Where do I start?...

[droidus]

I have a 32g biocube, and I was finally able to get the test kits I needed to get a holistic picture for adding coral to my tank:

• Temp: 79.5
• Gravity: 1.026
• Alk: 7.7
• Phosphate: .1
• PH: 7.7
• Mg: 1410
• CA: 385

It would seem most of these need adjusting...
Here are the stats that I am comparing against:

Temperature: 78 – 80°F or 25 – 27°C
Specific Gravity (Salinity): 1.023 – 1.025
Ph: 8.1 – 8.4
Alkalinity: 8 – 12 dkh
Calcium: 350 – 450ppm
Magnesium: 1250 – 1350ppm
Phosphate: <0.03ppm for SPS Corals
Phosphate: <0.05ppm for LPS, Zoas & Soft Corals
Phosphate: <0.2ppm for Fish Only

With my limited knowledge, here is what I am thinking (so far):
Step 1 - Get all the parameters to where they should be. My only question is, for example, what is the deviancy allowed from values? For example, magnesium, is that deviation OK?
I have eight.four (raises ph to 8.4) and Marine Buffer (raises to 8.3) (it looks like these will raise magnesium, calcium, alkalinity and a few other things, so these might help me out elsewhere...). Not sure why I bought both. First, do I want my PH that high to begin with? Secondly, are these good products to use?
Right now, I have 2 clown fish, snails/hermit crabs, a goby, pistol shrimp, and 2 peppermint shrimp. I am looking to add a few beginner corals to my tank.
What would be my next steps that I should take to prepare?

 

[Spare time]

First off, you goal is to match whatever salt you have. This makes water changes less stressfull to corals.


Second, your pH is fine don't bother trying to achieve a certain number.

Third, Calcium and magnesium have a decent range. Calcium from 380 to the high 400's is typical. Calcium is not dangerous if you have too much. I let my magnesium drop to about 1300 or so which makes me lose 100ppm a month meaning once a month I dose my magnesium. You probably will never need to dose magnesium since a water change is so easy for you in that size tank.

Fourth, alk is very important. This is the ONLY one of the elements where you should aim for a certain number near your salt's levels (mainly for when you get stony corals). Match this to the salt and try to keep it at the same number. I do a scoop of alk powder a day and keep my alk around 13. If you have a salt that mixes at 8 KH, try to keep your alk close to 9 Whether its 12.8 or 13.3 in my tank I don't care so long as it about the same number from day to day. A sudden rise in alk is bad so that is why you don't want to let is drop and then dose it back up. It also has effects on other things like pH. Alk is very easy to figure out when you get stony corals. The tests are fast and figuring out how much you use a day is simple.


For nitrate, 5-15ppm is a decent range. For phosphate 0.03-0.1ppm is a decent range. 0 is bad for both. I have nitrates at around 16ppm and phosphates at 0.05ppm in my mixed reef.

 

[droidus]

When you say match my salt, you mean make up my salt water with ro/di water, and when it's ready, take the measurements?
If it is just sitting in the bucket, and let's say a week passes, would any of the values change?

 

[Spare time]

When you say match my salt, you mean make up my salt water with ro/di water, and when it's ready, take the measurements?
If it is just sitting in the bucket, and let's say a week passes, would any of the values change?

I meant match the levels of what your bucket says. So if the bucket say 8KH at 35ppt, try to keep your alk in your tank at 8.

As for storing saltwater that is a whole other ordeal in itself. I highly recommend checking out the bulk reef supply video on how long you can store the salts.

 

[droidus]

For nitrate, 5-15ppm is a decent range. For phosphate 0.03-0.1ppm is a decent range. 0 is bad for both. I have nitrates at around 16ppm and phosphates at 0.05ppm in my mixed reef.

My nitrates are currently at 5ppm. I was thinking of adding some biopellets, but it sounds like that may be a bad idea?
As for the testing of other parameters, since I am colored blind, I am having a difficult time reading the measurements from my Salifert test kits. Would you recommend something like this: https://www.marinedepot.com/hanna-instruments-hireef-professional-reef-test-kit ? Or do I really just need a alk tester?

 

[Spare time]

My nitrates are currently at 5ppm. I was thinking of adding some biopellets, but it sounds like that may be a bad idea?
As for the testing of other parameters, since I am colored blind, I am having a difficult time reading the measurements from my Salifert test kits. Would you recommend something like this: https://www.marinedepot.com/hanna-instruments-hireef-professional-reef-test-kit ? Or do I really just need a alk tester?

I am colorblind and the red sea nitrate pro test works for me. I use the hanna phosphate checker. Their all test is nice but I find most alk tests are fine for my vision. You only need the alk and calcium tests when you get stony corals. Magnesium is good to test but unless you dont do water changes it shouldn't ever get that low.

As for biopellets, it would be kinda clunky on a biocube plus you would need a strong skimmer. It would be easier for you to just use different filter medias like chemipure blue or similar.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The only thing that I think you need to adjust is to boost calcium a bit with a calcium chloride product. Everything else is OK (pH is lowish, but worry about that later, it may not even be accurate).