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my parameters

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by sblomgren, Oct 10, 2011.

  1. Oct 10, 2011 #1
    sblomgren

    sblomgren Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    180 gallon display tank, 30 gallon frag tank, 40 gallon sump all plumbed together.  Running biopellets, GFO, Carbon, auto dosing calc/alk
    Salinity 1.025PH 8.48Temp 81.1 FAlk 13DKHMag 1500PPMCalcium 440PPMPhosphate 0 PPMNitrates 20 PPM (this is the one that caught me a little off guard)  Your thoughts?
    Give me your thoughts in general on my condition
     
  2. Oct 10, 2011 #2
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    thought bio pellets took the place of gfo reactor?
     
  3. Oct 10, 2011 #3
    Guest

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    thay do you dont need to run both just run the bio pellets
     
  4. Oct 10, 2011 #4
    sblomgren

    sblomgren Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Yeah, am I hurting anything? I have a lot of GFO left over since I got the bio pellets running so I never took it off line? Think I should.

    What are your thoughts on my nitrates? Is that too high?

     
  5. Oct 10, 2011 #5
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    yeah they should be like 0.25 and 5ppm, with less being better. are you sure it isn't .20?
     
  6. Oct 10, 2011 #6
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    and I have a home for your gfo if you need to get rid of it.
     
  7. Oct 10, 2011 #7
    sblomgren

    sblomgren Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    my phosphates were o on a API test. However on an API test my nitrates were at 20ppm According to the little card that you match with the water
     
  8. Oct 10, 2011 #8
    Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    IMO 20ppm nitrate isn't really that bad. Could it be lower? Yes, but I prefer mine to be 10-20ppm, it just seems to make my SPS color "POP" a little more and my LPS do better.

    Running to clean can cause chartreuse coloring like what you see in Zeo tanks...not a fan.
     
  9. Oct 10, 2011 #9
    sblomgren

    sblomgren Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Ok, I am not really worried about it. After reading around it sounds like 0-40 is ok. And to be honest I have neglected my water changes and am starting to get a better habit
     
  10. Oct 10, 2011 #10
    sblomgren

    sblomgren Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    What test kits do you guys like for Nitrates and Phosphates?
     
  11. Oct 10, 2011 #11
    Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    I use API or Salifert for nitrates.  I use a Hanna Po4 checker for phophates mainly because if you have enough phosphates to actually be detected by a test kit things are already in very bad shape.
     
  12. Oct 10, 2011 #12
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    Your KH is way high for a reef tank, combined with your Cal you're going to end up getting calcium deposits.  Correct me if I'm wrong but 14 is good for FO/FOWLR, reef you want 9.0 dKH.  Mag is a bit high but of much less concern - 1350 is probably where you want it, so don't add any more mag.  Temp is pretty high, but not a total killer, depends on your stock.  pH is a bit high too but this might be due to the alk and also when you tested it as it will go up with the light cycle and down again at night - test before lights on and then again before lights start to cycle off.
    +1 on N.  Heard that from Matt N, he heard it from Calfo.  I have P=0.09-0.16 and no problems so I don't believe the hype on P causing big problems, just might stunt coral growth but that means they will also grow tighter/stonger IMO.  P might cause an algae problem though but I run a scrubber so that's where all the algae grows.
     
  13. Oct 10, 2011 #13
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    +1.  I use Hanna Checker Phosphate and Salifert N for low range (mine is always clear a a bell looking through the side) and API for >10
     
  14. Oct 10, 2011 #14
    sblomgren

    sblomgren Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Bud. My dkh has been low and I over shot as I have been bringing it up. I'm aiming for 9/10 dkh. Mag is high all the time. I never dose it even though I have it. Not sure if it is my RO water or my reef crystals but that's where it always is!
     
  15. Oct 10, 2011 #15
    AJ

    AJ Inactive User

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    IF you're using biopellets, you want your dKH lower than 8.5...ideally 8. If you run higher than that, you can get burnt tips on your SPS and it will reduce growth rate and cause weird growth patterns. Mag & Calcium are good. I would reduce the amount of GFO that you run. There are lots of posts about this on RC. Your nitrates are not lower because you're taking out too much phosphates with your GFO. In order for the biopellet reactor to convert nitrates, it needs *both* nitrates and phosphates. That's why a lot of people say that you can get rid of your GFO. If you run out of either nitrates or phosphates, the nitrate conversion process stops. If you reduced the amount of GFO, your phosphates would increase a little, allowing more for the bacteria in your biopellet reactor, ultimately reducing your nitrates. Seems a little counter-intuitive, but that's the way it is.

    As for test kits, I use a PinPoint II monitor for my calcium, Salifert for Mag & Nitrates, and Hanna photometers for both Alk and Phosphates.

    --AJ
     
  16. Oct 11, 2011 #16
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    sb, I think I remember your other thread now that you mention it.

    AJ, interesting that BP work the same way as and algae scrubber, in that you can have an N or P limitation. that's what's happening in my tank, N=0 so P doesn't bottom out. Didn't think BP worked similarly.
     
  17. Oct 11, 2011 #17
    sblomgren

    sblomgren Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Yeah bud, I have been raising alk slowly and I over did it a little. Other way now I guess!
     

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