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aylasc32
08/11/2007, 10:03 AM
does anyone know the solid figures for water as everyone has a dif opions to what works and im new to this and getting confused at present sg 1.023 , ph 8.1 , nitrate 0 , nitrite 0.1, amonia 0.1, kh 16, cal 380, would like to know what works for you as our tank fluctuates over the week.

JetCat USA
08/11/2007, 10:24 AM
a tank with 0.1 NO2 and NH3 but 0.0 NO3, it appears to be in early cycling stages..........

as for the levels, shoot for NSW levels but different aspects can be at different levels depending on what type tank it is and the critters kept in it.

aylasc32
08/11/2007, 11:52 AM
I have 2 shrimp, 1 regal tang,1 coral beauty, 2 yellow tail damsel, 2 clown, 3 herait crabsand a sand star fish it is a 285 lt tank with a deltec 300 skimer and 20 k of live rock.

aylasc32
08/11/2007, 11:55 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10530250#post10530250 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JetCat USA
a tank with 0.1 NO2 and NH3 but 0.0 NO3, it appears to be in early cycling stages..........

as for the levels, shoot for NSW levels but different aspects can be at different levels depending on what type tank it is and the critters kept in it.
plz lookat the reply

JetCat USA
08/11/2007, 12:46 PM
faulty test kits maybe.

bertoni
08/11/2007, 02:08 PM
This article covers all the water parameters and their acceptable ranges:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

The KH is rather high. I'd let that drop by stopping any alkalinity dosing? Is a pH buffer being added? Those commonly cause this problem.

Is 0.1 the lowest the ammonia kit will measure? What kit is being used? How about nitrite? Isses with test kits are fairly common.

Some tanks do show nitrite for long periods of time. I had a tank that should a bit for years, confirmed with several test kits. It's not going to bother any animals, so it can be ignored.

I target about 1.026-1.027 for SG, which is about the canonical average sea water.

aylasc32
08/12/2007, 10:11 AM
Hi thank you for the reply it is helpful and very usefull everything in the tank seams to be doing well we lost the snails 3weeks ago as the magnisium was low and the calcium we are putting in a replacment calcium which i think has increased the kh are calcium is at a level 360 for 3 days now so im not putting any more in until the kh has droped and i am using 2 dif test kits hagen and salifert which has came up with the same levels im trying to be safe than sorry. :D

bertoni
08/12/2007, 04:38 PM
Some supplements include both calcium and alkalinity. A calcium chloride product like Turbo Calcium or Dow Flake should be fine.

IslandCrow
08/12/2007, 07:36 PM
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I wouldn't think low magnesium would cause snails to die.

bertoni
08/12/2007, 07:40 PM
I agree. The cause of death for the snails likely is going to be hard to determine, though.

The Salifert ammonia test only goes down to about 0.25 ppm ammonia, so I'd take that reading as a zero. The nitrite might drop on its own, and it's not harmful, anyway, so I'd ignore it for now and concentrate on watching the ammonia.

aylasc32
08/13/2007, 01:51 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10539338#post10539338 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IslandCrow
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I wouldn't think low magnesium would cause snails to die.

Yes low magnisium can kill the snails it is like a anisthetic to them and thay forget to breath thay fall off the rocks and glass and thay just go to sleep.

aylasc32
08/13/2007, 01:54 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10539360#post10539360 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bertoni
I agree. The cause of death for the snails likely is going to be hard to determine, though.

The Salifert ammonia test only goes down to about 0.25 ppm ammonia, so I'd take that reading as a zero. The nitrite might drop on its own, and it's not harmful, anyway, so I'd ignore it for now and concentrate on watching the ammonia.

The amonia is fine and hasnt shown any change at the mo will watch it and do the tests each day to watch the kh aswell (Its easyer having a horse than fish lol)

JetCat USA
08/13/2007, 06:13 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10541101#post10541101 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aylasc32
.........(Its easyer having a horse than fish lol)

and cheaper to feed too compared to a couple of my tangs :)

bertoni
08/13/2007, 10:42 AM
I've never heard of low magnesium being an anesthetic. People run tanks with very low magnesium and don't report problems with snails.