How's all this looking?

[johnnymac]

Hi everyone I have been testing my tank 24g nano with 10kg of live rock and 20lb of live sand and I have a ARCADIA 150W + 2X18W ACTINIC + BUILT IN ANALOG TIMERS 14K BULB on its way. from the 24th/3 and as follows the results

PH 708
Nitrite 2.0
Ammonia 4.0
Nitrate 5.0

27th/3
Ph 7.8
Nitrite 5.0
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrate 20

31/3
Ph 7.8
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 10

4th/4
Ph 7.8
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 5.0/10

Temp 26/27.5 oC
SG 1.026/7
How's all this looking? Is it time for a clean up crew.
I still have the black sponge filter in the back compartment of the tank shall I take it out?
Cheers Johnny
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157/johnnymacsnano/IMG_1247.jpg
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t157/johnnymacsnano/IMG_1241.jpg:D

[FZ1Rider]

PH is low. What type of salt did you use?

Nitrate seems a bit high.

I personally use a piece of that blue filter stuff in my sump-a-fuge. I put it in to help with some cloudiness after a aquascaping session and just left it there. It won't damage anything.

I've wanted a corner tank but I can't imagine using such a small sump / fuge.

[johnnymac]

I use Instant Ocean what's the best way to get my PH up? I was thinking the Nitrate was a bit high but the ammonia is ok. I was thinking that the filter in the back was the problem.
Its not a corner tank it a orca nano. The sump is a bit small 12 X 8 X 14in

[sunfish11]

I actually left a piece of the black sponge in to catch particulates. I cut it into corners and change it out every week with a rinsed and dried piece of the sponge. You can use a buffer for PH for now make sure it is ok for reefs. You should invest in alk, cal, mag tests. Keeping these levels where they should be should also keep your PH in line and keeps the necessary levels for your coral and coraline algea to thrive. Usually at your stage water changes are more than enough to keep this where it should be. Check the PH of your water before you add it to the tank.

Lisa