What are everyone's basic PARAMETERS, actual and ideal

[fredro]

Out of curiosity, what are everyone's basic parameters, Ca, Alk and Mg, ideal and actual? Also, what kind of tank are you keeping?

My tank is an 80g w/ 30g sump, mixed reef (LPS, SPS, few Softies, an Anemone and 6 fish).

I manual dose 2 Part (Seachem Fusion)

Ca: 440-450, ideal is 460
Alk: 8.8-9.0 dKH, ideal is 9.0
Mg:1260, ideal is 1300

 

[Rob&Gab]

65G SPS heavy, Mixxed reef tho. (CHALICES< ZOAS< SPS< MIXED LPS<LOSTS OF RECORIDA.)

20G Sump made by eshopps.

ALK - 7.5-8.
CAL - 430
MAG - 1380
PHOS - 0.02-0.04
NITRATE - 10-20ppm

 

[lrasser]

125g DT 30g sump

ALK - 9.
CAL - 400
MAG - 1360
PHOS - 0
NITRATE - 0

For some reason I haven't had nitrates in my system since the original cycle. And i'm heavy stocked on fish, and mixed reef. Tons of coral.

 

[fredro]

For some reason I haven't had nitrates in my system since the original cycle. And i'm heavy stocked on fish, and mixed reef. Tons of coral.

That's interrsting, Larry... I've had the same thing. I used 2 different test kits too. I was just reading a thread about a member posting that he was looking to increase nitrates bc of a lack of growth due to no nitrates. Maybe your nitrates as all getting pulled out by macros and skimming...
Here ya go...
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/general-discussion/176119-ways-generate-nirtate.html
But I would like to so some kind of reading and I havent, since my cycle finished and they hit 0. I've added a bunch of corals and fish since then too.

 

[lrasser]

I read that also. Not sure why someone would want nirates unless doing a softie tank. They tend to do a little better with slightly elevated levels.

 

[duke62]

Alk 8.5
Cal 450
Mag 1320
Po4 .06 to 8
No3 5
K 420
Everything is pretty much where I want them

 

[SteveZ15]

I read that also. Not sure why someone would want nirates unless doing a softie tank. They tend to do a little better with slightly elevated levels.

Its simple when my tank goes 0 everything goes pale ,your params work in your system thats great. The short spurt I had 5-10 everything was taking off and had great color. All the best tanks I personally seen have 5-20 nitrates,some have great success running all zeros but that dont work in my tank if it did I wouldnt be asking for ways to get nitrate in my tank.
alk9=good
cal440=good
1380=good
nitrate=0 ideal=5-10
phos.11=ideal= .06-.02

 

[fredro]

Is there a generally accepted ideal for the general parameters? I've seen a lot of different claims of what you should shoot for in a reef aquarium and also seen what standard sea water parameters are, but is there a true accepted ideal range for the general parameters?

 

[frag apple]

7.5 alk 430 ca 1380 mag , no3/ po4 undetectable!

 

[lrasser]

Like steve said. There is a base line but no perfect answer. Everyone has to find the sweet spot for there tank

 

[fredro]

Its simple when my tank goes 0 everything goes pale ,your params work in your system thats great. The short spurt I had 5-10 everything was taking off and had great color. All the best tanks I personally seen have 5-20 nitrates,some have great success running all zeros but that dont work in my tank if it did I wouldnt be asking for ways to get nitrate in my tank.
alk9=good
cal440=good
1380=good
nitrate=0 ideal=5-10
phos.11=ideal= .06-.02

I started a thread a few weeks ago about stupid accidents with your tank. Someone, I forgot who, commented about their skimmer cup either overflowing or spilling back into the sump. They went on to note that after that their corals had great polyp extension and looked awesome. They then said that every once in a while, they spill a little of the skimmate back into the sumo when cleaning out the cup, for this reason. This seems to further prove what you're saying. Really interesting.

 

[SteveZ15]

From what I understand might not be much.. Some people like zero nutrients and have great success. But the more I see with my tank and some others also their tanks need nutrients corals are feeding non stop to support their growth. Skeletal growth is taken up by alk and cal and tissue growth and energy to process food is used by light and avail nutrients. For me at least if this becomes unbalanced things don't go like they should. I can be wrong but for me this is what I understand how it works lots if light and no nutrients corals can't properly utilize the energy received from light.

 

[duromega]

Ca 440 ppm (Red Sea)
Alk 9.0 dKH (Red Sea)
Mg 1480 ppm (Red Sea)

Nitrate 5 ppm (Salifert)
Phosphate 0.08 ppm (Hanna)

180G / 40G Sump
Mixed Reef