thanks everyone for all you kind words. we are pleased with the growth on all the pieces...we looked backed at some of the frags, some were as small as 1/2"!
On a diffrent note we had Aqurium Water test our water, here are the results
Ammonia (NH3-4)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.010 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.050 mg/L
Tested: 0.010 mg/L
(GOOD) Your ammonia level is within the recommended range. We recommend staying
with the current feeding and stocking levels. Be sure to maintain a good schedule of water
changes and additives. Ammonia levels can rise after the addition of new animals, after a
water change, or after the changing of food diet. Any ammonia level above 0.05 mg/L is a
cause for concern, and the source should be found and corrected.
Nitrite (NO2)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.010 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.100 mg/L
Tested: 0.007 mg/L
(GOOD) Your nitrite level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
with your current maintenance and feeding schedules. Residual levels of nitrite are common
in marine aquariums. Levels of 0.05 or less are of little concern. If the levels are higher than
this, the source should be found and corrected.
Nitrate (NO3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.050 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 25 mg/L
Tested: 0.8 mg/L
(GOOD) Your nitrate level is within the recommended range. Be sure to maintain
reasonable stocking and feeding levels, as well as a regular water change schedule. Nitrate
is not toxic in and of itself, but a rising level is indicative of deteriorating water conditions,
and any level above 5.0 mg/L in reef aquariums is a reason for concern.
Phosphate (PO4)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.030 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.250 mg/L
Tested: 0.02 mg/L
(GOOD) Your phosphate level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
the current maintenance and water change schedule. The use of a phosphate absorbing
resin is recommended to keep phosphate levels below 0.05 mg/L.
Silica (Sio2-3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.040 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.500 mg/L
Tested: 0.9 mg/L
(HIGH) Your silica level is too high. We recommend that you use a silica specific R/O
membrane in addition to deionization resin for your make-up/top-off water. You may also
use a commercially available phosphate absorber, as these will also remove some silicate.
Silicate is required by many types of sponges for growth/reproduction, but will also
encourage brown diatom algae growth. Any level above 0.3 mg/L may cause a diatom
bloom in the aquarium.
Potassium (K)
Natural Seawater Value: 390 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L
Tested: 222 mg/L
(LOW) Your potassium level is too low. We recommend performing a partial water change,
and possibly adding a commercial additive containing potassium. Potassium is rapidly
depleted from aquarium water by several plant and animal metabolic processes.
Maintenance of appropriate levels is critical for cellular respiration, as well as being an
important nutrient for coral zooxanthellae and macro algae.
Calcium (Ca)
Natural Seawater Value: 400 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L*
*These values represent only the amount of free calcium ions present in the samples. According to Randy Holmes-Farley, the
total calcium concentration can be 10% to 20% higher.
Tested: 378 mg/L
(GOOD) Your calcium level is within the recommended range. We recommend that you
continue with your current schedule of calcium additions. Calcium is critical to healthy coral
skeletal growth, and many other biological processes. Maintenance of calcium levels that are
at or near seawater values is an important factor in having a healthy reef aquarium.
Boron (B)
Natural Seawater Value: 4.6 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 3.0 "“ 6.0 mg/L
Tested: 4.1 mg/L
(GOOD) Your boron level is within the recommended range. We recommend maintaining
your current buffering and water change schedule. Boron is a significant portion of your
aquarium pH and water buffering capacity, and is crucial to maintaining appropriate calcium
levels, as well as being essential to several biological processes, including macro algae
growth.
Molybdenum (Mo)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.01 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.0 to 0.12 mg/L
Tested: 0.2 mg/L
(HIGH) Your molybdenum level is too high. Molybdenum is found in many common
additives and at highly elevated levels in most salt mixes and so a vast majority of reef
tanks demonstrate a level 10 to 50 times higher than natural levels. 0.12 mg/L is the upper
toxicity limit for Molybdenum, the point at which negative effects can begin to manifest
themselves. You should suspend the use of any additives containing molybdenum. If your
level is significantly higher than acceptable you may benefit from a partial water change to
reduce this level, though your salt mix may be a contributor to the elevated level itself.
Molybdenum is important for the biological processes of bacteria, and may be of some
benefit to corals as well. High levels of molybdenum are known to encourage blooms of
slime algae or cyanobacteria.
Strontium (Sr)
Natural Seawater Value: 8.1 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 5.0 to 12.0 mg/L
Tested: 7.9 mg/L
(GOOD) Your strontium level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
with your current additive schedules. Strontium is important to coral growth, as they
incorporate strontium ions into their skeletal mass, particularly SPS corals. It is also
important to coralline algae growth.
Magnesium (Mg)
Natural Seawater Value: 1280 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 1100 to 1400 mg/L
Tested: 1250 mg/L
(GOOD) Your magnesium level is within the recommended range. We recommend staying
with your current water change and additive schedule. Magnesium is a very important part
of the water buffering system, and is incorporated into coral skeletons. It is also critical to
any photosynthetic processes.
Iodine (I¯)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.060 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.030 to 0.090 mg/L
Tested: 0.09 mg/L
(GOOD) Your iodine level is within the recommended range. We would recommend
continuing with the current water change and additive schedule. Please be advised that
many iodine supplements are difficult to dose accurately, and "œabove normal" readings are
easy to achieve with common iodine additives.
Copper (Cu++)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.030 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.030 mg/L
Tested: 0.02 mg/L
(GOOD) Your copper level is within the recommended range. We recommend continuing
with your current water change schedule, being careful to use only RO/DI water for makeup/
top-off water. Use of activated carbon can also help keep this level in check. Copper is
fatal to marine invertebrates at levels as low as 0.05 mg/L for many species.
Alkalinity (meq/L)
Natural Seawater Value: 2.5 meq/L
Acceptable Range: 2.5 to 5.0 meq/L
Tested: 2.39 meq/L
(LOW) Your alkalinity level is too low. We recommend the addition of a commercial buffer
designed to raise alkalinity. You may also wish to perform a partial water change to help
correct this issue. Maintaining correct alkalinity levels is critical to corals, as well as any
shelled invertebrates, including snails, clams, etc. It is also crucial in maintaining
appropriate pH and calcium levels. This is one of the most important parameters for the
maintenance of marine aquariums.
