Water Chemistry

[rossi32s]

Hey all...

I am fairly new to Saltwater and have been up and running for a few months now and think I have everything in line. Please let me know if any of these test results indicate anything bad. Last 20% water change was 1 week ago.

Was dosing NOPOX for a few weeks but cyanobacteria never died. Tried Red Slime Remover(5 days ago) and it was gone in 36 hours. The cyanobacteria was a hitchhiker from some rock I bought. It was not spreading to old rock, just getting thicker and thicker. This may be the reason for the Amonia and nitrate values?

Using Red Seal Foundation & Red Sea Colors and a few other test kits:
PH 8.2(Digital probe)
KH 7.3 dKH
MG 1280
CA 425
Fe 0
I2 .06
Amonia .25(too high?)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 3
Phosphate .20

46 Gallons
1x96 CF Actinic
1x96 CF 50/50
3 12" 453nm stunners
3 12" Panaromas
10 hour photoperiod
HOB octopus skimmer skimmate is fairly thick
Rena XP4 with matrix, phosguard, carbon, purigen
2x 750 GPM powerheads on a wavemaker 300 second cycles

Cleanup crew(snails, hermits) 4 emerald crabs
1 Sand Sifting Goby
1 Lawnmower Blenney
1 Small Yellow Tang
1 Manderine - eating flakes and brine shrimp
1 Clown
Lots of Zoas, mushrooms, kenya tree, xenia, Neon GSP.

Thanks

[rossi32s]

I am also now floating some macro algae in a breeder box to help get the nitrates down.

[bertoni]

The phosphate level seems to be very high. I'm assuming that's 0.2 ppm. I'd probably use GFO to reduce that, although the PhosGuard should work, assuming it doesn't cause any coral problems.

[rossi32s]

The phosphate level seems to be very high. I'm assuming that's 0.2 ppm. I'd probably use GFO to reduce that, although the PhosGuard should work, assuming it doesn't cause any coral problems.

Just did a 20% WC and phosphates are now around .10-15 PPM my test goes from
0 -.25 -.5 - 1.0 - 2.0 ....

the color is not zero and it is not .25 it's right inbetween.

nitrates didn't change a measurable amount. that red sea test gotes from 0 - 2 -5 -10 - 20...

I assume that a 20% water change would reduce both of these tests by 20% if i am using LFS premix?

[bertoni]

If the levels are zero in the saltwater, a 20% water change will reduce the levels by 20%. Test kits have limited accuracy, though. I guess you're using the API kit or something similar that doesn't read at low levels very well. I might invest in a kit like the Salifert or Hach, or one of the Hanna Checkers.

[rossi32s]

Just did 4 phosphate tests.. tank, LFS premix & RO/DI from a different LFS & Bottled water from the store

all 4 are the same color yellow, but not the same yellow as on the card for 0ppm my tank test is slightly leaning toward tinge of green. but is not far from the 3 others.

[bertoni]

Hmm, I suspect the phosphate level is noticeably below the claimed detection level of the kit, but I can't be sure. You could consider reducing feeding or adding a GFO reactor if the tank has further problems with photosynthetic pests.

You could try the ammonia kit on some RO/DI water. If it detects ammonia in that, I suspect that the kit has failed.

[rossi32s]

The hermit crabs just drug out a dead fish to the front of the tank... small goby.. guess he died over the last 24 hours. eyes gone, guts gone..

guess that's where my nitrates and ammonia came from?

[bertoni]

Could be.