing.

 

[SuperHaze57]

I'm leaning towards needing to mix the bag/box before making another batch of saltwater. You can shake it, tumble it, stir it with a stick. Just try and get all that salt mixed up. Sometimes the salts and elements separate. If you don't you will see parameters off the deeper you go when mixing.

That never dawned on me I will do that the next water change which will be this weekend.

 

[SuperHaze57]

I will pick some up and give it a try. Thanks for your help.

The thing I told my son was if I can’t get this tank right how in the world will the 75 be lol

 

[reeferfoxx]

That never dawned on me I will do that the next water change which will be this weekend.

I'm not at all suggesting your numbers are off but they are off from your brand of salt. Regardless it's best to work out these little bugs before proceeding to a larger tank

 

[SuperHaze57]

I'm not at all suggesting your numbers are off but they are off from your brand of salt. Regardless it's best to work out these little bugs before proceeding to a larger tank

I was a little surprised myself and like I said I never thought of mixing the salt mix first. I think it’s a brilliant idea!

 

[SuperHaze57]

I'm not at all suggesting your numbers are off but they are off from your brand of salt. Regardless it's best to work out these little bugs before proceeding to a larger tank

Have you ever tested your mix before adding it to the tank?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Have you ever tested your mix before adding it to the tank?

I always do. Always. Especially alk. Alk swings can break a tank if the numbers are very far off. So I always stick to smaller water changes to keep things most stable. If by any chance a number is lower than my tank, I'll dose to get it to match.

 

[jsker]

I will pick some up and give it a try. Thanks for your help.

Your welcome

 

[SuperHaze57]

I always do. Always. Especially alk. Alk swings can break a tank if the numbers are very far off. So I always stick to smaller water changes to keep things most stable. If by any chance a number is lower than my tank, I'll dose to get it to match.

Ahh very good thanks for the help!

 

[van7271]

Fish and coral go together. In the ocean you don’t see any coral with out a plethora of different kinds of fish around it. Sounds like your tank is just a little too clean. LPS coral get a lot of their food for fish waste.

 

[SuperHaze57]

Fish and coral go together. In the ocean you don’t see any coral with out a plethora of different kinds of fish around it. Sounds like your tank is just a little too clean. LPS coral get a lot of their food for fish waste.

Yes I would agree it’s a little to clean. So your saying put fish in it now ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes I would agree it’s a little to clean. So your saying put fish in it now ?

If you want to add nutrients, you can add foods whether you have fish or not. But dosing nitrate and phosphate is also easy.

 

[SuperHaze57]

If you want to add nutrients, you can add foods whether you have fish or not. But dosing nitrate and phosphate is also easy.

Thanks for your help!

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I always do. Always. Especially alk. Alk swings can break a tank if the numbers are very far off. So I always stick to smaller water changes to keep things most stable. If by any chance a number is lower than my tank, I'll dose to get it to match.

+1. Every new box or bucket of salt mix I get, I record the Mg, Ca and carbonate alkalinity the first batch I make. It usually doesn't change from box to box, but for cheaper salt mixes like Instant Ocean, it can sometimes.

I used to test every single batch I made, but I found that to be unnecessary. Typically, as long as you're mixing the salt mix, salt from the same bucket/box works out to be about the same Ca/Mg/Alk.

 

[SuperHaze57]

+1. Every new box or bucket of salt mix I get, I record the Mg, Ca and carbonate alkalinity the first batch I make. It usually doesn't change from box to box, but for cheaper salt mixes like Instant Ocean, it can sometimes.

I used to test every single batch I made, but I found that to be unnecessary. Typically, as long as you're mixing the salt mix, salt from the same bucket/box works out to be about the same Ca/Mg/Alk.

I never thought about testing it as being new to all this is a learning curve. I will test the mix the next water change I do.

 

[SuperHaze57]

Okay an update on the tank

4-2-18 8:30 PM PST
Temp 78.8
Salinity 1.025
PH 8.4
Ca 440
KH 7 2.50meq/L
PO4 0
NO2 0
NO3 <1
NH3/NH4 0
Mg 1200

I added 2 clown fish
I seem to have an outbreak of brown algae in my fuge and on my rock.
My tree coral totally bleached out and I think is toast
I think the light was a bit much so I moved it higher and turned it down. I did move the tree coral to an area with less light on the bottom of the tank.
I would have thought my nitrate would have been higher with the adding of the fish and feeding.
Any suggestions?
I did order some live sand as this is a bare bottom tank will this help?