Water Parameters

[Texas Rick]

Just a quick question, these are my water parameters before i did a 15% Water change. I do 10% water changes every week. Just did a 15% today.

Salinity - 1.024
Ammonia - 0.5 to 1.0 ppm
Nitrate - 5 to 10 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
PH - 7.7 ppm
Calcium - 410
Magnesium - 1170

Should i be testing for strontium?

Do these water parameters look good?

 

[MERKEY]

After you cycle you really only need to watch, alk, cal, mag.....if you want to get into a mixed reef with more sps then phos and nitrate should be watched.

Doing weekly water changes will replenish trace elements so strontium or iodine testing would only be needed if you have a heavy load of corals.

What are you aiming to keep long term in your tank?

Everyone keeps there systems at different numbers.

Mine are as followed for the big 5 roughly lol

Alk 8.5
Cal 420
Mag 1400
Phos .05
Nitrate 10

My ph is around 8

 

[New&no clue]

Are you cycling your tank currently? If so I wouldn’t do any water changes until your cycle is complete.
If you’ve already cycled your tank then something is up because you shouldn’t have any ammonia.

 

[Texas Rick]

After you cycle you really only need to watch, alk, cal, mag.....if you want to get into a mixed reef with more sps then phos and nitrate should be watched.

Doing weekly water changes will replenish trace elements so strontium or iodine testing would only be needed if you have a heavy load of corals.

What are you aiming to keep long term in your tank?

Everyone keeps there systems at different numbers.

Mine are as followed for the big 5 roughly lol

Alk 8.5
Cal 420
Mag 1400
Phos .05
Nitrate 10

My ph is around 8

I'm aiming to have a dominant sps tank. I do have a hammer coral, class clown chalice (not to happy with the colors compared to what they photo shop it to be), sunset plating montipora, yellow fever stylocoeniella. im looking to buy a scolymia coral.

 

[Texas Rick]

Are you cycling your tank currently? If so I wouldn’t do any water changes until your cycle is complete.
If you’ve already cycled your tank then something is up because you shouldn’t have any ammonia.

I had to do a complete cleaning of the tank. I had horrible invasion of aptasia. I tried to do file fish, nudibrach and peppermint shrimp. it was a complete disaster. didnt have a choice but to clean the whole tank, it was horrible

 

[New&no clue]

Do you have fish in now? You’re going to want to get that ammonia down to zero as quick as possible. I would use Prime or do some big water changes.

 

[MERKEY]

What test kits are you using to get the ammonia?

 

[Kryptonian]

You might have more experience with SPS than me but I'd try to boost ph. Shouldn't have to test strontium anytime too soon. Keep water changes to a bare minimum if possible to help bacteria really build to help you clean out unwanted stuff.

My water par with quite a few corals, sps and lps:
ph - 8.2
sg - 1.0235
temp - 78.5
alk - 11
Cal - 440
Mag - 1420
Phos - 0.05
Nitrate - 10
Nitrite - 0.1
Ammonia - 0.05

 

[Texas Rick]

What test kits are you using to get the ammonia?

I use Salifert test kit

 

[Texas Rick]

Do you have fish in now? You’re going to want to get that ammonia down to zero as quick as possible. I would use Prime or do some big water changes.

Yes, my clown fish, blue hippo tang, 2 skunk shrimp and a yellow gobi

 

[Euphyllia97]

I would worry about the ammonia before you even think about strontium.

Do you still have fish in the tank and how are you trying to battle this new cycle? Maybe we can provide you with some more advice

 

[Texas Rick]

I would worry about the ammonia before you even think about strontium.

Do you still have fish in the tank and how are you trying to battle this new cycle? Maybe we can provide you with some more advice

Advice? Yes, please do. I'm open to advice.

 

[mike550]

Not to pile on but you need to get ammonia down to 0. What do you mean complete cleaning of the tank? I’m not an expert or even super experienced but did you clean it so well that you’re cycling again?

My tank is maybe 10 months old and I haven’t added SPS yet. But my params are roughly

Alk 8.4 dKh
Phos 0.03
Nitrate 5-10
Calcium 450
Mag 1350

 

[Euphyllia97]

Advice? Yes, please do. I'm open to advice.

I would do big waterchanges or dose prime! Your biggest goal should be to get that ammonia down to 0. Ammonia can kill and it can kill quickly. All fish and especially tansg are very sensitive to this and it should be handled as a real emergency.

I would even recommend you to take the shrimps out until nitrite is 0 and steady.

Priority now is to put your fish in a 0 ammonia environment before it kills them.

 

[MERKEY]

Advice? Yes, please do. I'm open to advice.

Are the fish at the top gasping for air?

Have any died?

This could be a false reading of ammonia...

 

[vetteguy53081]

Aim for but do not chase numbers to fall on target:
Ph- 8.1-8.3
Temp- 77-78
Salinity- 1.024-1.025
Alk- 8
calcium- 450
Mag- 1300

 

[MERKEY]

you might have caused a mini cycle but you don't want to cause more damage by adding things you don't need.

 

[Texas Rick]

Are the fish at the top gasping for air?

Have any died?

This could be a false reading of ammonia...

Not at all, they are all swimming normal and acting normal. I don't see anything unusual. The shrimp are ok, the clownfish are ok. The blue hippo tank are ok. I don't see them acting unusual in any way.

 

[Texas Rick]

you might have caused a mini cycle but you don't want to cause more damage by adding things you don't need.

Its a possibility.

 

[Texas Rick]

I would do big waterchanges or dose prime! Your biggest goal should be to get that ammonia down to 0. Ammonia can kill and it can kill quickly. All fish and especially tansg are very sensitive to this and it should be handled as a real emergency.

I would even recommend you to take the shrimps out until nitrite is 0 and steady.

Priority now is to put your fish in a 0 ammonia environment before it kills them.

Nitrite is at 0