water parameters

shabreeson

New member
I know that there are listed ideal water parameters but what I am wondering is what is really dangerous to clams when it comes to water condition?which clam is especially sensitive to bad water conditions? Will high nitrates(namely 20 parts per million) kill a clam?
 
I think all clams are equily sensitive to params. 20 ppm isn't good but clams do consume nitartes. I would get them down though.
 
I use an osmosis filter, I have 3-4 inches of live sand, 80 lbs of LR, 20 gallon sump, protein skimmer fit for an 80 gallon, and only 3 friggin fish.

I use a API master test kit.---is it a bad test kit? what could it be?
 
I don't know about api tests, I use salifert so other than that I have no suggestions.

did I ask you how old your tank was in another thread?
and is it the 55 g?

P.S.
Your signature cracks me up:D
 
it is more than a year old in my own care, and far longer if you include the previous owner (I bought it used, I have gone through a lot to prepare for a reef tank)

I think the only other thing is to get a salifert nitrate test kit and pray for a far better reading.

how often would you suggest doing water changes?

P.S. Thank you sooo much for mentioning my signature, I was close to taking it off in account of people not mentioning it! I like yours too, I wouldn't put it past somebody for actually trying it.
 
Sad to admit it but I am one of the worst when it comes to water changes. But I recommend at least twice a month, if not three times.
 
if your trying to lower nitrates the first thing i would do is increase flow to keep uneaten food up in the water column so it can be filtered out by your skimmer. clean all detritus from the tank and sump. skim on the wet side and do 10% water changes every week
 
I used to conduct a 15% water change every 4 months, use and underrated EuroReef Skimmer, and feed "excessively". I had zero nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, phosphates, and no problems with algae for several years. It was only after I started "defying" the rules of good aquarium husbandry that I had success, especially with clams. I find that the aquarist themself, more often than not, tend to be the culprit of aquarium issues. I would suggest leaving the aquarium alone for a month and let all of the parameters and microbial flora equilibrate. Doing so will allow you to more accurately examine the aquarium, as from my experience the changes in aquariums occur on the scale of several weeks (not days or a single week). By constantly trying to find problems, you are not allowing your tank to adjust to the situation on its own. And in fact these adjustments are often maladjustments. I would just feed the fish until satiation (which shouldn't be much food with only three), keep doing routine water topoff, and examine calcium, alkalinity, and pH for ionic balance. After that just sit back and see if the problem solves itself!
 
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