Any suggestions based on these water parameters?

[nightOwl]

Hi all,
I finally got a kH and Alkalinity test kit so I did a test of pretty much everything while I was at it. Here are my results and I was looking for feedback on whether or not I need to change anything. If anything is too high or too low especially in regards to kH and Alkalinity. I know the nitrates are a bit high and I am in the process of working on them. I can never seem to get to zero even with weekly water changes. I only have 2 fish and a large clean up crew in my 90 gal, but I think I am probably overfeeding the two critters . But they always stay hungry.

Nitrate - 15 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm
Ammonia - 0 ppm
pH - 8.4
kH - 10.2 dkH
Alk - 3.66meg/l
Phosphate - 0 meg/l
Calcium - 450 ppm


Thanks in advance,
Henry

 

[Billybeau1]

Looks pretty good to me. Except the nitrates.

You might also want to test for magnesium, although with those numbers its probably in good shape too.

 

[TekCat]

What about temperature and salinity?

IMO, you're fine. And as you said overfeeding is one of the causes of nitrates. To lower them consider (along with feeding less) setting up fuge with chaeto. Also what kind of substrate do you have? If it is crushed coral - get rid of it.

 

[nightOwl]

Oh forgot the temp and salinity.... temp is 78 and 1.024 sg i think that was . I have a small CPR 18" hang-on refugium. I just trimmed the chaeto back about 2 weeks ago to baseball size. It was starting to get really packed in there. I will post pics soon of how much i took out. I probably need to trim back my Zenia as they are know absorbers as well. I have some black sand that i want to switch over to some CaribSea Aragonite sand. I posted a post on that as well. The black sand is just not reflective as I want it to be. I will getting the magnesium tested tomorrow as two people have mentioned that. Thanks for the input . I have to bring myself not to feed as much. I use a lot of flake food but they seem to eat it all up. If i go to feeding them (yellow tang and clown) once every other day will they be ok. I don't want them look sickly.

Thank,

Henry

 

[TekCat]

Just an observation: flake foods contain high amount of nitrates and phosphate (that's the way they're designed). Try frozen foods like mysis shrimp, etc...

 

[nightOwl]

Thanks TekCat,
I am in the process of switching over from that as well. I have so much flake food I want those little rascals to eat it all as its money wasted if not. I have begun making my own food out of blended seafood mix, silversides, brine shrimp, some flake food, and some forumla one cubes. They tend to like it but it makes the water so messy. Slowly but surely I'm getting it together.

Thanks,
Henry