Tank Parameters

[NanoTX]

Water Chemistry reading on 11/15/06

pH = 8.6
Phosphate = 1.0
Nitrate = 0
Nitrite = 0
Ammonia = 0
Calcium = 465 ppm
Alkalinity = 5.5 meq/L
Specific Gravity = 1.025
Temperature = 78-81 (night-day)

Tonight, I am adding a filter bag with 50g of PhosBan to reduce phosphates.

All fishes and corals are doing well except the Xenia, which is very puny looking.

My tank is 58g with a 20g refugium. Biological fiiltering (live rock, deep sand bed, macro algea). Mechanical filtering (Bac-Pak skimmer with airstone added).

Questions:
Shoud I be testing for anything else?
Are the readings OK besides high phosphates and high alkalinity?
Will a reduction in phoshates decrease alkalinity?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Decreasing phosphate will not itself decrease alkalinity appreciably, but it will increase the consumption of calcium and alkalinity by calcifying organisms.

How are you supplementing calcium and alkalinity?

[NanoTX]

Randy,

My calcium supplement method so far has been through water changes only. I am undecided whether to use a kalswater drip, two-part such as EVS B-Ionic or an calcium reactor.

Budget constraints and your article on Mrs. Wages pickling juice have me leaning to the drip. Until then, I will continue 10 percent water changes weekly.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I am undecided whether to use a kalswater drip, two-part such as EVS B-Ionic or an calcium reactor.

OK, any of those are good ways. :)

I'm surprised the alkalinity is that high if you are just doing water changes. But if so, and the salinity of the water is not too high, then it seems to be working for now. Usually, water changes cannot maintain alkalinity unless they are massive (large percentage daily).

[NanoTX]

I may have an explanation for the high alkalinity. My pH was low, so my latest water change included two tablespoons of Kent Superfubber-dKH. Make more sense now?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:lol:

Yes. I'd stop adding the buffer. :)

[NanoTX]

Will do(or is that not do?). Hapy reefing to you too!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks. :)