Advice? Help with water parameters?

I guess for me I wouldn't trust the readings from an api test kit.

Your mag is a little high also you want that around 1350

Calcium should be around 430

 

Reef crystals doesnt test that high on the mag and calcium.

What else are you putting in the tank? Supplements ect

 

As long as your alkalinity is good and not fluctuating I wouldn't worry to much about calcium and magnesium. Your salt has elevated levels of both. When your tank uses it ,it will come down. Like Donny said API tests suck. I use red sea kits and like them. There are a lot of different good ones out there.
If you do get a reactor just take it easy on the gfo and or bio pellets. So you don't suddenly strip all the nutrients out of your water and piss you corals off.

 

High mag can kill zoas though

 

Hmmm. I run mine 1400 all the time. I guess I never got 1500 plus. I guess that would cause some problems.
How high is too high for zoas?

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Is it long term exposure to high mag?

 

If you arent adding any supplements, just continue with water changes.

Alk is the main key, I cant stress that enough. I would purchase the alk digital tester that hanna has. If you can keep alk in line with weekly water changes, everything else will also be in line.

Hammers and similar can be pissy when conditions are changed. Be patient with them and keep an eye on them.

What are your lights?

 

If your not dosing anything and just doing water changes you alkalinity will be fine. When your tank starts using more you may have to dose something to keep it at the level you want. And we're it's at now is good. My guess is you calcium and magnesium aren't that high due to test kit accuracy.
If you run a reactor it's all the time you adjust the amount of media you use.
Like for phosphates maybe start with half the amount and if your po4 is actually .5 then you media will be exausted in about a week or less and when you change it out put 2/3 amount and go from there. Test every couple days until it's lowered and change media monthly or a little sooner if needed.
Lowering nitrates you could do bio pellets but I wouldn't recommend it. Water changes and reduced feedings work well.

 

Your test kit is not that bad, none of them are every 100% accurate. Keep testing and using it, what you are looking for is consistency.

Now with alk. That is the first thing that water changes wont be able to keep up with. So keep doing water changes, keep testing. When things start to fall then start dosing. A good 2 part from BRS or even kalk water is the easiest.

You probably wont have to worry about it with such a light coral load. It is when you have a bunch of corals that are growing fast is when you need to worry about dosing. For now, change water, test and observe.

Dont take my advice, or anyone elses as 100% truth. Listen to everyone, research and form your own opnion.

BTW, your lights are very weak for SPS, so place it high.

 

You are in a good active area. Lots of refers over there. Go to meetings and ask questions. If possible go look at different people's tanks and see what they do. Have them look at yours. And like Craig said do you research. Lots of different ways to do things.
If you were closer I would have you swing by and look at how I do some of it.
I still use API tests for my small tank. I just check for stability not chasing a certain number.

 

Not sure I read this on reef2reef someone did some experiment on it cause with higher mag values can help with algae issues.

There is a way to calibrate api test kits or at least I have read that before. But in time I suggest hanna for alk and phosphates. Then after the testing meeting salifert seems very good for the rest

 

I use Salifert test kits for the big three: Calcium, alk, and magnesium. Unfortunately you had already had the API test kits on order when we first spoke, or I would have steered you to the Salifert. If you want to bring a water sample over, I'd be happy to test it using my Salifert test kits. Otherwise bring a sample to Fall fest.

Actually I still use API for testing Nitrates, and the ocassional Ammonia test. My Nitrates are generally low - in the 0-5 range, so API has worked just fine. If I get worried for some reason, I also have the Red Sea Nitrate test kit that I can use for verification. But the API is much quicker, so unless I really think I have a problem, that's what I generally use.

I use the Hanna checker for phosphates. Seems that people either love it or hate it. I seem to get fairly consistent readings, but I know others that seem to get readings that vary alot.

 

Before addressing nitrates, there are a few other things I would ask about.

1) What are you using to check salinity? The plastic hydrometers are notouriously bad for giving inaccurate readings. Most people move to a refractometer as soon as they can. Much more accurate. That said, I used a plastic hydrometer for several years before I bought my refractometer. But when I first started adding corals, I compared the hydrometer against the refractometer and then physically marked the hydrometer where it would be correct. The reason I'm asking is that you say that your make-up water is at 1.024 - which is low. Most run closer to 1.026. If your water is really at 1.024 and you raise it to 1.026 - Calcium, alk, and mag will also go up - which then overall puts into questions (at least for me), what your true values are for calcium, alk, and mag.

2) Salt mix: Instant Ocean makes 2 salt mixes - Instant ocean and Reef Crystals. If your levels of calcium, alk, and mag are too high, that would be another alternative until you have enough corals that need the extra boost.

3) You have a very light fish load. What are you feeding? With such a small fish load, I find it surprising that your phosphates and nitrates are that high - given that you have been doing a 5 gal change weekly on a 46 gal tank. 10% should be more than sufficient, IMO - unless you are really overfeeding or feeding a food with alot of nitrates/phosphates.

4) IMO, your nitrates are a bit high, but not THAT bad. I never worry when my nitrates are 0-5. And then when they are 5-10, I start looking to reduce them, but I never make BIG changes. My opinion is that your phosphates at .5 are a much bigger concern. Also - where did you get your rock?

So, I think my 1st suggestion is to get your test results validated by someone else - and then make a decision as to what needs to be changed.

 

To echo what Becker said, you're parameters aren't that off. Furthermore, higher nutrient levels (within reason) rare kills corals. Dropping nutrient levels too fast though, will.

Again, with parameter changes (nutrients included), tweak them slowly. Corals like stability. Instability kills corals.

Also, never dose/actively try to tweak a parameter that you cannot accurately test for. The guesswork makes for headaches when things go south.