good book or source for desired parameters
- Thread starter ruiny
- Start date
Travis L. Stevens
Active member
I believe that it was The Conscientious Marine Aquarist: A Commonsense Handbook for Successful Saltwater Hobbyists that has a whole section in detail about water parameters. I'll have to check when I get home.
If you look in the Reef Chemistry Forum in the Reef Chemistry Articles thread that is stickied on the top of the page, you will find more.
A general consensus would most likely be:
Temp: 78-82. 80 prefered by most.
Specific Gravity: 1.022-1.027 1.025 prefered by most
Ammonia: Zero. Period.
Nitrite: Zero prefered. Marine fish have shown tolerance, but marine invertebrates are susceptible.
Nitrates: 0-40ppm. Zero prefered. Acceptable 0-20ppm in reef. 0-40ppm acceptable in FO and FOWLR tanks
pH: 8.2-8.3 8.3 prefered. Occassionally some tanks will have higher or lower then prefered pH's that are still acceptable (long story)
Alkalinity: 7-11dKH Mixed preferences. I prefer 9-10dKH.
Calcium: 380-420 ppm. Some people with tanks heavy with Clams and/or SPS usually tend to keep theirs at 420-450 and occassionally all the way up to 480.
Magnesium: 1250-1350ppm 1300ppm prefered. Not often dosed, but can be a hindering factor with Alkalinity and Calcium problems
Phosphates: 0 prefered. Slight phosphates if you plan on growing a tank with algae. For example, a sea horse tank.
Misc: Most other chemicals are replaced and kept in check with water changes. Unless you have a very specific tank, dosing of other elements should be kept to a minimum or not at all.
If you look in the Reef Chemistry Forum in the Reef Chemistry Articles thread that is stickied on the top of the page, you will find more.
A general consensus would most likely be:
Temp: 78-82. 80 prefered by most.
Specific Gravity: 1.022-1.027 1.025 prefered by most
Ammonia: Zero. Period.
Nitrite: Zero prefered. Marine fish have shown tolerance, but marine invertebrates are susceptible.
Nitrates: 0-40ppm. Zero prefered. Acceptable 0-20ppm in reef. 0-40ppm acceptable in FO and FOWLR tanks
pH: 8.2-8.3 8.3 prefered. Occassionally some tanks will have higher or lower then prefered pH's that are still acceptable (long story)
Alkalinity: 7-11dKH Mixed preferences. I prefer 9-10dKH.
Calcium: 380-420 ppm. Some people with tanks heavy with Clams and/or SPS usually tend to keep theirs at 420-450 and occassionally all the way up to 480.
Magnesium: 1250-1350ppm 1300ppm prefered. Not often dosed, but can be a hindering factor with Alkalinity and Calcium problems
Phosphates: 0 prefered. Slight phosphates if you plan on growing a tank with algae. For example, a sea horse tank.
Misc: Most other chemicals are replaced and kept in check with water changes. Unless you have a very specific tank, dosing of other elements should be kept to a minimum or not at all.
MiddletonMark
Premium Member
Check Randy's article archive then - he has a couple great older ones `How to choose an Ca/Alk supplimentation scheme' 
For water parameters, he has this good article:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
For water parameters, he has this good article:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
Paintbug
New member
a place to start 
(MiddletonMark beat me to it!! )
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
and tons more info
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605
(MiddletonMark beat me to it!! )http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
and tons more info
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605
