Worried about some numbers.

[Reggae Fish]

Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
PH- 8.0-8.3
Temp (day) 81.8-82.6
Calcium- 380 (I started using SeaChem Reef Advantage Calcium twice a week to raise it)

I'm concerned about

Nitrate-20 ppm (I'm mainly worried about this one because I just did my weekly water change yesterday)

and most concerned about

KH- 15.7 in dKH
Alk.- 5.60 in meq/L

Your help is appreciated!

Thanks,
Justin

 

[chadfarmer]

kh of 15 is high

what is magnesium?

what salt are you using?

what corals do you have ?

calcium of 380 isnt all that bad

 

[Reggae Fish]

Only met you once but nice to have you back.

I don't have a magnesium test...

IO salt. 1.025 (with refractometer from Goalie66, Thanks!)

Torch, Bubble, open brain, toadstool leather, yellow leather, zoos, montipora cap, green star poylps (some are frags, some are larger)

The KH test kit that I'm using could be pretty old??? It is a Salifert. I will try retesting but I'll go get a new one tomm.
What about my Alk.? Because on the test it tests for KH/ALK. so if one is high, wouldn't the other one be high?

Thanks!

 

[Reggae Fish]

BTW- Anyone that has helped me out or just needs some help themselves, I'd be happy to help out with whatever I have once I get all my water back to norm.

 

[chadfarmer]

KH- 15.7 in dKH
Alk.- 5.60 in meq/L


theses are the same thing

i test in kh much easier no need to mulitpy or divide cant remeber how to make it into meg/l


if i were you i would test the water you use, (the water for water changes)and see what reading you are getting


my alk is 8

i use to run my alk about 10-12

magnesium and alk and calcium all have a relation to each other

 

[Lost His Marbles Name]

Do water changes two times a week, clean out the detritus, skim heavy and check the water when the corals look like there not doingas well. That's my method. By not checking the water you don't have to worry.

 

[Reggae Fish]

What have you found the best method to remove the detritus?

 

[DrBDC]

20 isn't really an extreme concern but it would be better to get between 0 and 10. Obv. closer to 0 is better. Is there any cheato in the sump? That will help eat it up some. Check the mag or come over and I'll test it for you but you do need to get a mag test. You'll only use it a few times at first and then once every couple weeks or once a month. Just let the dKh fall on it's own since the tank could use up a couple a day if you don't add any more. Just bump the ca to 420 with ONLY ca supplement and let the alk fall. Stop any of the other supplements until it gets down 8-12 (wherever you are goint to target). I used to do 12 but now just stay 8-10 myself.

Is it a sand bottom or a rubble/crushed coral of some sort? If sand you really shouldn't need to do anything other than blow the rocks off right before a water change and stir it up. Once stirred up it should stay in the water column long enough and removed with the water. That's if you have enough water movement.