Currently I have a 75 gallon tank with a yellow tang, a blue hippo tang, 2 percs, and four green chromis. The tank has been up for nearly six months now, I have 90 pounds of live rock (adding at least 50 more pounds of base and live rock in the next two weeks) My water paramaters are as follows:
Ammonia 0 , nitrite 0 , nitrate 50 , PH 7.8-8.0 , Alk 1.7-2.8 mh
Phosphate 1.0 , saltinity 1.025
I have not tested my tank for calcium yet however in the new batch I made last night with reef crystals at 1.025 saltinity all my paramaters were zero except for phosphate which was at 0.5 ppm, ALK 3.6, PH 8.2, and calcium at 350 (using tap water)
Is this low calcium reading normal for a fresh batch of reef crystals? Why is my ALK and PH so low in my tank compared to my fresh SW and what can I do to get those levels up ? and what does DKH stand for ? I have been doing smallish 4 gallon water changes weekly and sometimes twice a week but plan on doing a large maybe 40 to 50 percent water change to knock out the nitrates. I also have a question about sailfert calcium tests. Are they reliable ? and do I have to add each drop individually or can I speed the process up and add say 5 drop at a time ?
Thanks in advance and happy holidays
Ammonia 0 , nitrite 0 , nitrate 50 , PH 7.8-8.0 , Alk 1.7-2.8 mh
Phosphate 1.0 , saltinity 1.025
I have not tested my tank for calcium yet however in the new batch I made last night with reef crystals at 1.025 saltinity all my paramaters were zero except for phosphate which was at 0.5 ppm, ALK 3.6, PH 8.2, and calcium at 350 (using tap water)
Is this low calcium reading normal for a fresh batch of reef crystals? Why is my ALK and PH so low in my tank compared to my fresh SW and what can I do to get those levels up ? and what does DKH stand for ? I have been doing smallish 4 gallon water changes weekly and sometimes twice a week but plan on doing a large maybe 40 to 50 percent water change to knock out the nitrates. I also have a question about sailfert calcium tests. Are they reliable ? and do I have to add each drop individually or can I speed the process up and add say 5 drop at a time ?
Thanks in advance and happy holidays