Water change
- Thread starter PitViper
- Start date
+1 You top off with fresh water. If you're doing a water change, then you use saltwater.
1.026 is not a bad place to be. That's where I like to keep my tank.
Easy E
New member
+1 With most salt mixes, a specific gravity of 1.026 will keep your calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity right where it's supposed to be. Providing you use RO/DI water and do regular water changes.
Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk
No I don’t have any corals let alone any fish at this point. It’s full cycle and toxic as all get out right now. Went out and bought some bioballs for my canister filter. Lots and lots of surface area on them. So def a good investment on them. BUT back to subject. Still cycling have to test tonight and see what’s up with it and where it stands. But am planning on doing corals. So since that’s the case would I be better off using instant ocean reef crystals? Or getting the Red Sea Salt?
Easy E
New member
Most salt mixes come with a data sheet that tells you the levels of the crucial minerals you should expect at a given specific gravity, if you mix it with pure water. Reef salt has higher levels of calcium and magnesium because that's what stony corals use to build their skeletons. If you only have fish, you don't need to spend the extra money on reef salt. Ideally your calcium level should be between 420 and 500ppm. Magnesium should be over 1300ppm. Alkalinity should be between 8.3 and 9.3 on the KH scale.
Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk
Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk
Easy E
New member
Since your water is toxic and you're going to be doing a lot of water changes, use the cheap stuff for now. You can always add extra minerals later if you need to.
Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk
Dsekula
Member
Lol you'll get a debate on this I use IO reef personally.
Um... Bioballs and a canaster may not be the best choice tho. Most people who use bioballs seem to scrap them after a short time since they hold nutrients, but look into and make your own educated choice.
Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
Dsekula
Member
Kh is alkanity which is very basically the measurement of pH's resistance to change.
Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
Easy E
New member
It's not that hard IF you don't put too many or too big of fish in it. I currently only have 2 green gudgeon dartfish in there and that's about the limit. The problem with smaller tanks is that the water parameters can get out of whack a lot more easily. But if you keep it topped off and do regular water changes, you shouldn't have a problem.
Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk
Easy E
New member
KH is a measurement of the carbonate hardness of you water. If you have hard (alkaline) water the KH is high. If you have soft (acidic) water the KH is low. KH and pH are directly related. The hardness of your water mainly affected by how much limestone is dissolved in it.
I live in Iowa, which sits on a giant sheet of limestone. I also use well water, which has filtered through that sheet of limestone. So my water comes out of the tap at about a 12 on the KH scale. After I add salt mix, it's up over 20, which is way too high for any tank. So I either have to use RO/DI water or add acid to my tap water in order to bring the KH and pH down to a reasonable level.
Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk
Easy E
New member
2 clowns is probably too much for 10 gal. Plus they will fight unless they are a mated pair, and mated pairs are hard to find. The following link will give you some idea of which fish are suitable for a 10. https://m.liveaquaria.com/category/2124/nano-fish?c=15+2124
Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk
Dsekula
Member
Agreed,
I have 2 ocelarious in my 45 (they are supposedly one of the smaller more docile clowns). Since the female got nice and comphy she treats the whole tank as hers and let's all the other inhabitants live there. I imagine the bioload would also be pushing it personally but that's up for opinion and based on how diligent you are in maintenance. If your 100% new to the hobby my advice is to set yourself up for success to enjoy the tank and not spend every day doing a water change and stressing that your fish will die if you get home late from work or something.
My opinion and your welcome to not take it
. Is with a small tank like that and just starting out just get a minimal cleaning crew and some easy coral to start maybe then add some cool ornamental shrimp or crab(s) last if your comfortable maybe a fish or two. you may like the other tank inhabitants so much you don't want to at that point. Without fish your bio load is kept minimal and that keeps maint way down. Before you completely toss out this idea look at some of the reef jars people have made and the maintenance involved then compair it to what it will take to keep fish. Not trying to insinuate you can't do this or shouldn't just that from reading these posts you probably didn't do tons of research yet and I highly recommend it before you commit to caring for something you can't. On the upside your absolutely in the right place to start looking at different options and there are sooo many. Good luck!!!Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
