Calling all SPS Reefers! Tank params. please!

No ATO so I add about 1/3 gallon RO/DI everyother day, and honestly before I do the sg is 1.027. The lighting and open back as well as the humidity here just suck up the water. No problems with the shrimp other than the clownfish picking them off one by one. uhhhhh:-/

 

What sized system? I wish I could top off with 1/3 gallon every other day. I need top off 1.5 to 2 gallons a day.

 

JBJ 28 gal, which means with all the lr you probably get around 23 gallons. I could shot for lower like 1.023-1.024, but the corals just like the other range better.

 

That explains the difference, my system is 112 gallons with an open sump and a canopy that is open top. I have always shot for 1.026SG since i got corals after reading up on their needs.

 

I was thinking about it. I used to keep my SG at 1.026. But since I started keeping my Mg at 1450-1500 that has bumped my SG up a point.

The neat thing about this is that I don't need to run a *relatively* expensive and time consuming Mg test to know if it's time to dose Mg. With my refractometer, it's a matter not so much of a full point but where the line is on the point (if you have one, you probably know what I mean). Neat trick.

Disclaimer: if I feel the refractometer indicates time to dose Mg, I test Mg first. I end up testing and dosing Mg about every 4-6 weeks and I'm able to keep it in range this way.

 

Also, I can only do that because I have ATO and autodose and all that, so I know it's not that causing the SG swing.

 

Very interesting, going to have to check that out.

It's weird the relationships we see between parameters, and their influence on a certain tank. What is weirder is that we know our tanks so well, that what cause and effect we see with one system may not even occur in another. I do not think enough people take into consideration how much the temperature influences the way other parameters register when tested, and that is just one variable.

 

My parameters were and will be again

Temp 80
PH 8.2?
SG - 1.026
Mag - 1450
Calc - 440
DKH - 10
Nitrate - less than 2.5ppm
Phosphate - will read 0 on Salifert

Steve

 

PH: 8.3
CA: 480
Alk: 8 (Too low right now, should be around 10 - 12)
Mg: 1340
Sg: 1.026
Temp: 78-80

 

as of sunday morning I was a follows:

PH 8.01 at 10 am - up to 8.15 by 9pm
Sg 1.026
MG 1400
Ca 490
KH 13
temp 78.4 to 81

I am currently working to drop the KH to 11. I unplugged the Co2 solenoid and will plug it back in when I get it where i want. im still working to get it dialed in.

I also unplugged the chiller for hte past 2 weeks as it ahs been cool enough to not have it kick in all the time. unfortunately it has not been cool enough this weekend and I had to buck up and plug it backin when the alarm went off at 82*