Dirt-simple chemistry MUST-knows for tank health

Another thank you, and my first post!

Another thank you, and my first post!

The rules say I cannot PM someone until I have 10 posts, and I could really utilize this chart for my reef, so I figured I'd start with this post, my first!

I'm usually a lurker, have gotten a bunch of great information on this site, and just today decided to get serious about it and purchase a membership and start being responsible.

I've had a 100 gallon system for years, and just upgraded to 300 gallons- so this tool will be hugely helpful. As soon as I reach 10 posts, I'll PM you, Sean.

Thank you for being on this forum~
 
I'm another kalk drip person, as was stated above. Works really well for reefs, at adding cal and alk at the same time as topping off the evaporation water. Raises pH too. Just don't add it too fast, or too much, or the pH can get over 10.0 before you know it.
 
Newbie here and I have some questions about my water chemistry. Hope this is the right spot to ask. I've read all the stickies over and over and think I'm on the right track but just want to make sure. Here's my results and the tests/equip used for test.

Temp 79 to 80 (digital probe and stick on thermometer)
ph 8.1 (Milwaukee PH100 digital probe)
Sal. 1.023 (Instant Ocean Hydrometer)
amon. Nitrite 0 (API test)
Nitrate .15 to .25 (Salifert Test)
KH 9.8 (Red Sea Test)
MG 1360 (Red Sea)
CA 400 (Red Sea)

I want to get into some soft corals probably shrooms at first but am wanting to be able to maintain a good water chemistry first. I would like to raise my salinity to 1.025 and have the water level where I want it. My plan is to let water evaporate until sal is 1.025 and then top off to desired water level with 1.025 water. Is this the proper way to raise salinity? I don't have an ATO but I just ordered 2 (one for my QT) and should be here in the next few days.

I realize my KH is a little high. This may be due to me being new to these tests. Out of the Red Sea tests this one seems to be the hardest to see the end color. I'm sure with more practice it will get easier. Before doing anything I plan on letting it run and checking again in 2 wks when I do my WC. Is that a good idea or...?

The last time I did testing I accidently washed the measuring spoons for the salifert nitrate test and the spoon for the Red sea CA test (I think it was CA, the test that requires the spoon). I had put everything in the sink and was using a jug of RO water to rinse everything out and the spoons were gone, even took the drain trap apart with no luck :( Any idea where or how to replace these with out buying new tests? I'd be more then happy to pay shipping and for your time if anyone has extras.

I made some mistakes setting up and getting into the hobby that could have been avoided if I would have found RC before hand. I apologize for the long post, just trying to avoid any more mistakes and learn how to do things right! Thanks!
 
I've been asked 'what if I'm color blind' on tests...and there is an answer.
I use Salifert tests. They rely on pushing drops of a reagent from a syringe into a test tube drop by drop, looking at the side of the syringe, getting the number off the scale there, and consulting a numerical chart. There's no color match involved, except this: when you're getting close to a reaction, you'll spot what in the lab we called a 'flash' of another color. Since this color is not the same opacity or brightness as the first color, if you're colorblind, you'll likely be able to spot that warning flash just as a 'change' that went away fast. Blink and you'll miss it. ---Then as the reaction reaches the complete 'changeover' that signals 'this is it!' again---it's not the same opacity. It's darker, usually, but it doesn't look like the prior color. You can definitely say there's been a change. And you look at those numbers on the side of your syringe, marking the place where the black gasket rests now, you compare that reading to your paper list of the scale, and you've got your result, precise as can be. Always run your tests under strong light and run them while looking down into the test tube over a piece of white paper or other white surface. That means the 'changeover' will be as obvious as possible.

If you'll also keep a log book, you'll find your results don't change wildly week to week, or shouldn't; and it helps you test faster. If you use that 'flash' as a signal to 'go slow now,' you'll be able to be accurate.
 
Some have asked about cost. Test kits are spendy: get only the ones you really need: calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity. Get supplements that can match them. For stony coral, you're going to need calcium and magnesium supplements as well as alkalinity. For fish only and softies, the alkalinity supplement is probably a must: when the other readings drop, a series of water changes should fix it---if it doesn't, then you may want to consider the other 2 supplements.

If you plan on a reef above 30 gallons, an autotopoff and a package of Mrs. Wages' Pickling Lime will be cheaper (at 5.00 for 2 lbs) than a jar of calcium supplement at 20.00 for not that much. This is called kalk supplementation, and if you want to do the kalk route for clams or stony coral---punch the blue number under my avatar: I've got an explanation on how to use kalk instead of that pricey calcium supplement and how to hold your tank chemistry rock solid for months on end.
 
