Fish Only parameters

[abraha]

I am getting back into the hobby after a 6-year break. My original tank was a 120 gallon mixed reef with mostly sps and was very successful.
My new build will be 160 gallon fish only since I don't have as much time to devote to the tank as I used to.
My question is:
What are the fish only parameters that I should be concerned about and test for?
Temp
Salinity
PH
Alkalinity
Calcium
Nitrate
Phosphate
and so on.

Thank you!

 

[johno4]

For Fish only I only focus on: Temp, Salinity, pH, and Nitrate. Nitrates are typically fine unless they get really high.

 

[abraha]

For Fish only I only focus on: Temp, Salinity, pH, and Nitrate. Nitrates are typically fine unless they get really high.

What numbers would you recommend for Temp, Salinity, pH and Nitrates?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zachfishman]

I maintain several FO and FOWLR systems. I strive for:

• pH ≥7.8
• salinity 20ppt (easy on the wallet, fine on the fish)
• NO3 <50ppm
• PO4 as low as I can get it (I strip as much as I can with oversized GFO reactors to reduce algae, and regenerate my GFO)
• temp 76-80F
• ALK 7dKH

 

[abraha]

Thank you. That is an interesting idea on the salinity. I will also run a carbon/gfo reactor. Planning on keeping temp at 78.
My previous tank used a MH/T5 hybrid for lighting which generated a lot of heat and I had to run a chiller.
This tank will be led/T5. Do you think I will need a chiller?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zachfishman]

Probably won’t need a chiller unless you run pumps that dump a lot of heat into the water. You can always point a fan over the sump or tank to cool things in summer.

 

[abraha]

I will be running Marinepure ceramic biomedia in the sump. No live rock but the Marinepure will act as the biological filtration. I will have an artificial reef in the main display. Technically not a FOWLR but will act like one I guess...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk