Water Parameters

[kathya0321]

Just wanted to post my water parameters and get some feedback. Still waiting for my Calcium and Magnesium tests. My 16 gal Bio Cube tank has been up for 9 weeks, 2 clown fish and 1 blenny for fish. Snails and crabs for CUC.

Salinity 1.026
PH 8.0
KH 8.8
Phosphates 25
Nitrate 20ppm

I'm a little worried about having phosphates, but just did a 2 gallon water change yesterday. What are your thoughts on the Phosphate readings.

 

[Gtinnel]

Phos extremely high. You want < .04
API may be false reading. If youre testing right after water change- will be false for sure.

You want:
Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .5
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-10
CA 440

The phosphate reading was actually a phosphorus reading in ppb.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The phosphate reading was actually a phosphorus reading in ppb.

Huge difference

 

[gbroadbridge]

Truthfully I didn't know there were different options of Hannah phosphate checkers, but yes a chart would have been a big help. At least my KH test says how to convert.

One measures phosphorus, and others measure total phosphate.

Unless you are attempting to run an Ultra Low Nutrient System (which is advanced level stuff) you just need to measure phosphate.

If it is 0.08 it is fine for everything other than the most demanding coral.

even with the error margin of the hanna phosphate checker, 0.08 means that you have somewhere between 0.03 and 0.12 which is fine for most coral.

I honestly dont know why folks stress about phosphate, more coral has been killed by lack of phosphate, rather than the opposite.

Regards

 

[Rmckoy]

I used the Hanna test and it said 25 I believe, I do have Chemi Pure but probably needs to be replaced.

In a 9 week old system I wouldn’t think chemi pure or any kind of media would be needed .

if nitrates and phosphates are actually that value I’d look into the water source or the food being added
A system that age and with little bio load from livestock . Water changes should be sufficient for exporting nutrients .
Even without corals . Calcium and magnesium are not a absolute must .

ph is another one I rarely ever test .