Tank at 5 months, any thoughts ?

[Ordovician_Reef]

The numbers I have are :

pH 8.2 – 8.48 daily swing

DKH 9

Ca 450-480

Mg 1340-1360

Nitrates 25ppm

PO3 0.1

The tank is a mixed SPS/LPS with Mandarin gobies. 200 gallons with 350 lbs of live rock, it is 5 months old. Dripping Kalk, Akula skimmer and refugium running on a 18 hour photo period growing cheato and Caulerpa.

Any thoughts as to the long-term viability? These numbers have been remarkably consistent. I would like to get the nitrates down but I just feed too much to support diversity since it is a classroom tank.

 

[Ron Reefman]

The 18 hour photo period is probably more than is really useful, but otherwise it seems OK to me.

 

[Ordovician_Reef]

The 18 hour photo period is probably more than is really useful, but otherwise it seems OK to me.

I think you are right, I increased it mainly in an attempt to get the NO3 down and it did not work

 

[Lavey29]

If it ain't broke......well you know

 

[Garf]

Talking of photo period, where's the pic of the tank ?

 

[Ron Reefman]

I think you are right, I increased it mainly in an attempt to get the NO3 down and it did not work

The algae inside corals typically only do photosynthesis for 6 to 8 hours in a 24 hour period. I ran low light sunrise and sunsets, but only 8 hour at or near midday peak and my corals do just fine.

 

[kevgib67]

The numbers look fine to me, just keep them consistent.