General chemistry opinion of my tank

[liquidfluidity]

I did some testing today and would like to know what you guys think about my parameters and any suggestions that I might need to take heed to.
1. N03 = undetectable
2. N02 = undetectable
3. Ammonia = undetectable
4. P03 = less than .02
5. Alk = 9.5 dkh
6. Ca = 360 ppm
These are the only tests I had available and these were Nutrifin/Hagen test kits.(I am waiting for some Salifert kits). Is there anything else I should be testing for? I don't use any other additives. I have no fish or sps. I only have shrooms , riccordea , 2 types of leathers , zoos , a small carnation , couple types of snails , a pair of boxer crabs , 4 scarlet reef hermits , and a purple Linkia(about 3' from leg to leg). I have never really had any problems with this tank and I test pretty rarely. I just started dripping pickling lime for top off at night and my Ca is on the rise. It was running around 320ppm. I have been using lime water for about a week now at a rate of about 2 cups of evaporation a day. This is in my nano , and I don't lose much water to evap. Will using the lime water eventually bring my Ca up to the 420 ppm+ range or should I use something else to get it there and maintain with the limewater? I am planning on setting another tank(20-40g) up soon and would like to go sps/clams but I would like to be able to learn to keep my parameters a little more stable and am looking for direction in proper technique. Any help , hints , and suggestions will be highly appreciated. I'd like to also add that these tests were done about a third of the way through the day. Thanks.

[Dog boy Dave]

I keep a very heavily loaded SPS tank with Ca reactor and 30 gallons of Kalc per week. But, I also use daily additions of calcium chloride and sodium carbonate. I find it very easy to fine tune my levels using these two additives. Its also very cheap when you get to the point that you need a lot. The Kent Products Turbo Calc and Supper buffer are essentailly the same thing that I named. The Calcium Chloride (dow flakes) or Turbo Calc. raises the Ca and the Sodium Carbonate (baked Arm and Hammer) or Super Buffer raises the alkalinity.
You can get a lot of good info in Mr. Farley's stickey threads on controling Alk and Ca. if you want more details.
Dave

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

liquidfluidity:

I'd raise the calcium to 420 ppm or so with a one time shot of calcium chloride, then continue as usual. This article may help:

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

[liquidfluidity]

I had actually read that article a while back but I wasn't real concerned about my Ca levels until the desire of keeping SPS. When I read it this time , many things made more sense and I see that according to the graph , I am in zone 3. It just happen to sink in a little better this time. My next question is that once I use the calcium chloride and get my Ca stabilized and around 420ppm , will the saturated lime water be able to sustain a minimally stocked SPS tank at those levels? I guess I'm wondering if the lime water in turn becomes a maintainer. I also understand that at some point I may need to add some vinneager to increase the saturation point or the abillity to absorb more of the "kalk" into a solution. I tried to click on the link about the use of vinneager but the page wouldn't come up so I guess I will do a search. If you have any more suggestions , please advise. Thanks Randy and Dog. Oh yeah , can you get Dow Flakes at the super market and is there another common name or is that it?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

will the saturated lime water be able to sustain a minimally stocked SPS tank at those levels?

Probably. If it maintains the alkalinity, it will maintain the calcium. At some amount of demand, limewater will not be adequate, but I can't say when or if you might reach that point.

Here's a vinegar article:

Expanding the Limits of Limewater: Adding Organic Carbon Sources (vinegar)
http://web.archive.org/web/200304181...io/default.asp

I wouldn't use vinegar unless you first determine that you can't meet demand without it.

You can get Dowflake at many Home Depot stores where it is sold as a de-icer. I just saw it at my local Home Depot a few days ago.

[liquidfluidity]

Thanks for your help. I think that if I were to start keeping enough to not be able to meet the demand , I will go with a Ca reactor. I don't see this anytime near. I just want to be able to keep them and have good growth and color. My preference is leaning towards the tortuosa. i think that they are some of the most beautiful SPS I have ever seen. Anyways , thanks again!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I think that if I were to start keeping enough to not be able to meet the demand , I will go with a Ca reactor.

That would be a good choice. Before making that leap you can use limewater plus vinegar or limewater plus a two part system, then make the jump when you really need a lot more calcium and alkalinity.

thanks again!

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.