And the numbers are in...

[Airborneguy]

Whew! took me about an hour, but here are all my numbers. Let me know what you think and what I need to raise a few (I know the KH and Mag are low). I'll deal with the Ammonia, I think I've been feeding too much...

Am: .25
Ni: 0
Na: 20
SG: 1.024
Cal: 410
Mag: 1125
Alk: 8.3
PH: 8.0

Feels great to finally have everything in place... now all I have to do is get a few parameters fixed and then get my light set up right and I'm in bussiness!

[lunatik_69]

Everything looks good and you already know what you need to raise, so keep up the good work. Luna

[Tangster]

If you have a good air pump and a air stone then run that in the sump and that will lower the ammonias also

[Bogie]

Add 2 tablespoons of Arm & Hammer baking soda. In a 72 gallon with sump, that should bring your Alk up to over 10 dKH.

[Airborneguy]

I don't have a sump... should I lower the amount I use?

[nunch]

Originally Posted by Airborneguy

I don't have a sump... should I lower the amount I use?

I wouldn't even try to raise it , just don't let it get any lower.
I didn't see your ph was a lil' low too, a decent ph buffer will raise you ph and your kh which wouldn't hurt. $8.99 for a buffer that will last u a couple months atleast. until your ionically balanced. some people have to keep buffing, primarily for ph, like me.

[Bogie]

The bicarbonates in baking soda and borax laundry booster will raise Alk, without affecting pH, and the pH should stay at ~ 8.3. I brought mine from 8 to 12-13 dKH, and there was no change in pH.
Seachem reef buffer will bring the pH up to 8.3. Your pH becomes more stable at higher alk levels (10-12 dKH). My pH wasn't lower than 8.3, so I'm not sure if the baking soda and borax will bring the pH from 8.0 to 8.3 or not.

[nunch]

Originally Posted by Bogie

The bicarbonates in baking soda and borax laundry booster will raise Alk, without affecting pH, and the pH should stay at ~ 8.3. I brought mine from 8 to 12-13 dKH, and there was no change in pH.
Seachem reef buffer will bring the pH up to 8.3. Your pH becomes more stable at higher alk levels (10-12 dKH). My pH wasn't lower than 8.3, so I'm not sure if the baking soda and borax will bring the pH from 8.0 to 8.3 or not.

the seachem reef buffer will do both.

[Tangster]

Ph is determined by the carbonate levels, Ph alone means nothing really it is so varying during the day , Check it just before the lights go on or in the early A.M see where it is then on that same day test it just before the lights go out tell me what you have . There is not set rules on Ph levels Like I said It depends on the time of day and the house and the whole environment where the tank is also effect's the Ph reading . P.h has many influences and not that reliable at all. I don't care about P.h all I worry about is the Carbonates thats what matters . If you just want to jack the P.h get some Arm and Hammer Laundry Soda (: that will bump up Ph. and not much else..

You just keep the Carbonates correct the Ph will monitor and level its self..

[nunch]

Originally Posted by Tangster

Ph is determined by the carbonate levels, Ph alone means nothing really it is so varying during the day , Check it just before the lights go on or in the early A.M see where it is then on that same day test it just before the lights go out tell me what you have . There is not set rules on Ph levels Like I said It depends on the time of day and the house and the whole environment where the tank is also effect's the Ph reading . P.h has many influences and not that reliable at all. I don't care about P.h all I worry about is the Carbonates thats what matters . If you just want to jack the P.h get some Arm and Hammer Laundry Soda (: that will bump up Ph. and not much else..

You just keep the Carbonates correct the Ph will monitor and level its self..

my pH is at 7.8 all day but my alk stays around 12-13, why won't my pH stabilize like alk has? or is it stable at 7.8?