r these good water parameters for a mixed reef tank

[motortrendz]

phosphates are high... calcium isnt bad i keep mine around 450-470 alk around 9-10 dkh, everything else at 0.. phosphates should be nmo more than .05, mag lvls??

i keep lps and sps with no issues.. if your having issues there may be something else going on.. how long has your system been running, do you run reactors? carbon, gfo or bioplastics? do you use a filter sock and change it often? what type of skimmer are you using and how muck flow is in your tank? do you feed with frozen foods? and if so are you rinsing it in RO water or just dropping the cubes in the tank(that will caause high phosphates) what type of lighting and where does tyour water temp stay? how often do you top off? bc as the water evaps the salinity will sway..

just some stuff to think of..

 

[Ben11vick]

everything is normal except for phosphates i dont run reactors i dont rinse food with ro water

 

[Ben11vick]

Oh no you used that word =X btw did you read on what you will be getting yourself into buddy?

dude im only 14 i had a 75 gallon softy coral tank when i was 6, a 35 gallon lps reef when i was 10 now im 14 with a 80 gallon bow mixed reef nps lps sps there is still a lot of stuff for me to learn

 

[motortrendz]

ok well listen, i think you should rinse your frozen stuff with water, it will help keep your phosphates in check, do some water changes.. i would get a reactor.. you can find them cheap on here used, run carbon, and gfo to help reduce your levels.. cal dont worry abt.. check mag lvls.. should be up around 1300ppm also you didnt say what kind of skimmer or lighting

 

[Ben11vick]

Aqua illumination led and the skimmer I have no clue it's big and blue lol

 

[motortrendz]

lol.. does it fill up with alot of skimmate? i think your close to having a really good system, get your phosphates in check.. do you have any algea issues?

 

[Ben11vick]

Yeah the skimmer does I don't have any algae problems just some green coraline
and a couple splotches of pink and purple coraline

 

[duke62]

which means his mag is either good or high

 

[Ben11vick]

It's 1380

 

[motortrendz]

which is good... i think your very close to to being where u need to be, just handle phosphates, do a few nice water changes.. run a gfo reactor and get them below .10

 

[tomtoothdoc]

a little suggestion......i don't think you should order the $350 acro pack from wetthumbfrags just yet. let me clarify. dan and tina are great people....i have bought many corals from them. so it's not about them.
i don't know how long the tank has been running but from the sound of it, i don't think it's ready for those acro's just yet.
hate to see people throw their money away and definitely hate to see them beautiful corals perish.
get your parameters rock steady and try some "cheap" acro frags first before plopping down a chunk of change. i'll even give you some frags to try out when you're ready.

that's my $0.02

 

[motortrendz]

tom your always going the extra mile to help a guy out.. you the man.. and you have helped me out in the past.. always apreciated

 

[stedfast82]

check out my build i have a full mixed reef . quit the number's game my reef is at 6 dkh right now and see more growth now than ever cal at 420 and mag at 1600 not to say my alk should be higher i know that but just stable thing's out you will be ok coral will live well at any level might not look the best at 5 dkh bring the alk up slow and you will do good good luck bud

 

[stedfast82]

and test kit's elos for mag and dont waste your$ stay with api i have my reef and a coral farm i will be on here soon to sell soon as MACNA in IOWA is over API is the the way to go i use it for cal and alk dont let any one blow smoke

 

[tomtoothdoc]

tom your always going the extra mile to help a guy out.. you the man.. and you have helped me out in the past.. always apreciated

thanks mike.

it's because looking back to when i started reefing, i wish i knew about mr and wish there was a community like this to get advice rather than just relying on the lfs's. which weren't all bad just very expensive and at sometimes seem like a conflict of interest.

if i can help others avoid the costly mistakes (monetary and lives of animals) i've made and find joy in reefing for the long haul, the reef critters that had died by my hands wouldn't have died in vain.

+1 on api for alk and cal....they are adequate and fairly comparable to many of the more expensive test kits. hanna meter for phos. american marine (pinpoint) meter for nitrate. salifert for mag....will try elos when it runs out.

 

[Ben11vick]

a little suggestion......i don't think you should order the $350 acro pack from wetthumbfrags just yet. let me clarify. dan and tina are great people....i have bought many corals from them. so it's not about them.
i don't know how long the tank has been running but from the sound of it, i don't think it's ready for those acro's just yet.
hate to see people throw their money away and definitely hate to see them beautiful corals perish.
get your parameters rock steady and try some "cheap" acro frags first before plopping down a chunk of change. i'll even give you some frags to try out when you're ready.

that's my $0.02

Thank you i highly appreciate it i just have to get my phosphates down to 0 and lower my calcium and magnesium a little