help with water

[currentking]

I am kind of new to this and I need some feedback on my water peramaters. I have a 65g lps/ricordea tank completely filled. If something is wrong, please give me guidance on how to fix it.

ph: 7.9 Its low how do I get it higher. Lights have been on for about an hour
phosphates : 0.25
nitrites: 0
nitrates: 15-20
calcium: 460
KH: 130mg/L I dont know howto convert to a different number.

The test kit is hagen. Thanks for any help.

[Percula9]

Your phosphates are to high. You can use Reef builder by seachem to raise the alkalinity and PH will come up to. If you want to convert the KH to DKH divide by 17.9, so your alk is 7.26dkh at the bottom end. Nitrates should be lower for a reef tank. Do water changes more often.

[currentking]

so that means that the hagen test kit is wrong when it says that my alk should be at 125mg/l? my phosphates may be a little lower than that but that isthe lowest number on the chart and the water did have a blue tint to it. What should the alk be at?

[Boomer]

No, your test kit is not wrong. There are 3 ways to express Alkalinity, meq/ l, ppm and dKH. You are giving American Hardness which is in ppm. Some go by ppm, some by meq /l and some by dKH. This will make it easier for you. .

Go to "Hardness Equivalents"

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/information/calculate.htm

Here is something on what water parameters to look for.

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

Your "KH" is fine and is actually higher than natural seawater but we like it higher as it is used up much faster in tanks so to speak. Higher levels help the the pH to be more stable to a small degree. So the range to shoot for is 125 - 200 ppm.

[bertoni]

7.9 isn't that bad for a fairly early morning pH, I think. I'd try a reading before the lights go on.