So, I have been testing my (newer) tank daily to every other day for a week or so after adding new life to my tank. Is that overkill? Should I scale back on that until I start adding the corals and such? As it stands now there is very little fluctuation, and that's usually the salinity due to evaporation, but there isn't a huge bio-load yet.
 
Once you've got the trends pegged down you can ease back a bit, but establish a schedule of tests, and keep a logbook, which for at least the first year of your hobby will be an invaluable record of things done, the rates of change, and all the changes you make. The more automated you get, the easier things get: for my current reef, I need to supplement and change things about every 3 months, not because my corals don't suck down calcium like crazy, but because I've got things pretty automated in a DIY sort of way, and it takes that long to run through their supply. Learn to 'read' your corals as you get them, and they'll tell you when you need to test. They're much more expressive than fish, who don't tell you they're uncomfortable until they roll belly up.
 
I still have many pages of logs from when I first started with salt water in 1971. I listed every fish I bought, how much it cost and when it died. Of course I didn't test then
(I don't test now either) so I didn't keep records on that. Mostly longivity and any changes I did to the tank. I have not kept logs in decades as there is nothing else to log but if I did test or dose it would be a good idea to keep a record of those things.
If for nothing else than in 40 years you can put it in a post. :dance:
 
OK I'm sure this has been covered before and I know I've read it before but just want to double check before I act.

Just completed cycle in my DT a week ago. Tested all parameters today (after mainly following NH3, NO2, NO3 for the last two weeks.

Two weeks ago dKH was 9.9, Ca++ 400 and Mg++ 1170. Didn't think much about the Mag since there was nothing in the tank but live rock and the alkalinity was ok. Today after completing my cycle and adding a few snails (10 Nerites, 5 Turbos and 2 Trochus) my parameters are Temp 78.8, SG 1.026, pH 8.0, dKh 5.7!!, NH3 zero, NO2 zero, NO3 5, Ca++ 410 and MG++ 1140.

I know the first thing to do is fix the Mg. The amounts calculated and the solution is made up. Will correct this over the next 48-72 hours then retest alkalinity and correct as needed. Is this the proper course of action?

How long after correcting should I wait to add my fish that have been in QT for 7 weeks (small Royal Gramma and a magnifica firefish)?

Tank size is 72x24x21 (155 gal) with a 36 gal sump.
 
hah, I just learned the purpose of water changes, I didn't think that it would add the nutrients back in that were being used up. I thought it had more to do with cleanliness.

Is there a benefit to alternating brands of salt mixes?
 
My tank is nearing the point where I can consider it cycled. Been watching ammonia and nitrates and they're both in check. I just did my 1st alk test and it came out at 11, which I see is high. Now, (I'm a chemistry dummy) is this something that will eventually come down if I leave it be?
 
cbass488 said:
My tank is nearing the point where I can consider it cycled. Been watching ammonia and nitrates and they're both in check. I just did my 1st alk test and it came out at 11, which I see is high. Now, (I'm a chemistry dummy) is this something that will eventually come down if I leave it be?
Click to expand...

Hi
Once the coralline starts growing, getting the alk down is gonna be no problem at all. It's normal that it takes some time to stabilize.
 
hi from Brazil, Sk8r.
In first place, thanks for the nice articles you use to post.

I've started dosing Balling to my 500Lt's reef tank about 35 days ago, and still trying to match the ionic ballance.
At first sight everything runs just OK, except calcium...

Here there are the last 2 tests' details:

17/June/2013:
Temp => always running between 26.5ºC & 27ºC
PH => 8.4
Salinity => 1025
MG => 1330~1350
CA => 400
KH => 7~7.5
PO4 => 0 (zero)
NO2 & NO3 => 0 (Zero)

Yesterday night, 28/June/2013:
Temp => always running between 26.5ºC & 27ºC
PH => 8.4
Salinity => 1025~1025.5
MG => 1320
CA => 380
KH => 7.5~8.0
PO4 => 0 (zero)
NO2 e NO3 => Not tested by yesterday

I do also run a biopellets reactor (BM-70 with abt 90grams of Katalyst) as from 30 days ago, and seems to be my cyano started to lose force little by little.

I guess that Calcium's falling was not so big for 11 days period on a 500Lt DT (my sump has about additional 200Lt on it), but still keep me a little worried.

Any ideas about what may be going on?
Rgds
Sergio
 
Sk8r,

Great post, I have been in the hobby for a couple years now and still trying to keep all my perameters levels where they should be. The one issue I seem to have is keeping my phosphates down, I have purchased some phosban, and going to try that this week. Wish me luck....
 
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