Skimmer or Not?

[Marie7]

I hope you’re not topping off with saltwater. That just adds more salt each time. Also, tap water is dangerous in so many ways. I’d look into a RODI system ASAP. Also, you can use distilled water for top offs. Any grocery store should have.

Thanks for the advise

 

[Backreefing]

Tap water is risky is good advice for many reefers. BUT some places in the country or world it’s just fine. I live in the Baltimore Washington area of the us and the tap water at my house is awesome. However I do currently use ro water only because I need a lower DKH . With my tap water it’s 10dkh with ro it’s 9dkh . I’m a stick head so I need it low .
Actually well water is the most wild of all because every well gives different water and it can be different depending on the seasons . For most of us ro is safest.

 

[Marie7]

Tap water is risky is good advice for many reefers. BUT some places in the country or world it’s just fine. I live in the Baltimore Washington area of the us and the tap water at my house is awesome. However I do currently use ro water only because I need a lower DKH . With my tap water it’s 10dkh with ro it’s 9dkh . I’m a stick head so I need it low .
Actually well water is the most wild of all because every well gives different water and it can be different depending on the seasons . For most of us ro is safest.

Thanks I’m planing to get one osmosis system, I enjoy my hobby very much and enjoy my corals

 

[Marie7]

What’s your parameters like?

Ok I got my parameters , I know some things are little off and high but thats where I need advised at on how to and what to do.
KH 161.1
PH 8.2
Calcium - Using the API Reef Test Master kit, I have add up to 29 drops which is higher than the 26 drops that equals to 520 that the color chart shows this before turn into the blue point (I been adding the Calcium and Alkalinity bottles same amount at the same time).
phosphate is at 5.0 which I believe is high. ( i'm dozing NoPox) to battle the little amount of algae that is growing on the walls of the back glass of the tank, this algae looks like brown cotton I don't looks to me like hair algae)
Nitrite 0 PPM
Nitrates 160 PPM ( I know it's high) even considering the water changes I do.
Salinity 1.032 and 41 0/00

I was able to bring my water to the 8.2 level of PH that I wanted.
I have about 10-13 fishes and also I have a snowflake eel and also a brown black edge eel that measures more than a foot both of them, so considering all this i'm a heavy feeder to maintain the eel diet so it won't messed with my fishes they are tame any ways besides than eat couple damsels , thanks God they are devilish-es.
Any suggestions ? thank you all and sorry for took so long to come up with my parameters I been extremely busy.
Also I have a octopus skimmer and believe me it's doing its job as the water I dump from the reservoir is very dark green to brownish.

 

[Backreefing]

The solution for all water parameter problems is water change . I would recommend a new salt mix that will give you the parameters you want . I use Red Sea blue bucket. It will help bring down your alkalinity.

 

[Marie7]

Ok everyone:

I did a major water change today, I change 15 gallons of salt water for Rodi water and I was able to bring down the salinity to 1.027 compare to yesterday that it was extremely high at 1.032, I will wait tomorrow to do another check on all my parameters and see what happen and where i'm at tomorrow I feel it's to soon to check the rest of the stuff, I would like to give time for the water to circulate and see .

 

[Marie7]

The solution for all water parameter problems is water change . I would recommend a new salt mix that will give you the parameters you want . I use Red Sea blue bucket. It will help bring down your alkalinity.

Yes, I just finish doing that, thanks

 

[Marie7]

Thanks for the advise

Unfortunately that's exactly what I was doing which i believe contribute to have my numbers high, something I was not use to do before, thanks for the advised, I'm planing to buy an osmosis system

 

[Hemmdog]

Ok everyone:

I did a major water change today, I change 15 gallons of salt water for Rodi water and I was able to bring down the salinity to 1.027 compare to yesterday that it was extremely high at 1.032, I will wait tomorrow to do another check on all my parameters and see what happen and where i'm at tomorrow I feel it's to soon to check the rest of the stuff, I would like to give time for the water to circulate and see .

Good work.