testing water levels...does it have to be EXACT?

[proverbs]

i've been testing my water every week and the results always seem to be close to the IDEAL levels - but i'm not sure how far i can stray off? my fishes seem to be doing fine, but should i consider fixing any of these levels?

salt level is good.

pH is 7.9 - ideally supposed to be at 8.2, is this ok?

Nitrate NO2 is 0, so it is perfect.

Ammonia is 0, so it is perfect.

Nitrate NO3 is about 30 - it says get it as low as possible. is 30 a low enough number?

 

[melosu58]

As far as the ph it should be higher. If you have glass tops on your tank remove them and also point any power heads up torward the surface for some surface aggitation. On the nitrates they are high also but I believe that a water changes of 20% would help. Do you have a sump or refugium.

 

[melosu58]

I forgot also that on the PH you can get a buffer from kent that will help raise Ph but do the other stuff first that I recommended

 

[chineseknife]

Is your tank FO or reef or mixed? A FO system can handle higher nitrates, more than thirty, even. It's the corals and inverts that require near/at zero params. Water changes are the main way to reduce these levels, often, and in larger quantities. Reducing feedings, if possible. This also will reduce the amount of impurities in the aquarium. Ph should deffo hang around 8.2- 8.3 but have found that readings as low as 8.0 are okay(in my system). Raising the ph is easily done by the addition of chemicals melosu58 mentioned, as well...

 

[seaham358]

A little info on the tank would help... corals, fish, size, what type of water. ect...

Also only use buffers as a last resourt.. It could be the test kit so if your worried have a LFS test before using the buffer.. Also what time of day did you test?

 

[proverbs]

i have a JEBO 40 gal SW tank with 5 fish, 1 goby fish, cleaner and fire shrimp, 5 snails and 3 crabs - no corals and about 25lbs live rock. the tank is just like the NanoCube, an all-in-one system kind of thing.

the powerhead is in a fixed position so i cant point it up, but i do have a flip top, so i opened the top up. in curiosity, how does opening the top help the pH level?

and the odd thing is, i just did a 15 - 20% water change on monday so i didn't really leave time for myself to do it again for another 10 days at least. i do have some chemicals i bought with the tank - is there anything specific i can use for the high NO3 and the low pH?

 

[melosu58]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=64762&highlight=glass+top

 

[seaham358]

Doing water changes will help, adding chemicals in as a last resourt. You need to find the time to do a WC. What type of fish??? If you have large fish in a small tank you will need to do more water changes to control nitrates. Or set up a fuge to help with NO3 control and adding more LR would be helpful.
If everything looks fine I would not sweat the Ph until you have it tested by another kit.

 

[Hara]

actually, if your tank stays stable at 7.9, that is better than bouncing the ph level back and forth trying to achieve the ideal number. I have a tank that stays at 7.9-8.0, that is where it returns to after everything else has been done.
In answer to your question, about taking the lid off, oxygenation of the water helps maintain the ph levels. You need water breaking the surface for a good gas exchange to take place.

 

[proverbs]

i tested the water at arond 2:30 in the afternoon. i have a MYS clownfish, a true percula, and i can't tell if my third clownfish is a clarkii or sabae, but it looks like a mix. i also have 2 small blue tangs - I KNOW, my tank is too small for the blue tangs - i will be trading them in for 2 other fish next month. all the fish are pretty small.

i don't know how to set up a fuge yet, but i will definitely be getting some more live rock during the week. so i guess i will leave the top open and check to see if the pH levels rise tomorrow.

Oh - and how do i edit my sig or profile so i don't have to tell everyone my tank specs, fish, etc. every time i post? thanks.

 

[melosu58]

Go to the home page and click on your name and scroll down to signature