Please HELPPPPPPP Me with my reef tank

[Feems]

I will purchase a kh test kit first thing in the morning and test everything again, I also have Tech CB Part A part B but i haven't put anything in my tank since i did the water changes a couple days ago.I am also in the works of purchasing a metal halide Light aswell. I measure my salinity with a refractometer how do i get it to 1.025 and keep it there? My last water change was with reef crystals supposably it has good stuff for the reef, does anyone agree?

[Doodaa]

1.026 is right where you want to be. I wouldn't change your salinity levels. 1.025 is on the lower side of natural sea water.

[IxLr8]

1.026 is right where you want to be. I wouldn't change your salinity levels. 1.025 is on the lower side of natural sea water.

I am curious, please provide reference to the effect that 1.025 is on the lower side of natural sea water. I use natural sea water at home on my aquariums from the Catalina Water Company here in California which happens to be used for most of the public aquariums on the west coast and if that's the case, I would want to challenge their parameters that they publish.

[Doodaa]

Here's one....
The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners Part 1: The Salt Water Itself by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Here's another one (same author) that shows a neat graph part way down...
Reef Aquarium Salinity: Homemade Calibration Standards by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Maybe I should have said in more detail that 1.025 is on the lower side of the average salinity level of the ocean. Local measurements will differ since I was only referring to an average.

[IxLr8]

Thanks, that makes sense, my Pinpoint meter at the moment is 1.0256 which is what the seawater is in the pacticular vicinity that Catalina Water Company must get their water from.

[Feems]

OMG!!!!!! I did a water change with reef crystals!!!! that was a huge mistake!!!!!!! My calcium is thru the roof even worse cuz reef crystals boost calcium!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
here is the plan I have a 50 gallon tank so
1) Remove Bio Balls a handfull at a time 3 times a week until all gone!

2) Purchase 50 pounds of more live rock adding 5 pounds a week to the tank. ( I already have 50 pounds in a 50 gallon tank)


3) A 5 gallon water change with regular instant ocean Sea Salt everyday for about 1 to 2 weeks until levels level out.
4) install a phosban reactor 150

5) I will only use Kent Tech CB Part A Part B only when needed after testing!

6) I will Use Pro Buffer dKH To increace Alkalinity and Maintain PH to 8.3

[Feems]

How does everyone feel about putting live rock in the wetdry?

does anyone know about magnesium? my level is 1400-1450 is that good?
my KH is = 9/10 is that good?

[Doodaa]

OMG!!!!!! I did a water change with reef crystals!!!! that was a huge mistake!!!!!!! My calcium is thru the roof even worse cuz reef crystals boost calcium!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
here is the plan I have a 50 gallon tank so

Normally Reef Crystals don't boost calcium. I've seen tests where it is 420ppm, which is good, not a boost. What do you call "through the roof"? Have you tried a different calcium test kit? As mentioned before, your current kit may be reading wrong.

does anyone know about magnesium? my level is 1400-1450 is that good?
my KH is = 9/10 is that good?

Your magnesium and KH levels are fine, but don't dose to get any higher. A lot of reefers like to keep the KH around 10. Magnesium...I'm not sure what people like too keep them at for sure, but 1300-1500ppm is an average range.

1) Remove Bio Balls a handfull at a time 3 times a week until all gone!

2) Purchase 50 pounds of more live rock adding 5 pounds a week to the tank. ( I already have 50 pounds in a 50 gallon tank)

How does everyone feel about putting live rock in the wetdry?

Is your wet/dry lit? I don't know the difference between bio-balls and unlit live rock...seems like it may be the same to me. Hopefully, someone more knowledgeable can explain that.

3) A 5 gallon water change with regular instant ocean Sea Salt everyday for about 1 to 2 weeks until levels level out.
4) install a phosban reactor 150

5) I will only use Kent Tech CB Part A Part B only when needed after testing!

6) I will Use Pro Buffer dKH To increace Alkalinity and Maintain PH to 8.3

re: 3) Again, I don't know if your calcium test kit is accurate. Have you tested your mixed water before you put it in the tank? I've never experienced calcium levels over 600, so I don't know.

re: 4) Phosban reactor - don't use aluminum based phosphate reducer, use an iron based granular ferric oxide. You can mix in some Activated carbon to pull out other impurities at the same time...lots of people do this.

re: 5) Yes! only adding stuff you are testing for and deem deficient is a good practice.

[Feems]

I had my water tested at 2 different aquarium store with a selifert test kit and they say its above 500.
I was told to do a small water change every day for one and a half to 2 weeks, what does everyone think about this? they say my nitrates is 50.
I have a 50 gallon tank but with the rock ans sand i am sure its less water so how many gallons should i change out daily?

[IxLr8]

Wow, amazing on the calcium. Water change like they said to bring it down to 450 and your good to go. Maybe 2 quarts per day till you get it to 450. What's your KH?

[returnofsid]

You don't want live rock in the bioball chamber. It'll create the same nitrate problems unless it's totally submerged in water. The oxygenation of the bioballs/live rock is what creates the nitrates.

Small water changes, every day, won't do near as much as a couple of larger water changes per week. You'll have much better luck with lowering your nitrates, if you do 10-20% water changes, once a week, than you will by doing 5% daily. I'd recommend doing a 10 gallon water change, once a week, until you get your nitrates down to undetectable levels. Gotta find out what's causing the nitrates. I'd suggest it's the huge fish bioload you have in such a small tank.

As for lowering your Calcium, I wouldn't do water changes just to lower your calcium. They'll drop on their own. Just do your regular water changes, weekly. I'd also question the accuracy of the test kits if they're showing calcium levels of 500, unless you're dosing something to increase your calcium.

Use a turkey baster, or a small powerhead to blow all your live rock clean. Get all the detritus out of the live rock and into the water column, while you're doing a water change.

Your magnesium level should be 3X your calcium level. For instance, if your target Calcium is 410, your target magnesium should be 1230.

Stop using all the chemicals until you get your nitrates down. Then read and learn as much as you can about the relationship between Ca, Alk and Magnesium. Then work on only dosing for those 3 elements, and only dosing enough to get and keep your tank balanced.

In my signature, you'll find a couple of great links. One is for Randy's DIY recipe for Ca, Alk and Mg supplements. The other is for a very useful Reef Chemistry calculator, to use to get your tank balanced. It has some great tools to help you figure out why you aren't balanced, and what to do to get balanced.

Get some quality test kits for Ca, Alk and Mg. I recommend Salifert or Elos. Learn how to use them and start testing your own water. Messing with water changes and chemicals to increase or decrease Calcium, without knowing where your Alk is, can start a problematic rollercoaster. As I said, let the Ca come down on it's own. Figure out where your Alk is. If it's low, supplement to get it where it needs to be. Until you get your tank balanced, you may need to test on a very regular basis.