Calcium/Kalkwasser

Update on readings....

Ammonia- looks very very close to the bottom yellow ish color...so I would sday .0-.1 at the highest

PH- 8.1
ALK- 3
Calc- 495
Trites- .1
Trates- these are up from yesterday-1-2
Salinity-1.024
Temp- 79.7

I assume that with the trates going up it is showing that the Trites are going down and the tank is starting to stabilize finally?? I believe from here I will just let the tank continue it's cycle without adding anything for supplements or chemicals correct?

Thanks for your time.

T

 

Sounds like a plan!

Is your ALK reading in dKH or meq/L?

 

They are Meg/L Birdlady.

So the letting it cycle and not touching anything is the way to go from here forward? I have a ton of family coming over this weekend and want it to look good for them.

T

 

That is what I would do....all your numbers look real good! Of course, I am not as experienced as the others on this board.....but....

Congrats! ;D 8)

 

Sounds great Birdlady. Thank you.

I was worried there for a bit about the survival of everything. The fish were laboring pretty good it seemed to me. And none of the corals were showing signs of life either. Now they are all looking great.

 

Todd,

Sounds great mate

Have a look at this link, in particular one of the first graphs showing the possible Alk/Calc readings.  

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Once you get the Mag tested and adjusted to around 1300-1400ppm, wait a day or two and test your Alk and Calc.  Adjust slowly each day.  One day Alk, next day Calc

John

 

Great reading in that article Todd!

 

Yes that is a great article. I have a better understanding now of how it all works. Thank you John.

I am thinking I should let my tank go without adding anything to it right now??? Or is there something I should do? I don't want to over react as you mentioned the other evening John.

I am relying on the advice of my reef keeper friends here at 3reef to keep my tank balanced. I think the advice and suggestions given by the members have been right on track and have solved each problem I have encountered thus far. So thank you all. My fish and corals thank you also.

T

 

Todd,

Just so you know I hate chemistry

IMO there are two issues here, there are the issues of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate etc which are all part of the Nitrogen cycle. They are affected by the biology of the tank, the effluent of the fish, and the bacterial levels. This is the part you should monitor, but for now, leave alone.

The other issue is the the Alkalinity and Calcium levels in the water, these levels are consumed by organisms in the tank and need periodical adjustment, it is these things you can now adjust.

So test and adjust the Magnessium. Then wait for a day, if OK test and adjust the Alk, but only enough to raise it a bit, don't try to adjust the level in one go Next day same for the Calcium, then back to the Alk.

Keep doing this until you get the levels where you want them. Then just monitor every couple of days and you will see a pattern forming, you should be able to predict what the usage of each will be. Make any sense -)

John

 

[quote author=JohnO link=board=Newbie;num=1093748861;start=15#28 date=08/31/04 at 20:36:24]
Just so you know I hate chemistry
[/quote]

Amen to that John!