test results / question

[catmel]

Yay! so I finally got a calcium and KH kit I'm excited! ( Who knew getting some chemicals in the mail could bring happiness? lol)

Anyhow, I can now do a pretty full test on my aquarium. I'm happy that for now my PH seems to be where it should be.

tests:
ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate between 10-20ppm, phosphate 0-0.1ppm, PH about 8-8.2 ( hard to tell exactly) KH - 12 dkh / 214 ppm gh/kh ( I used the API test kit) calcium 300-320 ( which is low I believe?)

My questions being, is that KH high? Ive been using RO/DI, i've only had them in use for about 2 months and have made about 200 or so gallons. I did recently use the seachem marine buffer to get my PH back to where it should be after a power outage / ammonia spile. Should I do anything about this?

Also with the calcium being low, should I try a certain percentage water change ( I need to do one here soon anyhow) or should I look into a suppliment?

thanks as always

 

[kgriffith]

kh is good, 10-12 is a good range.

 

[CaptainAhab]

What kind of salt are you using?

 

[catmel]

Opps, forgot that. Reef Crystals

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Your alkalinity is a little high relative to your calcium levels, but it's most likely due to all the buffer you added a while back. It'll drop down a couple degrees as time goes on and you do more water changes. Nothing to worry about though.

Regarding your Calcium, you might want to check your stored saltwater for the calcium level. You should be getting somewhere between 360 and 380ppm for Reef Crystals at 1.024-1.025 with RO/DI water. If your main tank is truly at 300-320 and it's not a testing error, then you're either mixing the saltwater up at a lower salinity (kinda doubt it) or your coralline algae has depleted your calcium. If I remember right, I don't think you've got enough corals yet to really make a dent in the calcium, but coralline algae can really drop the levels down on you. Probably want to pick up some Turbo Calcium to get the calcium levels back up where you want them, and then start considering perhaps a 2-part ca/alk solution to maintain the levels... assuming something in your tank is consuming it.

 

[catmel]

Your alkalinity is a little high relative to your calcium levels, but it's most likely due to all the buffer you added a while back. It'll drop down a couple degrees as time goes on and you do more water changes. Nothing to worry about though.

Regarding your Calcium, you might want to check your stored saltwater for the calcium level. You should be getting somewhere between 360 and 380ppm for Reef Crystals at 1.024-1.025 with RO/DI water. If your main tank is truly at 300-320 and it's not a testing error, then you're either mixing the saltwater up at a lower salinity (kinda doubt it) or your coralline algae has depleted your calcium. If I remember right, I don't think you've got enough corals yet to really make a dent in the calcium, but coralline algae can really drop the levels down on you. Probably want to pick up some Turbo Calcium to get the calcium levels back up where you want them, and then start considering perhaps a 2-part ca/alk solution to maintain the levels... assuming something in your tank is consuming it.

Yes, I only have three small mushroom poylps at this time. I'll certainly check my calcium level in my stored water. I do think it had something to do with the buffer. Thanks so much for the help