Recommended Sticky Thread

I wanted to recommend a sticky thread listing all the normally tested water parameters and their recommended ranges.

Ideally, such a thread would also contain logic such as, if Calcium too low, check the following: 1) Mg reading must be approximately 3 times that of the intended Calcium reading. Otherwise, the Calcium percipitates out of the water. 2) Check auto-dosing unit or reactor, increase dosage.

Similar If High check this,... If Low, check this logic for each parameter.

I am new to all of this. Could you experienced folks, help me build such a listing of parameters, recommended ranges and trouble shooting tips. It would seem a useful stand-by to have available for everyone.

Thanks
Mark

 

Great idea! I usually find myself googling stuff like this..

 

What about this one? Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

Parameter Range Source LiveAquaria.com

Does anyone check any other parameters?

Does anyone actually test for Iodine and Strontium? How are those maintained??

Where I need help more than anything is the what to do trouble shooting steps for if High or if Low.

THanks
Mark

 

Thanks. I'll reference that article and update this thread. I'd really like to have everything "at my finger tips" on 3reef.com. Nothing wrong with providing proper reference and quoting right?

That will be tomorrow project after acclaimating my FIRST NEW FISH ARRIVING!!!!!, WOOHOO!!!

M

 

MissionSix,

I'll write something up for my own use and you guys can decide how to use it. The "NASA Geek" part of me needs "procedures" and "checklists", so I have to write this down to help myself understand it.

M

 

For example,

If you measure your SG and it is too low or too high, what procedure do you use to adjust it?

If mine is low, I have been adding small amounts of salt to my sump every few hours to gradually raise it. Roughly 1/2 cup per hour for a 75 gal total water volume system until 1.024 is reached.

If it is too high, I take some water out and replace with RO/DI every few hours to gradually reduce it. Roughly 1/2 gal salt water removed and 1/2 gal RO/DI replaced every hour for a 75 gal total water volume system until 1.024 is reached.

I use a refractometer to measure salinity. Float based SG measurement are too imprecise for these measurements based on my research. Alternative would be a digital probe of some kind at additional expense.

Any better ways of doing that??

If the group is patient enough with me, in answering these questions, I'll document our collective knowledge in one "best practices" write up. That write up would be the product of the knowledge of the site and 3reef could use it.... since we are capturing 3reef users thoughts.

Would people be game to participate if I did a thread like that for each parameter, collected the 'best practices' of 3reef and then integrated it back into one write up???

I am happy to do the work, if experienced folks are willing to trudge through my questions.

Quite honestly, I need to do the work any way so that I know what to do.

Help would be appreciated.

M

 

Yeah... big time NASA geek. People tend to freak out when I describe my job. I never figured out how to say it and not come across bragging. Don't mean it that way. It's just my job. So, I just state the fact...

Deputy Director for Design Integration of the Constellation Program...

Translated... my office oversees all the design and integration of the rockets and vehicles and facilities NASA is building to replace the Space Shuttle and return to the Moon.

Personally, I have one of the funnest jobs in the world in my opinion. Mega-cool.

M