Are my parameters unhealthy for new reef tank? If so how do I lower them?

[GreyYeti]

Last week I ordered coral frags and decided to start my reef tank in my 29 GAL which was FOWLR before. Now I knew nothing about reefing or the chemistry but taught myself while waiting for my corals. I set my reef tank up and used Kents Nano Reef A&B to start up the tank. However After using Red Sea's foundation pro test kit my parameters are a little high and Ive done water changes with no changes. Wondering if there's anything else I can do or is it safe for the coral frags to be in these levels. All I see in an increase in diatoms on my glass really. My parameters are

Salinity - 1.026
PH - 8.2
MG - 1400
Alkalinity - 11.8 dKH
Calcium - 390
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates- 5 -10 ppm

 

[encrustingacro]

your nitrates should be above 0 but less than 10. Also, what are your phosphates? Those should be more than 0 but less than 0.07.

 

[GreyYeti]

your nitrates should be above 0 but less than 10. Also, what are your phosphates? Those should be more than 0 but less than 0.07.

I was wrong on nitrates there are 5-10ppm. Using the API saltwater test kit. Im not able to measure phosphates yet, haven't gotten a test for it. Are my parameters okay for the new frags? Should I redone the Part A and B or would that just increase my parameters? "KENT Marine Nano Reef Part A contains calcium, magnesium, strontium, iron, and many other important elements necessary to maintain proper water parameters in nano-reefs and other small reef systems.

KENT Marine Nano Reef Part B is an ionically-balanced buffer to Part A that increases alkalinity and maintains a stable pH."

 

[Spieg]

Ask a dozen people and you'll get a dozen different answers...
I try to stay around these levels;
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78 F
Alk 8.5 dKH
Ca 440
Mg 1350
NO3 5-10
PO4 0.5 -0.1
pH 8.2
NO2 near zero
NH3 0

 

[GreyYeti]

Ask a dozen people and you'll get a dozen different answers...
I try to stay around these levels;
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78 F
Alk 8.5 dKH
Ca 440
Mg 1350
NO3 5-10
PO4 0.5 -0.1
pH 8.2
NO2 near zero
NH3 0

What do you use to dose your tank? should I redose Kents Part A and B?

 

[Spieg]

What do you use to dose your tank? should I redose Kents Part A and B?

I use ESV B-Ionic 2-part. About 40ml per day in a 70 gal tank. To make up for a drop of about 1 dKH per day.

 

[Samanthabea]

Easiest way my husband found out(in his 10 gallon) was using reef specific salt and dosing trace elements from seachem every other day and iodine 2x a week along with weekly waterchanges but there are other factors like water flow and such that's tank and coral specific

 

[mermaid_life]

When you have higher alkalinity, you have more leeway with phosphates and nitrates. I know this because with my first tank, I used red sea coral pro where alk was always around 10+ and nitrates were 20+ and sps flourished. When you have high alk and lower nitrates and phos is when you start getting burnt tips, etc.

I have my alk at 8.0-8.3 range now. If i try to chase low phos and nitrates, my sps start dying again. My philosophy now is I'd rather have brown sps and work backwards than dead sps =)

 

[GreyYeti]

When you have higher alkalinity, you have more leeway with phosphates and nitrates. I know this because with my first tank, I used red sea coral pro where alk was always around 10+ and nitrates were 20+ and sps flourished. When you have high alk and lower nitrates and phos is when you start getting burnt tips, etc.

I have my alk at 8.0-8.3 range now. If i try to chase low phos and nitrates, my sps start dying again. My philosophy now is I'd rather have brown sps and work backwards than dead sps =)

Ah man this scared me, I just brought a hanna checker for phosphates. How do you lower Alkalinity I feel mine are way to high?

 

[mermaid_life]

Ah man this scared me, I just brought a hanna checker for phosphates. How do you lower Alkalinity I feel mine are way to high?

it's not about way high or not. It's just about knowing the balance. When I used the coral pro like i mentioned, i didn't dose. i just did water changes more regularly so i maintained that level. now that mine is at 8.0ish, and i switched to blue bucket, i also added a doser because i know dropping to the 7 level is way more detrimental than dropping to the 9 level in my last tank.

Don't panic is my message. Pick what method works for you and maintain that. If you want to keep it at the 10 range, pick a salt that helps you with that. If you want to transition and lower it and maintain it at that level, just switch the salt and let it naturally drift down.

 

[DeniableArc]

Hi, do your self a favour and get a better nitrate test kit as api is notoriously bad you could be way off? I found Red Sea pro easy and accurate, salifert also.

 

[encrustingacro]

What do you use to dose your tank? should I redose Kents Part A and B?

I would use all for reef.

 

[attiland]

+1 for you will need a better test kit for nitrates and phosphates. HANNA ULR for phosphate if you ask me
you will need to able to test for mg, Ca and alkalinity.

you probably need to dose nothing in the beginning especially if you can’t test for it.

you may need better lights although I didn’t see any reference to what you have.

 

[GreyYeti]

+1 for you will need a better test kit for nitrates and phosphates. HANNA ULR for phosphate if you ask me
you will need to able to test for mg, Ca and alkalinity.

you probably need to dose nothing in the beginning especially if you can’t test for it.

you may need better lights although I didn’t see any reference to what you have.

appreciate the reply, I have a single viper spectra 165 light hanging 17in from the surface of the tank water. Ive been trying to decide if that's to high as of lately. But definitely gonna buy the Hanna testers

 

[Lasse]

A small imbalance between Ca and alkalinity if you can trust the measurements. Ca in the lower part and alkalinity in the higher. If you can´t rise the Ca indentipendly - I would let it be and do weekly WC of 10 - 20 %. Do you use Red Seas red bucket? Do not chase numbers of PO4 and NO3 in the beginning - just let the tank settle a while before you start to tweak these numbers - IMO.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[arking_mark]

I'm surprised no one asked what type of frags your adding to your tank. So a couple of questions:

1. What type of coral are you planning on adding?
2. What size tank? How old is the tank?
3. What substrate and rock are you using? How old?
4. What filtration?
5. Lighting PAR?
6. How are you handling flow?

Many corals like stability. If switching over from FOWLR, I would start with several large water changes with a quality salt that matches the target parameters you are looking to keep.

Your initial Alk/Ca demand is likely to be low and you tank may not require dosing for several weeks.

When Alk/Ca demand goes up, you should look to use a balanced dosing approach that again maintains your water at your target parameters. I'd recommend looking at 2/3 Part, Kalkwasser, All-for-reef, etc...