Optimal Parameters for a Coral Reef Aquarium: By Randy Holmes-Farley

[s2nhle]

Great! Thank you for sharing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Great! Thank you for sharing.

Thanks.

Happy Reefing.

 

[Squadir]

Excellent reading material, thank you very much.
Please excuse my Newbie-ness but I do however have a question:
Under the alkalinity section there is mention that 7-8 DKH should be maintained in the case of a ULNS and 7-11 is acceptable otherwise. What would define a ULNS? I have done some reading and the definition tends to vary a bit. Would you be able to clarify a bit please?

 

[Montireef]

ULNS: Ultra Low Nutrient System
This is achieved when you can not measure NO3 and PO4 with traditional tests because it is very low

 

[scardall]

Curious do you consider Hanna meters Traditional? @Montireef

 

[broskie]

Probably one of the best reads since I started the hobby. Thank you!

 

[reefbeard]

Have referred to this article a hundred times. Should be required reading for all reefers.

 

[s2nhle]

I agree.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Excellent reading material, thank you very much.
Please excuse my Newbie-ness but I do however have a question:
Under the alkalinity section there is mention that 7-8 DKH should be maintained in the case of a ULNS and 7-11 is acceptable otherwise. What would define a ULNS? I have done some reading and the definition tends to vary a bit. Would you be able to clarify a bit please?

Phosphate at 0.01 ppm or less and nitrate at 0.1 ppm or less could be considered ULNS, IMO.

However, I'm not sure where burnt tip issue really become significant, since almost no one can accurately measure below these levels.

 

[arman]

Thank you for this fantastic article.
Some questions came to my mind.
1.Youve mentioned that phyto planktons growth depends on phosphate.
Im trying to culture my own but i couldnt.
My phosphate is 0 and i wanted to know is this the problem that they do not grow or not?
2.Whats the effect of phosphate 0 on my corals?
If i have to increase it what should i do?
I will be very thankful if you help me.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thank you for this fantastic article.
Some questions came to my mind.
1.Youve mentioned that phyto planktons growth depends on phosphate.
Im trying to culture my own but i couldnt.
My phosphate is 0 and i wanted to know is this the problem that they do not grow or not?
2.Whats the effect of phosphate 0 on my corals?
If i have to increase it what should i do?
I will be very thankful if you help me.

The issue of 0 ppm phosphate depends on whether that, with your testing, means less than 0.1 ppm, less than 0.02 ppm, less than 0.01 ppm, etc. How are you testing it and what is the lowest you could detect?

You are trying to grow phyto in your display system?

 

[arman]

The issue of 0 ppm phosphate depends on whether that, with your testing, means less than 0.1 ppm, less than 0.02 ppm, less than 0.01 ppm, etc. How are you testing it and what is the lowest you could detect?
.

The only available test kit in my country is Sera .When i test my p the color of the test wont change at all and it remains colorless.
One time i gave the water to one of my friends and he tested it with Elos he told me the same

 

[arman]

No im doing that in a bottle but i used one of the bottles with my tank water and the ther with RO+salt mix water.
But in both of them they didnt grow.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The only available test kit in my country is Sera .When i test my p the color of the test wont change at all and it remains colorless.
One time i gave the water to one of my friends and he tested it with Elos he told me the same

The Sera test kit's lowest reading seems to be 0.1 ppm. I typically recommend 0.02 ppm, so it should be close to zero on that kit without being too low.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No im doing that in a bottle but i used one of the bottles with my tank water and the ther with RO+salt mix water.
But in both of them they didnt grow.

You certainly could add both nitrate and phosphate, and maybe some trace elements such as iron.

 

[arman]

You certainly could add both nitrate and phosphate, and maybe some trace elements such as iron.

The last question is that what things should i do to increase nitrate and phosphate.

 

[arman]

Ive read that to culture phyto we need f2(or fertilizer)but i couldnt find that here.
Do you know if it has any alternatives or not.and if it is the phosphate and nitrate and trace you mentioned?

 

[arman]

Mr.randy would you please answer me.
Ill be very thankful.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, the f2 recipe is mostly those nutrients.

Here's the recipe if you want to try to add some of the individual components:

http://mel.xmu.edu.cn/UserFiles/Image/gomap/pdf/f_2_medium.pdf

 

[arman]

Thank you very much